Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 11:26:14 -0700
Reply-To: Gary Shea <shea@GTSDESIGN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Gary Shea <shea@GTSDESIGN.COM>
Subject: Re: Air cooled mileage (revised)
In-Reply-To: <39ADCF833E74D111A2D700805F1951EF08719274@RED-MSG-06>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
On Wed, 9 Dec 1998, Philip Hanson (Volt Computer) wrote:
> -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
> Vanguards--
> I want to take some serious steps to improve the gas mileage of my '80
> aircooled Westfalia. The best I have ever gotten is about 17mpg. Now I am
> getting less because I need to adjust things. It seems like the watercooled
> versions of the Vanagon get better mileage with most drivers on this list
> regularly reporting 19 mpg to 25 mpg or so.
>
> 1. What do you other Aircooled Westfalia Vanagon drivers get for mileage?
I have an '81 which I rebuilt a few years ago... it gets 20 on the highway
at 70, I dunno about more reasonable (for the vanagon...) velocities. In
town it's so bad I don't even want to know, I have a lead foot.
> 2. I have heard there are several steps you can take to improve mileage.
> Does everyone recommend these too for the aircooled vanagon? These are:
> a)Advance the timing and make sure other parts of ignition sys are healthy
The former puts you at risk for pinging and makes cold weather starting
harder... I'm thinking about going back to the stock timing myself. The
better performance is nice. Dunno if it helps gas mileage.
> b)Make sure you aren't losing gas from leaking fuel lines!!
If you are, you will soon have a pile of ashes instead of a vanagon.
Replace all original gas lines!
> c)Swap in a K+N oil- type air cleaner (Do these work on the aircooled
> engine?) Are these
> really recommendable? Can a normal guy put them in?
I'll be curious to see what kind of feedback you get on this.
> d)Switch from fuel injection to a carborator.
I personally think this is a very bad idea, unless you're really
eager to do a lot of work, or else you live in Florida and never
hope to sell the van outside the area, and don't have emission
controls now and never will. I guess it might improve gas mileage,
but it makes the van run poorly in cold weather since the preheat
arrangements a carb needs are not there and never have been, so you
can't just go find the parts in the yard. And if you live in an
area with emission controls, it's illegal.
> e)Anything else?
My major mileage problem with the van was points... I felt like I
needed to do tuneups pretty often. I recently installed a cheapo
electronic ignition points replacement (Pertronix, Bus Depot $60
or so) and while my gas mileage probably hasn't
improved from what I got in a good state of tune, I don't ever have
to worry about whether the points are wearing out. Such a relief.
> Do you readers think these are recommendable? Other air-heads, please pine
> in with the mileage you get. Thanks. ph '80 Wfla
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>
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gary Shea shea@xmission.com
Salt Lake City http://www.xmission.com/~shea