Thread: Gas mileage king ;)

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My "late model V-8" LS1 Studebaker has gotten as high as 28 mpg at 70 mph on cruise with the A/C running. Typical Highway mpg is 25-26. Late model Camaros, Firebirds and Corvettes will mostly get mid to high 20s mpg. Computer controlled EFI and overdrive has brought us a long way.

Pat

Either of my now long gone SOHC 4.6 T-Birds would crack 26 open road with the '97 often at 27+. Town was 17-19, depending on the weight of my foot at various stop lights .

Originally Posted by IC2

.......because it has the aerodynamics of a barn door, a tailgate that acts like a NA$CAR spoiler and a 5.88 set of rear gears maybe??

Heck, my V10 F350 only does 10-12 around town And it must have every smog control device known to man on it!!

3:73's i got lucky being a stick helps somewhat to i guess

Originally Posted by Stu Cool

Late model Camaros, Firebirds and Corvettes will mostly get mid to high 20s mpg. Computer controlled EFI and overdrive has brought us a long way.

Pat

Yes sir ......... that is very true .......... my 2002 Camaro SS averages well above 28 mpg on the road .......... with the a/c running ............ coming back to North Carolina from the Skyline Drive cruise (with the tops off and not using the a/c) it averaged 30.3 mpg ............... at 70 mph in 6th gear, the LS1 is loafing along at 1600 rpm .......... and this beast will average over 18 mpg around town (if you keep your foot out of it)



There is indeed a lot to say for computer controlled EFI and 0.50:1 overdrive ratios

Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

3:73's i got lucky being a stick helps somewhat to i guess

That ratio surprises me - my father in law had a '79 Chevy 2500 with a 350. If I recall, the final ratio and with a granny geared trans was in the 4.50 range and his mileage was horrible - like what you are getting. But by then in his life he only drove it 2 miles for coffee or 15 miles to my house to help me on my additions so it really didn't matter.

if it had 4.50 it sure seems like it'd accellerate alot better on the freeway its not very high up in the rpm's and considering this truck didnt have a tow package i dont think it had the gears for it. 3.73 are pretty common, but these days all these geeks with these fancy wheels on these diesel 6 speed auto trucks <what ever happened to a truck being used for working? and a manual trans in a truck whered that go?> have like 4.10's to compensate for the big wheel sizes. these days it think trucks have become more of a fashion statement then they are useful. i drive a new chevy with a 6 speed auto at work, i hate that transmission with a passion it shifts to damn much! you nail it to get ont he freeway you feel it downshift 3-4 times get real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

if it had 4.50 it sure seems like it'd accellerate alot better on the freeway its not very high up in the rpm's and considering this truck didnt have a tow package i dont think it had the gears for it. 3.73 are pretty common, but these days all these geeks with these fancy wheels on these diesel 6 speed auto trucks <what ever happened to a truck being used for working? and a manual trans in a truck whered that go?> have like 4.10's to compensate for the big wheel sizes. these days it think trucks have become more of a fashion statement then they are useful. i drive a new chevy with a 6 speed auto at work, i hate that transmission with a passion it shifts to damn much! you nail it to get ont he freeway you feel it downshift 3-4 times get real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear ya - with the trans shifting. I'm not sure how many gears mine has - it seems to shift often - even with the high torque V10. This truck of mine with the trailer package has 4.10 gears though 3.73 are standard and 4.30's an option as well as 4.86(???). As far as wheels, I have the stock Lariat 18" (20" were the option) and the stock 275-70's E rated tires which are plenty big enough as well as darn expensive. There was no choice in '06 for the trans - the auto is the only option for this engine, and I really didn't want the cost pain of a diesel (it takes a LONG time to payback an $8500 adder vs the $600 for the V10 gasser) plus the newer diesel 1-2 mpg fuel mileage is really no bargain now with fuel being 40 to 60 cents more per gallon in my area. Even with that load, it is still in the 10-12 mpg range. What really make it interesting is that everything is 'fly-by-wire' electronically controlled including the throttle.

so is this new chevy i drive at work has a real bad throttle lag, the v10 fords i hear are pretty decent buddy of mine picked up a used xcab f-450 ? with the v-10 and manual trans and put his old tow truck unit on it , gets pretty decent mileage 10-12 as you descibe not to shabby!

Hey Dave, why not just build a dwarf car for the street? Hold back on the engine size a little,add some mileage gears,and enjoy street rod looks with high mileage potential. Hank

Originally Posted by halftanked

Hey Dave, why not just build a dwarf car for the street? Hold back on the engine size a little,add some mileage gears,and enjoy street rod looks with high mileage potential. Hank

They usually run a Kawasaki bike motor. The major drawback of a dwarf car for me is that I'm 6'4".

I don't know what you guys are doing with your diesels to get such bad mileage. On the rural roads I mostly drive I get a solid 20mpg at 55/60 mph. This is a '99 F250 7.3 PowerStroke. When pulling 5/7 ton of hay or my 8,000 lb boat, I get 12 to 14mpg depending on which pass I'm pulling up here in Idaho and Utah. When running 60 to 70 mph I usually average 17.5mpg.

With my '92 F150 351w I average 15. With the cost of Diesel the cost of fuel per mile is a toss up, but there's quite a difference in acceleration and power.

Originally Posted by BigD M

I don't know what you guys are doing with your diesels to get such bad mileage. On the rural roads I mostly drive I get a solid 20mpg at 55/60 mph. This is a '99 F250 7.3 PowerStroke. When pulling 5/7 ton of hay or my 8,000 lb boat, I get 12 to 14mpg depending on which pass I'm pulling up here in Idaho and Utah. When running 60 to 70 mph I usually average 17.5mpg.

With my '92 F150 351w I average 15. With the cost of Diesel the cost of fuel per mile is a toss up, but there's quite a difference in acceleration and power.

A 7.3 is a completely different beast then the turbo 6.0 and dual turbo 6.4 that the EPA has desmogged and forced Ford to make better. So much "better" that they have a 100,000 mile warranty on the driveline to shut the irate owners up. The 7.3 WILL get that kind of mileage and often better. My '92 F250HD/351 would do 12-14 around town and 16-18 open road/empty. With my camper, 10-12.

And mine is NOT a diesel but an '06 V10, 6.8 gasser.

Don wrote:

I'm considering building a car with a motorcycle engine and lots of lightweight stuff like a tube frame, etc.

I've had the same thoughts for years. Even have two Honda Gold Wing 1000 engines waiting (H4's 125hp). Just never seem to find the time.

Don also wrote:

I'd just buy a moped, but with some of the drivers we have down here I at least want SOME protection around me.

Having driven in Florida periodically for the past 27 years I can't agree with you more. When the snow birds flock to town, I really only feel safe in a Hummer H1, and then only with brush guards on all four sides.

Originally Posted by MattC

27 MPG hi way, not bad efficiency for a domestic car,...take that Prius!! Lol.



Firechicken

whats funny is the prius claims 300 miles on a tank LOL