Author |
Message |
shkdwnstrt Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 244
|
Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:12 pm Post subject: What's your MPG (miles per gallon) fuel gas mileage FAQ |
|
|
Please post your Engine info, whether it's a camper or not, and MPG. I'm trying to see what's ABOUT average for what setup. I know I am getting miserable mileage, and maybe with help from other people with the same setup, those of us with bad mileage can find a solution.
Westy
1700
Single Weber Carb
12 MPG city/ ? Highway |
|
Back to top |
|
|
casey79westfalia Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2003 Posts: 1716 Location: Baltimore
|
Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I get between 23-25 in my 79 westfalia with camper special. I think with some more tweaking (possibly running a megasquirt setup, or CIS) I could probably get 25-27, I may be pushing it however we will see. _________________ 66 Westfalia
87 Westfalia Syncro "Phoenix"
88 Double Cab
76 Porsche 914
2014 Audi Q7
2010 Tdi Sportwagen
Currently looking for 62 Double Cab, 66 Westfalia Parts!
(Rear seat and pedestal, bumpers, mirrors)
http://www.baycountrymotors.com
My 87 Syncro Westfalia 1.8t Restoration
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=418933
"Do it the right way, or you'll pay for it" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
stupidsongs2 Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2006 Posts: 550
|
Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 11:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
11 MPG, 78 Westy, Fuel Injected
I think my poor gas mileage is due to a leaky gas cap. (fixed today)
---edit---
Fix the gas cap, still have crap mileage, about 15mpg.
I'm running cheapo passenger tires, electronic ignition, about 20% highway 80% city, i live right in the middle of the Texas hill country, so there is TONS of slowing down and speeding up.
When I'm cruising on the highway, there are several hills that i need to drop down to 3rd to get up, even if I'm pushing 70 at the bottom of the hill.
Last edited by stupidsongs2 on Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
deronmoped Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2006 Posts: 375 Location: San Diego
|
Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 11:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
There also should be a little more information on driving habits, tire size, tire pressure, how you arrived at your MPG figure...
Some people will drive at 55 MPH and quote a mileage figure while others will quote a figure they get while driving 70 MPH.
Tire pressure is important too, some will run the pressure for gas mileage and some will run the pressure for a smoother ride.
Is the figure for combined city and freeway, what percentage is city and freeway. Do you drive in rush hour traffic, hilly terrain, windy areas...
No guessing either, top the tank off, write the mileage down, drive the Bus how you normally drive, at the next fill up top it off to the same point, write the number of gallons down, write the mileage down, do this a few times and you should get a pretty good figure.
I have heard too many people saying they get such and such mileage without ever even knowing how to figure it out, they just take a guess.
In my Bus when I had a mild 1835 with dual Kadrons and 205 70/R15's @ 32 PSI, I would drive at 70-75 MPH on the freeway, no hot rodding around the streets, I would get a combined 16 MPG. My city/freeway driving was about 50% for each.
Have not had a chance to see what my 231 CI V6 will get
Deron. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
shkdwnstrt Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 244
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
Good thinking.
I drive the bus pretty slow and easy. I AM riding on passenger tires. (I know. I know.) Haven't checked my tire pressure. (I guess I just kinda eyeball it.) I figured my MPG, by letting the needle get all the way to the empty line, then I put in $15 (Which was 5.5... gallons). Then I checked my odometer, and checked it again when it got back to the empty line. I am driving in town. A town with a decent population, so alot of traffic lights and stop signs. Really flat. Hardly a hill in site where I live. I still think even with these conditions I should get more than 12 MPG. Maybe I'm wrong though. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
shkdwnstrt Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 244
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
New format.
Automatic Westy
1700
Single Weber
Tire pressure: ?
Tire size: Passenger (can't remember the numbers)
Driving style: slow and steady
Traffic Congestion: Lots of traffic lights and stop signs.
Terrain: Flat
MPG: 12 city/ ? highway.
Hows that? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Joey Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2005 Posts: 5366 Location: Nova Scotia - Canada
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
In my 74 Bus with a 2L fuel infected.. i mean injected engine (& tranny) from a 79 Westy I get aprox. 18mpg in the city and aprox. 23 hwy. I drive it slow & easy in the city and on the hwy I keep it steady at 60mph ..well, except going down steep hills
In my 79 panel with a 2L FI, I get slightly lower (-2 or 3mpg) probably because I have snow tires (softer rubber) on and it only get driven in the cold snowy season. _________________ Joey
‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Randy in Maine Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2003 Posts: 34890 Location: The Beach
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
shkdwnstrt wrote: |
New format.
Automatic Westy
1700
Single Weber
Tire pressure: ?
Tire size: Passenger (can't remember the numbers)
Driving style: slow and steady
Traffic Congestion: Lots of traffic lights and stop signs.
Terrain: Flat
MPG: 12 city/ ? highway.
Hows that? |
Still no good. Fill up the tank to when the pump shuts off. Drive it a couple of hundred miles. Fill up tank to when the pump shuts off. Miles divided by gallons used = mpg.
