TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:41 am

9.5 mpg?!? I thought Hummers got 10?

Those poor, poor Vanagons... :snipersmile:

Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:27 pm

1984 westy
1.9 liter waterboxer
17-18 hwy
15-16 city

Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:10 am

Year 1984
model Westy
engine 1.9
trans 4spd
mods none
tires stock
No air or power steering

I get 20-22 mpg highway fully loaded and never over 55mph. I think speed will have a hudge factor on gas consumption with these rigs.

Pascal

Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:13 pm

1985 GL with Westy bed, 200# camping equip, two people, and a medium dog.

1.9 stock engine, 4 spd manual, P/S

Did a few hundred highway miles (55-60 mph) and maybe 50 city & dirt road miles this weekend, averaged a hair over 20 MPG.

Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:13 pm

1989 T25 transporter with 1.6 turbo diesel and 166k miles on the clock. Fitted out as a camper.
Only bought it January, but driving gently around 32 mpg.

Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:26 pm

T-bob,

But just how slowwwwww is the 1.6TD???? It is bad enough with gasoline powered Westy but it must be painfully slow driving what you have. OR????

Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:07 pm

Really not too bad. Cruise at about 60/65mph and it goes up hills better than my old Ford Escort 1.6 diesel non turbo?

I think UK gallon measures are different to US measures?

T Bob

Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:36 pm

87 7 pass i get 18-22mpg under 3000 rpms avg thats 55mph when i drive 3500-4000 15- 18 avg deve :cry:

Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:45 am

In pure highway driving, my '85 GL with several hundred pounds of Westy-style cabinets etc. + 2 people is getting a bit over 22mpg @65mph.

Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:39 pm

I got a 84 vanagon westfalia gl ,wolfsburg edition. I just took it camping to the VW classic show in Fredericksburg, Texas this weekend. WHAT A SHOW!! Anyways, Fully loaded w/4 people, I towed my 68 beetle behind it and from Arlington,Tx., to the campsite, 300 + miles, I used a little over 11 gallons , with a headwind. I figured I averaged a little over 25mpg, @65-70mph. average.. It freaks me out sometimes and I always double check it and I only fill it up when it gets to the red zone. I need the crossover tube for the tank fixed, it'll spillover if it gets too full. Then I got to high tail it out of the station to burn off the excess :lol: .I use to drive it daily to work,and from work to home it is a 60 mile round trip.Sometimes it gets 28 mpg,22 at the least. I use og parts, as far as the wires and plugs and dist cap and rotor go. The wires cost a lot more, but I had problems with it sputtering and losing power in the rain with aftermarket wires. Change the oil frequently, check cv joints and bolts for tightness!! Once I figure out how to get rid of that musky funky smell that sometimes comes out from the vents ,I'll be good to go!! lol .I just went over 106,000 original miles. I got it 2 yrs. ago march with 84,000 miles..
1.9 digifant.

Thu May 04, 2006 11:10 am

On my 82 1.6NA diesel, I've been fiddling with my fuel stop screw and trying to improve my
driving technique to increase my fuel range recently. Previously my
best tankful has been around 380 miles. I always carry an extra fuel
can so, I often run the tank dry. (Also, most of my travel is never
more than 5 miles from a source of diesel fuel, so running it nearly
dry does no bother me much.)
Well, my improvements have paid off- I finally filled up at 430 miles
last nite. But, here's the kicker: The gas pump showed 16.48 gallons
to fill, and It was still showing some on the guage! Huh? I've never
in my life put in more than 15.8 gallons in a Vanagon tank! I think
this fill should not have been more than 15.3 gallons. I suspect that
the station's pump is measuring high!
Anybody else have knowledge of what the tank's capacity is? Anybody have
luck getting a settlement from a fuel vendor?
BTW 430 mile/ 15.3gal = 28.1mpg. And this is heavily loaded, mostly
in-town driving.
My 1987 and 1991 2.1 Vanagons get 17-21 mpg, but I do drive a bit faster. Usually about 65 -70, but it's easy on the 91 to let it creep up past 75, it's so quiet! Mileage suffers above 70mph, though!
Al Brase

Thu May 04, 2006 11:52 am

1983 aircooled westy
130k miles
4 speed
stock tires
no mods
16-18 @ 65mph avg.

Thu May 04, 2006 12:15 pm

82 diesel

34mpg at 60

Thu May 04, 2006 12:42 pm

1987 westy weekender 2.1wbx. In mixed driving with a lot of hills and some freeway I get about 20mpg

Thu May 04, 2006 1:51 pm

Last night I went on a really loooong trip....
Starting out from Santa Barbara, with the tank topped off, drove all the way up into southern Utah 8) 8)
Topped off the tank......only needed 2 1/2 gallons, checked and double checked and yep, It's full :shock:
Did the calculations and hmmmm 300 miles to the gallon :lol: :lol:
Then

I heard this loud buzzing sound.
Damn alarm clocks....ruining ALL of my good dreams

Thu May 04, 2006 7:16 pm

The best mileage I ever got was 240 miles to a full tank, over 65mph highway in a 84 1.9L camper. I can't drive 55 when everyone else is goin 75. But Id say my van has a sweet spot at around 70.

Thu May 04, 2006 9:12 pm

8419p27 wrote: The best mileage I ever got was 240 miles to a full tank, over 65mph highway in a 84 1.9L camper. I can't drive 55 when everyone else is goin 75. But Id say my van has a sweet spot at around 70.
Trust me, I can drive 55 when everyone else is driving 70. All it takes is strength of character....or a diesel Vanagon. BUT often I take another road than the freeway. At 55, the freeway is just too boring.
Al

Fri May 05, 2006 7:13 am

and at 55 the 2ndary roads are heck of alot more fun.. :lol:

my TD with AC tranny gets 25-27.. I just can't keep it a steady, like to zoom up and down the road..
if i could hold it about 60-65 i'd get 27-30

dad's NA used to have 84 WBx gearing and now has stock NA Diesel tranny gets 25-30 55-60..

have to find another AC tranny for his rig.. and stilllooking for the golden goose, another QTD for his .

dan

Sun May 07, 2006 9:45 pm

just got 23 mpg going south down 101 0nthe oregon coast - 50 -60 mph - a bit of a tail wind.

coming north up I-5 at 65 got 19mpg - 84 gl mostly empty, 185 r 75's 1.9l 4 speed

liked 101 - even at 70mph, I-5 is like playing frogger. and not to be too judgmental but what are those lunatics in 10 mpg SUV's doing at 75 + mph - celebrating record oil profits??????????

Mon May 08, 2006 9:53 am

I am driving a lot slower (50-60 freeway) and looking far ahead gauging traffic lights. My 16-18 mpg has gone to:

Year 1985
model Westy
engine 1.9
trans automatic
mods none
tires stock 185/14 Copper Load Range D at 50 psi front / 55 psi rear

Measured a few times now:

17-18 in town with a bit of freeway

19+ freeway at mostly 55-60 and sometimes 70 mph.

It takes a LOT of restraint to do this as people seem to want to crawl up the ass end of the van. I just slow down more, piss them off so they waste gas because I dared to go slower than them.