Why our cars get bad fuel milage

[Stanglover]

It goes to show that people DO search through older threads!!
Ironically, since I first posted this, our ONLY non ethanol gas in Ontario, Canada, Shell V Power 91 octane, the f'n government has forced ALL gasoline to have at least 10% ethanol. At the end of last season, I had to fill the tank with the ethanol ridden gas, no other choice. When I took the car on its first trip of the season to the 60th anniversary show in Windsor Ontario, a round trip of about 100 miles, I refilled the tank when I got back. It took a whopping 9 imp gallons, 41 liters or 10.8 US gallons. Now, although I took the back roads, not the highway, I was still driving up to 60 and 70 mph. Before, at this speed, I could get 15 mpg US. You can see that I only got around 10-11 mpg US with the f'n ethanol gas. Wonderful!! Thanks Liberal government.
By the way, with the windows down, the exhaust sounded amazing non the less.

 

[Idaho Chris]

If you've got a small town airstrip close by you can run avgas. Just a thought...

 

[Dr. J]

I had the same 73 grande and get between 15 and 20 MPG depending on the trip. I get better gas mileage if I use the middle grade rather than the 87.

 

[Greg]

My milage improves after driving my 73 Lincoln

 

[tony-muscle]

Who cares? Love to visit the gas station until my credit card comes out of the wallet
0 mpg in traffic!
4 mpg on track
10 mpg around town
19 mpg in highway
infinite mpg with engine off!

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

I get Low Lead 100 at my reginal airport for about $6 a gallon.

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi to all.

From an Aussie perspective, Americans going back to the fifties and sixties decades, didn't give a rats (A) about driving around in American cars that were manufactured as high powered V8 gas guzzlers, and why would or should they, as gas prices back then were cheap, affordable, and so getting low miles to the gallon was never an issue to be concerned about, until the Arab oil crises changed the whole game back around 1973.

That took the smiles away from many Americans, and they have been suffering with a never ending gas price rise year by year up to the present. Sadly, gas price increases over the decades have proven to be a total ripoff and a con against the World's population, who have become very dependent on the petro chemical industry just to survive alone.

The Japanese were very clever back in the early Seventies, and responded to this gas crisis situation by manufacturing cars that were smaller, lighter, had lower powered smaller performing engines, and were much more fuel consumption efficient vehicles. That was a winning formula for them, and so they made squillions selling these cars around the World. It ended up crippling a lot of the World's traditional car making companies. Some never recovered.

So as to today's Classic car guys and gals that are still driving these cars around and getting the old school poor gas consumption thing going on, i say, so be it. If that is your scene, then, accept the fact that yes, today's gas prices are crazy high, and running cars that are thirsty gas guzzling camels, is going to make you put your hand in your pockets and dig deep. The price to pay you might say! As the old saying goes - If you can't pay, you can't play!

For me, and i'm sure a lot of you folk out there, the pleasure you get from owning and driving our classic cars around out weights the extra costs of paying for the highly overpriced fuel.

See this link for some good and interesting rundown figures and facts on gas prices over the decades ..............................................

https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/average-gas-prices-through-history/

Greg.

 

[Stanglover]

If you've got a small town airstrip close by you can run avgas. Just a thought...

Even if I could get it, it would still be cheaper to run 91 with ethanol and put up with less milage.
Oh, and have you guys in the States heard about our wonderful government's "carbon tax" on fuel and just about everything.......... ok, let's not go there.

 

[Stanglover]

Hi to all.

From an Aussie perspective, Americans going back to the fifties and sixties decades, didn't give a rats (A) about driving around in American cars that were manufactured as high powered V8 gas guzzlers, and why would or should they, as gas prices back then were cheap, affordable, and so getting low miles to the gallon was never an issue to be concerned about, until the Arab oil crises changed the whole game back around 1973.

That took the smiles away from many Americans, and they have been suffering with a never ending gas price rise year by year up to the present. Sadly, gas price increases over the decades have proven to be a total ripoff and a con against the World's population, who have become very dependent on the petro chemical industry just to survive alone.

The Japanese were very clever back in the early Seventies, and responded to this gas crisis situation by manufacturing cars that were smaller, lighter, had lower powered smaller performing engines, and were much more fuel consumption efficient vehicles. That was a winning formula for them, and so they made squillions selling these cars around the World. It ended up crippling a lot of the World's traditional car making companies. Some never recovered.

