Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2012 00:08:51 -0600
Reply-To: Jeff Palmer <jpalmer@MYMTS.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Palmer <jpalmer@MYMTS.NET>
Subject: Re: Gas consumption higher in winter?
In-Reply-To: <50B93370.3020705@turbovans.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
Now here's an explanation that makes sense to me. Thank you Scott.
I live in Winnipeg, Canada where we get cold snaps that dip down to about -35C. I drove my Westfalia through these winters in all but the coldest of cold snaps. Oil pan heater, radiator covers, lighter weight oil, gas with ethanol (seemed to prevent fuel line freezing), battery blankets, battery chargers … this was the norm until I got married and we drove my wife's car during the winter. Never had the pleasure of a garage. I imagine snow tires would also get reduced mileage.
In the summer, I get about 350km to a tank. In the winter, about 200km. As soon as it hits about the freezing point, I notice a difference. Doesn't matter if it's winter gas. Doesn't matter if it's wet/snowy or dry. If it's cold, your mileage decreases. The non-scientist in me knows that everything works less efficiently when it's cold and as soon as you start moving through the air, wind chill becomes a factor. I understand how wind chill affects skin, but I don't understand how it affects steel. But it seems to. Always point the nose of your car against a building, out of the wind.
Winter gas formulations, expansion/contraction of gas … I imagine that would play a small role but certainly not account for my 40% reduction in mileage. Which I've seen across every vehicle (every brand) I've ever owned.
It is what it is!
Jeff
On 2012-11-30, at 4:30 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> You are correct !
> oh ..you're getting 'real gas' ..is it premium ?
> That's what the non-ethoanol gas is around here.
> let us know if it makes and difference.
>
> I had a van similar to yours..
> 85 Westy with auto trans. I put a 2.1 in it ...the 'full' 2.1 fuel
> injection, cooling system, everything2.1
> In the winter here in Medford OR in town and short trips..
> it got a horrible 14mpg.
> for you.....
> I would expect 16 mpg in town, on short trips, during the winter in your
> van Jack.
> if you got anything like 17or 18 mpg ..I'd say that's doing very good.
>
> I also like to run the hotter 87 C thermostat in the winter...
> but it's a bother to change on your 1.9 wbxr engine.
> You 'could' do the ole 'really cold clmate' trick of some cardboard in
> front of your radiator ..
> not saying you shouldreally ..
> but some vehicles, in really cold temps, need or use that method.
>
> it's *always* the hotter the better where fuel economy is concerned ..
> emissions too.
> Like for a smog check ...you want your engine as hot as you can get it .
> Keep it running prior to the test.
>
> Way back in the Popular Science magazine days (they still exist I think
> ) ...
> there was a small car that someone made into a fuel milage demon. I
> think they got 600 mpg , in the late 70's perhaps.
> ( current extreme fuel milage records #'s are in the thousands of mpg )
>
> the car was a Fiat 600 ....it ran no cooling system. I think the engine
> was insulated even .
> The driving mode was accelerate to 38 mph, shut off, coast back down to
> 16mph, accerlate back to 38 etc. etc.
> 600 mpg that way.
> Hotter is always better for fuel economy and emissions.
>
> driving from here to Bend on a hot august day once..
> very similar van again ..
> 85 Weekedner, 1.9 waterboxer, manual trans ....I had to climb Dead
> Indian Memorial Rd near hear at 35 revved out in 2nd..which I hated
> doing ( usually it's a 3rd gear 40-45 mph climb ) ...
> and I passed trucks at high speed on Hwy 97 on the way to Bend ..
> I calculated 21.1 mpg when I got there...not bad at all for a waterboxer
> Westy.
> And 20 mpg on the way back.
> Certainly 'acceptible' for a water-cooled gasoline Westy.
>
> scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
>
>
> On 11/30/2012 7:37 AM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>> I'm exploring this now. It seems that, without any change in driving
>> habits, my van's mileage is poorer in winter than in summer. I'm talking
>> northern hemisphere here, and by "winter" I mean "cold" and summer,
>> well, not cold.
>>
>> I'll be checking this for the next couple months, comparing 10% ethanol
>> gas v. straight gas.
>>
>> In the meantime, has anyone else noticed this? Is it common, with a
>> simple explanation?
>>
>> --
>> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
>> Bend, Ore.
>>
>
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