Date:         Mon, 31 Jul 2000 19:12:45 EDT
Reply-To:     Wolfvan88@aol.com
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Lilley <Wolfvan88@aol.com>
Subject:      My 615 mile Trip report
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I just got back from a long trip in the mountains of North Carolina.  I went to the Boone Bus Festival  It was nice, lots of Buses from 50&#8217;s up to 79&#8217;, Vanagons and a few Eurovans.

There was a caravan that lasted about 1 hour or more at 20 mpg to 35 mph on Sunday.  Imagine a long line of 70 or so Buses, Vanagons and Eurovans rolling through the curvy mountain roads on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A lot of heads were turning. It was cool to look back and see VWS as far as the eye could see down the mountain roads.

The trip averaged to 22.5. Mpg overall.
I filled up and refilled at the same station, your results may vary.

40% was in the mountains and the rest was flat with rolling hills.
I was getting 25*** on I40 from Morganton to Durham while doing 70 mph to 83 mph
I also kept the RPMs between 3700 to 4200 rpm. 

( I think this is where stock four-speed tranny put the engine rpms for 65 to 70 mph.  Also at the higher speeds there is MORE wind resistance than running at lower speeds.)

I went 83 miles from Morganton and filled up.  I was doing no less than 70 for the miles and up to 85mph (I needed to get around slow traffic and avoid the semi/car in the rear. Also I was going up hill this fast at times) Average was 75 mph. Then I went another 88 miles between 60 to 80 and filled up again.

While on the Interstate at 40, I needed less than ¼ to 1/8th throttle to easily maintain 80 mph even up the hills.

My ears are not ringing from a loud exhaust.

I had NO problems at all!


I have a .457 ring & pinion SA five-speed tranny.  This drops the engine rpms @400 from stock 4 speed rpms.
My van weighs 4000 lbs.
500 lbs of people and some camping gear.
40 psi in tires that are just under the required tire load

***It was probably more but because the angles were slightly different at the different gas stations  The gas gauge usually starts to drop off the top fill line after 50 miles but during the Interstate driving it started to move after 75

**I do not condone speeding that fast, but I was testing the power of the WBX engine to climb hills**

I am also planning to get the ECU upgrade chip soon.  While the engine runs great, it needs the chip to balance the DF FI system out.


Robert

PS  If you do not believe the mileage lets go for a ride&#8230;I am in NC waiting&#8230;