So as to today's Classic car guys and gals that are still driving these cars around and getting the old school poor gas consumption thing going on, i say, so be it. If that is your scene, then, accept the fact that yes, today's gas prices are crazy high, and running cars that are thirsty gas guzzling camels, is going to make you put your hand in your pockets and dig deep. The price to pay you might say! As the old saying goes - If you can't pay, you can't play!

For me, and i'm sure a lot of you folk out there, the pleasure you get from owning and driving our classic cars around out weights the extra costs of paying for the highly overpriced fuel.

See this link for some good and interesting rundown figures and facts on gas prices over the decades ..............................................

https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/average-gas-prices-through-history/

Greg.

Well said Greg, well said.

 

[Stanglover]

This picture is a copy from an original leger that the first owner kept on my car. I was fortunate enough to have been given this leger, which was kept up to date for the first 3 years of ownership.
The prices will be remembered by many I'm sure. However, don't loose sight of the fact that back in 1971 (I was still in the UK at that time) I'm guessing the average wage was around 2-4 dollars /hour, not the 20- 40 people make now. Even then, the cost of gas has risen more than 10 times the 1971 prices I would think.
Sorry, the pic is a bit on the light side. I can redo if necessary.

 

[Hemikiller]

This picture is a copy from an original leger that the first owner kept on my car. I was fortunate enough to have been given this leger, which was kept up to date for the first 3 years of ownership.

The original owner had a lead foot....

 

[Stanglover]

The original owner had a lead foot....

No doubt!!

 

[3pedals]

It's gonna cost $600 to fill it up in 50 years.

 

[Sheriff41]

This picture is a copy from an original leger that the first owner kept on my car. I was fortunate enough to have been given this leger, which was kept up to date for the first 3 years of ownership.
The prices will be remembered by many I'm sure. However, don't loose sight of the fact that back in 1971 (I was still in the UK at that time) I'm guessing the average wage was around 2-4 dollars /hour, not the 20- 40 people make now. Even then, the cost of gas has risen more than 10 times the 1971 prices I would think.
Sorry, the pic is a bit on the light side. I can redo if necessary.

"Put the first ding in the side of the door 371 miles" - first owner loved that car.

 

[Stanglover]

"Put the first ding in the side of the door 371 miles" - first owner loved that car.

I have the complete history on this car and yes, she owned it for over 30 years. Regretfully she passed away shortly before I was able to discover the history 2009. I would have loved to have been able to talk to her. Ironically, her passing is what lead me to this information through her obituary.

 

[73 Mach 1 4 me]

How true!

I had a 2006 30’ regal ( boat ) bought brand new. She had 2- 5.0 Volvo motors, she would burn 18 gallons an hour top speed 48 miles an hour. It was too big to pull out and trailer it to a gas station so I had to use fuel docks. I’d pull up to the fuel dock and they would ask if I wanted to fill it up I’d say no cut it off at $400. So compared to that my 1973 Mach 1 sips gasoline. I’m so happy I traded hobbies. I use about 1 tank of gas a year and have never figured out what kind of mileage I’m getting.

 

[Stanglover]

I had a 2006 30’ regal ( boat ) bought brand new. She had 2- 5.0 Volvo motors, she would burn 18 gallons an hour top speed 48 miles an hour. It was too big to pull out and trailer it to a gas station so I had to use fuel docks. I’d pull up to the fuel dock and they would ask if I wanted to fill it up I’d say no cut it off at $400. So compared to that my 1973 Mach 1 sips gasoline. I’m so happy I traded hobbies. I use about 1 tank of gas a year and have never figured out what kind of mileage I’m getting.

Boats are expensive for sure. I've not owned a "big boat", but at least the one I had was trailered and I could buy gas at a gas station for 59 cents/liter in 1989! That boat could run all day pulling water skiers for 25 bucks.
As for you only using 1 tank a year........... you definitely need to get out and drive more, just sayin.
And to be clear, I don't really care about milage, but I do care about being ripped off by greedy oil companies, high taxes on fuel and being lied to in the process.

 

[Greg]

Hi to all.

From an Aussie perspective, Americans going back to the fifties and sixties decades, didn't give a rats (A) about driving around in American cars that were manufactured as high powered V8 gas guzzlers, and why would or should they, as gas prices back then were cheap, affordable, and so getting low miles to the gallon was never an issue to be concerned about, until the Arab oil crises changed the whole game back around 1973.

