Date:         Tue, 18 Apr 95 09:50:03 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: mpg, was Retro-f. F.I.

On Tue, 18 Apr 95 09:45:29 CDT Marcus Doherr said:
>This has been discussed thoroughly last fall. Here's my experience:
>1980 Vanagon with Pop top, 2.0l F.I., Man. Trans., no extras
> -> 15-17 mpg on short trips
> -> up to 22 or 23 mpg on long highway runs (60-65 mph)

well, see, i'm getting a little worried about my bus. the mpg has been going
UP for the last 16,000 miles. to such an extent that the AVERAGE for 86,000
miles has risen 0.2 mpg. now, to me, that's a lot (for the long term average)
... and it worries me. for years, it plodded along at 19.4 average. now it's
creeped up to 19.6 and gives every indication of going to 19.7 this summer.

yeah, i know: don't look a gift horse in the mouth. but this bothers me,
if it was going down, then i'd know something was wrong and i'd had some
ideas. but this! i don't think i'm driving that much slower. i don't think
i'm driving any less in town. the ONLY thing i can connect to this is that i
started using those Bosch triple-electrode plugs just about the time the mpg
started going up a little. ??? coincidence?? maybe the plugs just suit my
driving style better? maybe the old plugs were that much wrong??
maybe they've done something to the gasoline around here? maybe my bus is
really a Democrat?? ;)

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!! old folks hate change!! :)

anyway, i'm getting up to 21-22 on the highway now. and 17-18 in town.

subject to change without notice.