Fuel economy help

-
D

Dan201

Banned
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
207
Reaction score
0
I am currently driving a 74 Custom with a 225 auto back and forth to work costing me about 75$ or so a week. I was driving a Geo metro with a 3cyl 5 speed and it was costing me about 36$ a week. Anyone know what kind of mileage I would get if I drive a late 70's aspen with a 225 4 speed manual back and forth? Its all stock. My problem is I don't like the cost of the Dart custom but I don't like you only get 250K kilos, or 150k miles out of the metro before the engine is toast (I got 270k kilos, before my compression was 175, 95, 45 and rebuild number is 170psi) What do you all think would I save much fixing up the aspen? http://london.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...engine-engine-parts-Volari-W0QQAdIdZ169663480 here is a link to the car but I have no idea about anything to do with volari or aspens but if its the same as a dart lite or feather duster I've heard they were good. Thanks for your time
 
I think if you rebuild your Aspen's slant 6 with higher compression and a ported head along with a better-than-stock mild cam and a good 2-bbl. carb (all for better efficiency) and of course a good exhaust you might be able to push highway mileage into the 30s with the OD and, say, 3.23:1 gears. Stock you might be able to hit the high 20s (mid 20s for sure).

Oh and if you're ever looking for another "supermileage" car I'd recommend a TDI VW. Those things get MPG up in the 40s no sweat and cost the same as any other used late-model import sedan. In fact the next car I buy is either going to be one of those or an old Porsche 914-6.
 
Supposodly a dart lite got 36 mpg when new anyone verified that?
 
The problem with any reported super mileage cars from back in the day were that they were traveling projects designed to get the best possible maileage they could get while traveling at the peak efficent speed/rpm for that car.

I remember reading this from the testers. While they did get some crazy numbers for mileage, they also admited it would be impractical for normal use and expect that mileage. Unless you were traveling accross country and maintained your car in perect condition along the way. IE; Jet changes with area, constant tire checks, opt. timing and fuel etc...

I personaly never had a /6 do better than a well tune 318. I don't care who sez what!
I had a 360 get 20 mpg's all day long in a 3700+ lb. '79 Dodge Magnum, with 2.76 gears and 26 inch tires.

I'd go with the above suggestion of a newer car for superior mileage. Unless it's gotta be a MoPar. Then I'd do a 318 very carefully.
 
Careful to look at the whole equation when figuring your cost of operation for any given vehicle. VWs don't fix well or cheaply, and don't stay fixed; what you save in fuel you more than pay in repairs.
 
I had a 76 feather Duster which got 25 mpg in combined highway/city.There was a fair amount of traffic/lights too! It had a 225 and an auto.Totally stock.
 
slantsixdan said:
Careful to look at the whole equation when figuring your cost of operation for any given vehicle. VWs don't fix well or cheaply, and don't stay fixed; what you save in fuel you more than pay in repairs.
Click to expand...


What???? must be late model ones

the cheapest parts I have ever bought were for my Jetta, and my Fox

not to mention the diesels covert easy to veggie
 
Sort of like slant sixes because I already have tons of parts but my custom is killing me in fuel mileage sounds like maybe I should forget the aspen most of my driving is 96% highway and maybe 4% city and I don't speed so it is a steady 60mph or 100 kph
 
My '69 valiant 4 door 225/6 got 24 mpg, my '70 dart 4 door 318 2 bbl got 22 on the highway @ 60 mph. Both had 904 automatics in them with 2:76 open 7 1/4'' rears same tires and in the same mechanical condition. Both were dead stock.
The 318 was a better car overall to drive, but the /6 car was good too unless there was a lot of hills.
I would keep what you have and tune it up for max efficiency as is. That would be the cheapest way IMHO.
 
I am getting (just did the math) about 10L - 100km or 4.6 gallons to 60 miles the car is tuned very well I have about 9 years experience with the slants but it is an auto and the rear is a 81/4 posi and yes its factory why someone would order the roadability package with a posi on a slant is beyond me but at least I don't get stuck in the snow.:blackeye: Actually just looked it up (I have the original window sticker) its a 2.76 gear ratio and a sure grip car is almost fully loaded (weight can't help) even has rear electric defrost. Can anyone tell me if thats a good gear ratio for highway driving and if the posi might be hurting me?
 
I don't see why the sure-grip would affect mileage at all... But yeah, 13.5 MPG is WAY off for a slant 6... The Duster in my sig averages 16 MPG and that's with some blowby and a "close enuf" tune. I have to say that unfortunately I have heard of "freak" slant-6 powered cars that for some reason just got terrible gas mileage, regardless of the tuning or condition of the engine. I wouldn't call it quits though, there should be something that needs to be corrected.
 
Best I could get in my Duster with a slant six and three on the tree was 17. But I had to be real nice to it to do that.
Back in the day I had a 73 Coronet Custom 4door with 318, 2barrel auto that got 20 mpg all day long. I'm a believer in 318 cars for drivability with good gas mileage.
 
Your 2.76 gear is one of the best for highway mileage. Have you done a really good tune up on the slanty lately? You should be getting better mileage than that from your car. I have a 318, 2bbl, 727 tranny, and a 2.94 rear end combo in my old 85 Dodge D150 pick-me-up truck, and on a trip to Red Deer last week I got a combined highway / city reading of 17.03 MPG. I got a bunch of work done on it before the cold and snow hit, but the 2bbl Holley is in desperate need of a rebuild, and I suspect the timing is off quite a bit, but it's still giving good fuel mileage.
 
Yep 8) something is definitely wrong :read2: My 83 mizer 318 ci pick me up get's an easy 18 mpg and Victoria gets an easy 20 mpg when I got her "66 valiant Sedan 170/" But I think I lost a mile or two when I but the 14'' Ralleys on
It did have the skinny 13'' on it and the Ralleys are heavier and more tire on the ground, Air filter and exhaust restriction can hurt your MPG and like OldVart said the timing 8)
And set the valves if they are adjustable.
Bad U joints to a used up rear end can drag you down :read2:
 
Thanks for all the help I will look into it and see what I can do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top