This assumes that the drivers side front tire that runs the odometer is the correct diameter of about 25.65" and turns about 811 revs in a mile when using a 185R14 inflated correctly for your bus as per VW. Tires taller or shorter change how accurate the odometer is. ASSUMING it was accurate from the factory. YMMV.
But you are correct, even with a centermounted single carb you should be closer to 18 or so, but they are a "needy set up" at best and you really have to be a better tuner than me to get them right. Most of the ones I have seen tend to run really rich and the oil always smells like gas. I am not a carb guy though. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
deronmoped Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2006 Posts: 375 Location: San Diego
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
Is not the odometer portion of a speedo direct drive? If the tire size is correct then it should be accurate.
Deron. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Mark Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2003 Posts: 1523 Location: Victoria, BC Canada
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
A big part of the calculation is making sure your odometer is working properly. My 76 transporter would 'skip' every few miles until I cracked it open & repaired it,. In the meantime, it gave a false indication of poor mileage.
Trying to push a vehicle with aerodynamic properties of a fridge at highway speeds has some limits. _________________ www.zwerks.ca |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Redd73 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2007 Posts: 836
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
my odometer doesnt work but according to rough guess of miles vs rough guess of distance traveled from chicago the other day i got 19-21 mpg. it did a lot better the last part of the trip when i took a side road home and did 55 most of the way instead of 70. _________________ "...theres nowhere to go but everywhere." - Kerouac
------
73 Westy 2000cc w/dual solex (engine code GE) + aftermarket AC
Last edited by Redd73 on Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:46 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
BusBerd Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005 Posts: 834 Location: Minneapolis, MN
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
on a 3-day highway road trip:
at 65mph: 14mpg
at 55mph: 21mpg
I couldn't believe the difference. made me slow down and just enjoy the ride. _________________ "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Redd73 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2007 Posts: 836
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
BusBerd wrote: |
on a 3-day highway road trip:
at 65mph: 14mpg
at 55mph: 21mpg
I couldn't believe the difference. made me slow down and just enjoy the ride. |
seriously man. and besides that, once i got off the highway there werent any trucks trying to blow me off it when they passed me. im pretty sure future road trips will be spent 99% on back roads. _________________ "...theres nowhere to go but everywhere." - Kerouac
------
73 Westy 2000cc w/dual solex (engine code GE) + aftermarket AC |
|
Back to top |
|
|
EZ Gruv King of Plaid
Joined: December 10, 2002 Posts: 8544 Location: Las Vegas
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
1977 Westfalia Camper
Manual Transmission
2.0 L, Fuel injected
Tire Pressure: 35 in the front, 45 in the rear
Tires: Properly sized, load range C, Yokohama 356's
Driving Style: Mixed city/highway
Traffic: Usually 'Rush Hour'
Terrain: Mild hills
MPG: 17
I have a record of the MPG of every tank since I bought the bus. Sometimes I get 20, sometimes I get 15, but the overall average over the years is 17. _________________ Eric
1977 Deluxe Westfalia - 2.0L FI Type IV, Completely Original
Photographer for HotVWs, VolksWorld, AirMighty, VW Camper & Commercial, Hayburner, and more.
My Photography Page. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Bay74 Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2006 Posts: 414
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
Year: 1974
Type: Automatic
Terrain: Small hills
Road Type: Town and some highway
Average mpg: 16 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
pb24ss Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2005 Posts: 1665 Location: sitting around the fire with the bluegrass band - colorado
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
with points and timing adjusted properly i get around 20MPG in my 78 2.0L FI |
|
Back to top |
|
|
geoffreybill Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2006 Posts: 13 Location: Nantwich, UK
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 12:07 pm Post subject: What's your MPG (please post) |
|
|
Last summer, travelling over 4300 miles to Italy and back, (doing the Mille Miglia route) we did 21 MPG on the way out. This was avoiding motorways, and included lots of slow stuff, steep stuff and bendy stuff, especially crossing the Alps. Coming home I used mostly motorways (autostrada/ autoroutes) and got 22 MPG. This is of course Imperial gallons not US.
The van is a 1977 Campmobile, 2 litres with twin Dellorto carbs. I don't dare check MPG for daily driving, I suspect it's a lot less! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
slammedresto Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2006 Posts: 616 Location: Essex, UK
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
69 westy tintop
1641 with 34icts
running firestone fuel saver car tyres(dont go there)
mixed road types, ave 55-60 on motorway(highway)
getting approx 20-22mpg(uk gallons) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50331
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Okay you guys suckered me in.
1977 7 passenger
1800cid engine with very high miles from my old 1974
4 speed
205/75R14 tires
Single Weber with no power valve, heated manifold
22-24 highway at speeds up to 65
Gas mileage drops noticably above 65mph, therefore don't go there often
Driving style: lots of hills and wind |
|
Back to top |
|
|
busbasher Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2005 Posts: 20 Location: ontario canada
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 5:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
78 2.0l fi
electronic ignition
205/75/14 tires
recent trip thru ny state with five guys and gear
70mph hwy
averaged bettween 23.6 and 27.6mpg |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|