Date:         Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:11:22 -0700
Reply-To:     Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Reduced Mileage
Comments: To: greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA
In-Reply-To:  <20090226170136.szr26ss68g4gwcgc@pottsfamily.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

On Feb 26, 2009, at 3:01 PM, Greg Potts wrote:

> ......................
> For someone driving 15-20 minute trips, that means they are spending
> about 25% of the time running rich. That would be sufficient to
> affect their fuel economy.
>
> If you are consistently doing shorter trips, the fuel economy
> suffers big-time.

That would be moi-5 miles each way to work-10-15 minutes.

YMMV,

Mr. BZ-& I mean it this time

>
>
> My personal commute is about 25 miles each way; I know my fuel
> economy is down since the summer time but I figure I also have other
> contributing factors to blame as I haven't replaced any of the
> ignition components or the O2 sensor since I got the van last April.
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> 1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop
> 197x Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
> www.busesofthecorn.com
> www.pottsfamily.ca
>
> Quoting Mike Collum <collum@MYFAIRPOINT.NET>:
>
>> Tom Buese wrote:
>>> Is that a reason why I get worse gas mileage in the winter?
>>
>> That shouldn't be much of a factor if the thermostat is working
>> correctly, Tom.  Once the engine is warmed up, it doesn't even know
>> it's
>> winter.  That's why I use 5W 50 when it's really cold out.  When I
>> first
>> start up (cold engine) it thinks the oil is about 5 weight and when
>> it
>> gets up to operating temperature, it thinks it's about 50 weight.
>>
>> Mike