Inliners International Forums General Discussion Bench racing Fuel economy...... considerations

With the price of gas heading north of $1.50/L here and most likely over $5.00 a gal in the US, the need to improve operation efficiency is going to become a real issue this season.

Alternatives are:

1) do something to improve it
2) buck up
3) don't drive as much

Seems the first item folks consider is to turn the engine slower - good start. However, when an OD goes in you probably see a smaller increase than you hoped for and the throttle response gets really soggy due to poor fuel metering. At low flow speeds the fuel puddles out in the intake.

So either go to a smaller carb that has more than 2 mixture settings (like a monojet) and increase the signal(flow velocity) to the venturi or change to signal insensitive fuel metering.

18-20 MPG @ $5/gal is not much fun. $25 to go 100 miles sucks.

Options are available to assist with this problem, but it will require a change in thinking.
I fear that this will be real difficult for some folks here to make the jump and they may choose to park their rides instead.

For myself I'm considering giving up some power and going back to my stock 4200 cams to get some mileage. At my current power level 16 MPG highway is inconsistent with my plans to travel with the truck this year. I am also changing to sequential injection to try and squeeze more eff. out of my setup.

I am just going to take on an additional fab job to make up the difference in the cost of the fuel for my hot rods, and leave the cars alone.

They don't get driven that much - maybe 5000 miles a year and 160 quarter mile passes total per year. That might add up to 500 gallons of fuel, so maybe $150 additional in fuel costs per annum.

Park the V6 more. Drive the 4 banger more.

It is an incentive to drag the box of Megasquirt stuff back out. I may just put it on the 270 in the '53 like we did at Windover. The hardest part is the fuel lines. All the other hook ups are there. If I hadn't messed with the front of my T-5 I could bolt in the Iron Duke. Maybe two?

I switched to propane for this reason. Then someone who I will not name who is the president didn't extend the tax breaks on this alternative fuel, and now I just have a car that's hard to find fuel for after dark.

i have recently acquired a 2000 Honda Insight as a daily driver, and i'm learning, slowly, how to drive it and get the most out of it. It's inline, has an all-synchro 5-speed transmission, looks good, handles well, and is, at least, interesting to drive. At 129,000 miles. it's barely broken in. It causes one to think seriously about the benefits of turbocharging, weighing the possible consequences.

The Insight and the 1949 Studebaker 3/4-ton pickup will now be my primary means of transportation -- representing opposite ends of the technological spectrum, and two different historic approaches to economy and performance.

God's Peace to you.

d
Inliner #1450

Don
How are you doing haven't crossed paths with you for a while, I didn't make it to Columbus this past summer as it was the wife's 45 class reunion that same day. I'm hosting the NTBA nationals in Dayton this June and judgeing a big show in July then I hope to be done for the summer so I plan on making the picnic this year. Did you ever find the title you had lost?

i have a title and license plate on the '52 two-door, and i have an overdrive solenoid that needs to be sent out to be rebuilt. i have the '49 pickup just about to be back on the road, ready for some much-needed body work. i have a nice, low-mileage 2008 Miata for sale.

i am reminded that i still have photographs of your roadster that need to go out in the mail. i have a lot going on in life right now . . . more of it than there is of me. We are hoping to be present for the North Central Inliners picnic, driving something, inline, worth a second look and maybe a third.

God's Peace to you.

d
Inliner #1450

Don, Do you have a place that rebuilds OD solenoids? The problem with most is just that the soldered link under the cover has melted and needs to be reattached. Beyond that you have to know something.

For my GMC-powered '52 Chevrolet with a 4.88 differential, the overdrive is essential if it is ever to be driven far on the highway. It was licensed and (more or less) driveable just in time for the last siege of $4.00 gasoline, drinking the 94 octane, of course.

i have in the past used the services of Mr J Pinto in Philadelphia ( http://www.jpintoweb.com/ ), and i may do that again when i have the pickup on the road with its rebuilt transmission and overdrive. In the meanwhile i'll look under that hood of that solid-gold, dysfunctional solenoid and see can i see anything amiss.

