Hi Kevin, I reckon I'm about the slowest driver on the highway. I have determined that my speedo reads 12% high (GPS and using those side-of-the-freeway "speed check" mileage markers). This makes me think I am going a lot faster than I am. I tend to keep around 65 mpg as indicated by the speedo, which puts me at about 57 mph. -- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano KG6RCR
On 9/10/2007 6:04 PM Kevin Gilbert wrote: > Rock, > > FWIW, I just got home from a 900-mile ride through the mountains of > Virginia and North Carolina, and averaged just shy of 22 mpg. I drive > an '84 westy, same size tires as yours. > > I inflate my tires just a hair past tire recommendation, to keep them > hard for best mileage. I have new O2 sensor. But most importantly, I > drive under the speed limit on the highway. I figure when people see > a VW camper, they expect it to be slow. I try to avoid opening the > throttle any more than necessary to maintain 60 mph. All the > mechanical issues aside, driving a VW for gas mileage is different > than driving anything else. You have to be willing to go slow and > watch the scenery - and traffic - go by. > > Kevin > > On Sep 10, 2007, at 8:12 PM, Michael Elliott wrote: > >> Hi Todd, 185R14. Here are the data volunteered to me from when I >> initiated >> this subject, like, last month I think (use a fixed-width font to >> avoid >> this looking like a total mess). I'm the Rocky Squirrel sample. >> >> Year Model Engine Trans Owner mpg Comments >> >> 82 Westy 1.8 manual Alistair Bell 24.4 185R14, summer >> 84 Westy 1.9 auto Rocky Squirrel 15.5 185R14 >> highway, sea level >> 85 Westy 1.9 auto Thomas LaPointe 17 best >> 85 Westy 1.9 auto TC 19 average >> 84 Vanagon 1.9 auto Mike Collum 19 >> 84 Westy 1.9 auto David Etter 21.5 Ave. (2 >> engines) >> 84 Westy 1.9 manual Tom Buese 17 4500ft >> elevation >> 84 Westy 1.9 manual Jack R. 18 185R14, 650ft >> elevation >> 84 n/a 1.9 manual stuart jeff 20 stock 14'' >> wheels >> 83 Westy 1.9 manual Wesley Pegden 20 19.5/22 mpg >> 85 Westy 1.9 manual Mike Collum 20.5 >> 84 GL 1.9 manual Jake de Villiers 24.5 >> 83.5 Westy 1.9 n/a David Kao 22 average >> 88 Westy 2.1 5-speed Todd Last 16.5 205/70 R14 >> tires >> 87 Westy 2.1 manual Stephen Grisanti 17 EPA >> sticker: 17/18 city/hwy >> 86 GL 2.1 manual Joel Walker 19 EPA >> sticker: 16/18 city/hwy >> 87 Camper 2.1 manual TJ Hannick 19 A/C on, >> seal level, 225/70R14 >> 86 Westy 2.1 manual Jake de Villiers 20.5 >> n/a Carat n/a manual Angus Gordon 22 average >> 87 Synchro Westy mike 15 8.5X27 14 >> >> -- >> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus >> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano >> KG6RCR >> >> >> >> On 9/10/2007 4:18 PM Todd Last wrote: >> >>> What tires are you running? (Specifically what diameter are they?) >>> >>> Todd >>> '88 Westy >>> -------------- Original message ---------------------- >>> From: "Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> >>>> As I've posted previously, my 84 1.9L auto only gets about 15.5 MPG >>>> while others have reported somewhat higher mileage. Even after >>>> filtering >>>> out those who seem to be quite optimistic, and paying especial >>>> attention >>>> to those who deny not keeping careful records, Mellow Yellow still >>>> trails the pack. It gives us great sadness. >>>> >>>> It has been proposed that my poor numbers might be due to a funky O2 >>>> sensor, or crummy compression. I'll get to the compression >>>> tomorrow or >>>> the next day, but right now I have hooked up my handy-dandy >>>> voltmeter to >>>> the sensor and with the engine warmed up, it is outputting >>>> between .36 >>>> volt and .66 volt, ranging around about .55 volt. This seems kinda >>>> normal, from what I read. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >>>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus >>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >>>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano >>>> KG6RCR > > |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.