Date:         Wed, 3 May 2000 12:37:27 -0700
Reply-To:     Nicholas Wilson <nwilson@MCN.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Nicholas Wilson <nwilson@MCN.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Gas tank capacity
Comments: To: Adam Puzerewski <puzerewski@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <0c6fb0900180350CPIMSSMTPU02@email.msn.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Hi Adam,

The stock gas tank holds 16 gal. How much gas does it usually take you to
fill it up? Maybe you're being too cautious and filling up when you still
have four gallons or so left. How does your gas gauge relate to how much is
actually in the tank. I know my gauge is unreliable, and I have a new gauge
sending unit on order from Bus Depot, along with grommets and gaskets, so I
can drop the tank and try to stop the gas leaks that happen if I fill the
tank all the way. I've already replaced all the rotted-out vent hoses that
connect to the expansion tanks in the wheel wells.

What kind of mileage are you getting under various conditions? If you're
getting 250 miles on a tank, even if you were using all 16 gallons, that's
15.6 mpg. If you used 14 gallons for your 250 miles that's 17.9 mpg, and
I'd be jealous.

I have an '82 Westy with California fuel and exhaust, meaning breakerless
ignition and O2 sensor. I get pretty poor mileage, ranging as low as 12 mpg
at 7000 ft. on dirt roads in 2nd and 3rd gears, but never more than about
16 mpg on the highway. This is with a new engine and transaxle, and I
thought something was wrong with the fuel system or ignition timing. I've
since heard that this is pretty typical mileage for the air-cooled Vanagon
Westy. If you look at the specs in the Bently manual, you'll see that the
compression ratio is quite a bit lower in the air-cooled than in the
water-cooled engines used later. Lower compression reduces the efficiency
of the engine, which translates to poorer mileage, but it's a compromise
they had to make to avoid pre-detonation due to the hotter-running
air-cooled engine.

I carry two 5 gal. low-profile gas cans in the luggage rack when I head for
the mountains. That increases my range at least 120 miles.

--Nick
'82 Westy, '88 Jetta, VW camper owner since '67
Mendocino CA

At 02:01 PM 5/3/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Has anyone adapted their fuel tank(s) so that you hold more than the
>standard tank?   I am getting  about 250 a tank, and that just is not far
>enough.  Any help is appreciated.
>
>Adam Puzerewski
>81 westy