Date:         Fri, 21 May 2004 11:59:30 -0400
Reply-To:     Dana Showers <dshowers@CPDS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dana Showers <dshowers@CPDS.NET>
Organization: www.cpds.net
Subject:      Re: Gas Mileage
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2004052103360543@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Driving habits very much effect MPG.  When I was forced to drive around 55
MPG because of traffic on one tank of gas, my 85 Westy got 20 MPG.  Other
times it gets anywhere from 13.5 - 18 from regular driving with 16 being
average.  This demonstrates the difference in results from driving habits.

My Parent's 1985 V8 Caprice would regularly get 25 MPG on highway trips.

Dana
85 Westy
01 Beetle TDI
04 Mini Cooper


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Daniel L. Katz
Sent: Friday, May 21, 2004 3:28 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Gas Mileage


john:

these two things mitigate against optimum milage:

high speed (70 - 75 mph, vs 55 mph)
greater tire flex due to relatively underinflated tires for given psig at
high altitude.

it would be interesting driving 55 mph and reporting to the list any change
in mpg.

i have heard "stories" of chevy police caprices with the LT1 engine doing 25
mpg at a steady 55 mph, but those have much more efficient, high
compression, engines, with a far more aerodynamic body.

dan







On Wed, 19 May 2004 21:07:05 -0600, Klun John <jklun@EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:

>Hey all!
>
>I gotta brag about this.  My 84 GL with 1.9l was rebuilt by Bob 
>Birkholz
(Grand Mesa Imports here in Delta, CO) 3 1/2 years ago.  He rebuilt it with
German bearings and sodium filled valves.  I've got over 60k on the engine
now and I use this baby for my daily commute.  I drive 100 miles R/T daily
on a 4 lane.  My speed is 70-75 and my gas mileage is consistently 24-25 mpg
in the summer and 22-23 in the winter.  Last Sunday, I had to take my wife
to Glenwood Springs to get some stuff and then commute to work Mon and Tues.
My gas mileage was 25.99 mpg when I filled up Tues night.!  Even I couldn't
believe it!  I thought my gas gauge was off...
>
>John