Date:         Wed, 18 Nov 1998 17:56:11 -0500
Reply-To:     Michael Sullivan <sullivan@OPENMARKET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Sullivan <sullivan@OPENMARKET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fwd: Diesel Westy Mileage?
Comments: To: vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii"

At 04:58 PM 11/18/98 EST, Michael Avrea wrote:

> What kind of mpg are you getting with your diesel westy?

>

> After swapping a Golf 1.7L diesel with about 100k into my recently acquired

> '82 diesel westy I am only getting about 24 mpg.  This is both in town and

> on the highway; not mixed but in both types of driving.  I realize that the

> 1.7L will use slightly more gas than the old 1.6 but I was hoping for at

> least 28 or so.


One thing to remember with diesels -- they get their best mileage when driven at their torque peak. Thus, the theoretical mileage for a Westy driven at 1900rpm in 4th gear would be "about" 30mph and you should get about 50mpg doing so!!!


A TDI would get about 60mpg at the same speed as it is more efficient than either the TD or "plain jane" diesel. Check out:


   http://www.cs.yale.edu/users/jag/vw/engine/tdiswap/tdiswap.html


for an enlightened discussion of drag vs. optimal loading on the TDI diesel.


Cheers,



<bold>Michael J. Sullivan

</bold><italic>Director of Catalog Design

Open Market, Inc.

</italic>

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