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Date:         Sat, 5 Jul 2014 11:09:58 +0000
Reply-To:     J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Friday OT...my Poor Man's Syncro...(AWD GM Safari)
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY406-EAS40FF9669E9BF0E85D8362CA0030@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

My last Astro AWD got an easy 20 mpg on the highway (windows up.a/c off) I drove it to Parkersburg W. VA. to pick up a Vanagon 2.1 engine in December (there's my Vanagon content) and that was my mileage. I don't know about the mileage thing killing them off, I've had both full size Chevy/GMC vans and several Astro/Safari's, and the appeal of the Astro/Safari was an easy to drive van with a fantastic tow rating. Driving a full size van all the time gets tedious! And God knows the things were popular as tradesmen vans. I would rather guess it was just another extremely stupid decision by GM management. Like killing the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice. I read the factory was working 3 shifts to crank these out they were selling so well. When they decided to kill Pontiac and couldn't unload Saturn, why not make it the "Chevrolet Solstice"? Oh, yeah, it was high Union wages that was killing GM-NOT! it is their perpetually stupid management-as in "lets hide this ignition switch problem" Jeff Stewart ----- Original Message ----- > Just like a Syncro the all wheel drive kills the mileage. Especially > if pulling a trailer this mileage is about normal. The 2WD versions > will do about 18. One of the reasons these vans lost popularity is > that the fuel economy is not much lower than the full size vans with > the same engine. These vans are almost the Vega of the GM economy > vans. Major difference is the engines don’t melt. > When you really learn how to drive it you will find that you can have > great influence over the shift points with your right foot. As for > what sometimes seems like it is shifting excessively you can force off > the overdrive by simply moving the shift lever. Same goes for gearing > down when descending hills. > Dennis > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On > Behalf Of Don Hanson > Sent: Friday, July 4, 2014 10:49 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Friday OT...my Poor Man's Syncro...(AWD GM Safari) > I filled the thing up after my first tank of fuel.(holds 27 gallons) > and I got just 15mpg. (A 97 AWD (with a viscous coupling just like a > Sycnro) Van that I bought recently for two grand because I can't > afford $20 grand for a Syncro) Driving it without a "lead foot" and at > 65mph average highway....though it's easy to find yourself moving 75 > or 80 in that > van. Not exactly stellar gas mileage, but this one has 237 thousand > miles on the original Vortec V-6 and it doesn't burn a drop of oil or > sound > or feel worn out at all. And I did hook up my 10 Wells Cargo utility > trailer with two motorcycles and pull it...Hardly slows the 4.3 liter > lil' > truck down. > I will say I very much dislike driving an automatic vehicle now, this > being the first automatic shifting vehicle I have had real day to day > experience with...The auto tranny just seems like it's working at > 'cross-purposes' to what I am trying to do with the van/truck...It > wants to keep going fast when I want to slow down, it shifts when it > doesn't really have to, there is no anticipation really allowed...It > bothers me, I'd rather be selecting all my rpms as I need them, not > just "accepting" what this device gives me...I think the auto tranny > is one of the major reasons the fuel economy is lower, but they > stopped offering manual shifting Astro/Safari vans in 89, I think. > The tranny is a GM certified rebuild also and it IS working as well as > it should... Gimme my Vanagon 5sp any time.... > Anyhow, as a Friday topic...there you go..


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