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521 Fuel Economy Survey


albyneau

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I'm interested to hear what kind of mileage everyone's getting out of their trucks, and the equipment/mods (in a nutshell) you made to acquire it~ engine, gearing, EFI, etc...

 

Let the boasting BEGIN! :lol:

 

 

Scott

 

 

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Ours has been a little difficult to track since our speedometer doesn't work properly, but once we started watching the mile markers and calculating it out it was around 20mpg (mostly city and some freeway driving). We have yet to tune the carb since we bought it, but hopefully once that gets done along with new brakes that don't drag, it'll get a little better.

 

I'm interested to see what others get, as it's something that will give us a good reference point to get to.

 

We've got the stock L16 with 4 speed, and stock Hitachi carb.

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I got around 11 miles to a gallon, towing a horse trailer down the Columbia gorge, with strong wind going up the Columbia gorge. About two hours, at slighty over 5000 rpm, in second gear, doing around 35 MPH.

 

 

I'm only vaguely familiar with the gorge~ when you say down, do you mean down hill? Was that trailer filled with horses?

 

Interesting side note regarding gear ratios~ My Harley gets about 45-50mpg average~ but the best he's ever done was in 3rd gear (5 spd) puttin thru the hills of CA 49 by Mariposa, where I clocked 61.9mpg~ go figure....

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Ours has been a little difficult to track since our speedometer doesn't work properly, but once we started watching the mile markers and calculating it out it was around 20mpg (mostly city and some freeway driving). We have yet to tune the carb since we bought it, but hopefully once that gets done along with new brakes that don't drag, it'll get a little better.

 

I'm interested to see what others get, as it's something that will give us a good reference point to get to.

 

We've got the stock L16 with 4 speed, and stock Hitachi carb.

 

Okay, I'll fess up~ a good part of the reason why I'm asking is I'm considering repowering my meager 1.6L with something else. I've got a rebuilt (by yours truly) 4.3L chevy that in it's original used form ( an '89 S-15 Blazer) got 19+mpg. But that was my brother (RIP) driving, and he didn't have a clue. They weighed in @ 4k#'s ~ nearly a ton more than my stock 521. I fully grasp the concept of balance- performance versus economy- but am not willing to give up both. If there's no one out there that can provide substantiated positive performance data, then I must resolve myself to repowering~ cuz so far havin a 1.6L @ less than 30 mpg is fruitless... anybody?

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Best my truck ever did was 23mpg with someone else driving, showing 60(was probably 70) with 388 rear gears, L20b, W53 head with large valves, and dual SU type sidedrafts, and the truck was fully loaded(squatting in the rear, with a full load of hanggliders on top), I was only able to get 19mpg on the same trip, but I was showing 70mph. Now days with the trailer and everything else, I am probably only getting 12mpg, if I am lucky.

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i was getting ~32 mpg in my old 521, rebuilt L16 & rebuilt A87 (dunno if it was peanut or not) and Weber 32/36 tuned. Also had pertronix kit.

 

I drove from Seaside oregon, to Buhl idaho, and back non stop (cept for gas) in my 510 wagon. Was 1400 miles round trip. I spent about 145 - 155 dollars in gas. I dont remember what gas price was then, but it was last october.

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Technically, down the Columbia gorge is downhill. It is the way the river goes. But the river has several dams, Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary, that maybe could be considered to be in the gorge, and while you are driving by the river, not much of a down hill grade.

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Technically, down the Columbia gorge is downhill. It is the way the river goes. But the river has several dams, Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary, that maybe could be considered to be in the gorge, and while you are driving by the river, not much of a down hill grade.

 

 

so it's a one way street??? HAHAHA

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