That took the smiles away from many Americans, and they have been suffering with a never ending gas price rise year by year up to the present. Sadly, gas price increases over the decades have proven to be a total ripoff and a con against the World's population, who have become very dependent on the petro chemical industry just to survive alone.

The Japanese were very clever back in the early Seventies, and responded to this gas crisis situation by manufacturing cars that were smaller, lighter, had lower powered smaller performing engines, and were much more fuel consumption efficient vehicles. That was a winning formula for them, and so they made squillions selling these cars around the World. It ended up crippling a lot of the World's traditional car making companies. Some never recovered.

So as to today's Classic car guys and gals that are still driving these cars around and getting the old school poor gas consumption thing going on, i say, so be it. If that is your scene, then, accept the fact that yes, today's gas prices are crazy high, and running cars that are thirsty gas guzzling camels, is going to make you put your hand in your pockets and dig deep. The price to pay you might say! As the old saying goes - If you can't pay, you can't play!

For me, and i'm sure a lot of you folk out there, the pleasure you get from owning and driving our classic cars around out weights the extra costs of paying for the highly overpriced fuel.

See this link for some good and interesting rundown figures and facts on gas prices over the decades ..............................................

https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/average-gas-prices-through-history/

Greg.

I have you all beat with my compromise. I get more smiles per gallon same with my 71 Mach but that might change if I ever get it running

 

[Spike Morelli]

If you compare the postings to one another, it suggests the induction has a bit more to do with mileage, rather than assuming because you have a Cleveland, mileage will always be low. Dyno tests have shown that the Cleveland will take more carburetion happily, over say, a 350 chevy. We've all seen it, so we tend to install a 750 or better, many times even a competition modified carb from what I read here on the boards. However, my thinking is that a smaller 600 cfm vacuum secondary carb, possibly even a 500 cfm, will feed this sized engine with mileage to gain. I think so many of the posts may also be using 4V heads, which , while allowing high rpm breathing, aren't as efficient as the 2V head, and the Australian 302 "Quench 2V" being the most efficient all-around casting. Of course, again, many of the postings will also have done a camshaft replacement for added power which will not help economy. The most accurate measurement of an engine's economy is measured at a set cruising or highway speed, where the throttle blades are only partially open anyway, so double pumps and larger cfm capacity is not beneficial. Sometimes, ( and I've seen this proven) , tall freeway gearing can contribute to lower Miles per gallon due to "lugging" the engine, your foot is a bit more into the pedal to accelerate the car's weight, picture pulling a hill, where vacuum drop opens the power valve and enrichens the mixture. Therefore, having the proper final drive gearing that puts the engine in an appropriate rpm range, rather that lugging or over revving it is part of the key. It goes without saying that a dual exhaust system which is less restrictive than a stock single will let the engine run easier, being careful as not to oversize the tubing and negating some backpressure scavenging effect. Headers, good bang for the buck for breathing, but we all accompany headers with a manifold swap and bigger carb, so the difference in mpg may never be accounted for. An adequate ignition with a working vacuum advance will help mpg as well, but many lock out their vacuum advance, so again, not helping mpg. Most of us right off the bat improve intake breathing with upgraded air filtration , we all seem to get that right. Finally, many guys building engines have their engines dyno tested, feeling maximum achievable horsepower equates to an efficient engine. Wrong. That's not how your engine is operated on the street. When Ford was developing the 427 for LeMans, they ran the engine on their dyno for 24 hours, varying the rpm to match slowing for corners and powering back up for the Mulsane straight, braking again, accelerating, etc. What they found was that the cam that came in the Hi-Perf 427, and the valve sizes, needed to be made milder to live 24 hours, and supply the torque needed, while still making competitive power. Ford's Nascar 427 in '66 was making 520 horsepower at the time. For LeMans, Ford downsized the heads to "medium-risers", and valve size from 2.16 int/ 1.70exh, to 2.06 / 1.62. LeMans carburetion was a single 780 Holley. Compression was dropped, for LeMans, from 12.0:1, to 10.5:1, still, the 427 was pounding out an easy 485 "all-day" kind of power, the kind that would live up to 7500 rpm on and off for 24 hours. So, my long winded conclusion is, that we CAN have good power, and economy as well, with a Cleveland, with a more appropriate selection of engine components. It's not the engine's fault. We have a saying at The Blower Shop, to solve a problem one needs to be smarter than the part they're working with.

 

[cv_72mustang]

@ stanglover He put a ding in the door on March 17th 1971 Priceless ding!!!