God's Peace to you.

d
Inliner #1450

I used a Australian govt scheme to convert to LPG.
Best thing I ever did ! cost was $900.00 (after grant)
average price of LPG in my state QLD is $0.60 a litre.
Petrol is now almost $1.50 a litre.I do not notice any power loss. When I am allowed to build my 250 cu inch side valve MOPAR I will be building it to run LPG.

I think the state leaders are going to solve the question of burning alternative fuel. As I understand it many states are considering a new tax on these fuels to make up for the loss in gas/diesel road tax. So they will probably double what they think they need while they are doing it.

d

I've had an Insight for over 10 years. I've saved enough gas* that I feel I can afford to drive my street rod.

*175,000 miles at 60.1 miles per gallon.
You'll have fun as you get used to it.

Will6er
'35 Chev Sedan Delivery w/ 292 and 3 Webers.

I guess it all depends on where you are looking at it from.

I get stuck on looking at it from the project standpoint, so I figure as much compression as whatever engine I'm building will stand on pump swill (the cheap stuff, I like to drive my stuff alot) and keep the crevice volume small with a reasonable cam, and away I go.

Of course my preference for lightweight vehicles doesn't hurt.

Radials are a help with economy (I prefer to think of it as range).

I was recently reading about a vehicle that was competing in one of the X prize competitions(this one was for economy in vehicles that were street legal, met the 2011 emissions standards, and were producible quickly, with today's tech) about a Chevy Metro that had been converted to turbo diesel.

It was an engine swap predominately , with a few aero mods to help at freeway speeds.

It was getting better than 50 mpg on the "in town" part of the test track, with just over 70 on the "freeway" portion.

Best part was that the group responsible for it was going to offer kits and consultation to help duplicate it.

Sad part of it is the "was".

For less than half a Prius, you could build yourself a miserly ride.

Or take a road trip, and not stop for fuel, until you want to.

My friends dad, an instructor for GM & used to drive many new GM cars home.

He once had a 1981 or so Chevy Chevette diesel he told me the Chevette would get 50 MPG in the city & highway was better,was a really slow vehicle though.
That was way back in the early 80's getting that mileage.

MBHD

Yeah, as I recall there was a minimum acceleration rate and the ability to climb a hill some minimum speed.

I don't recall what those specifics were.

It was a turbo diesel, I edited my previous post so it shows that.

They had to do alot of work to get the diesel to put out the power needed and still meet the emissions requirement.

It would be an interesting project.

I've got this whacky idea of cramming a diesel out of a Dodge Sprinter into a Trailblazer.

It wouldn't get anywhere close to 50mpg, but I would get better economy than anything I have, that I can use for a daily year round.

Extra compression and hard valve seats is all you need...

There is definitely a power loss, around 10%, when switching from regular to LPG. I notice it in my Skyline for sure.

And did you notice that when the $2500 subsidy scheme came in, the cost of installations rose by about $1200? And now it's down to $1500 subsidy the installation costs are dropping again?

I intend having LPG on all my vehicles. Lined up at the moment are my VG 245, the tank is already re-dated and installed. Then there's my 404, which is getting a 504 engine, I'll do that installation myself as much as possible, using a manifold from a 504TI with an SU grafted onto the side for emergency use. Finally, there's a D5N ambulance I'll build into a camper, 245 power once again.

I suppose it comes down to what you can afford, and what you are willing to pay for the privilage of driving your car.

My wife drives a 45 mpg (imperial gallon) little suzuki, and has no intention of driving a larger vehicle.
My Subaru Legacy gets not bad mileage for an older car, and has all the room we need if we have to load up on gardening supplies, or go skiing for the weekend.
I can also hook up the utility trailer to haul bigger items when needed.
I look around the neighbourhood at all the pickup trucks and SUVs that people drive and I wonder why they do it? The is not a limitless supply of oil in the ground, and it would be nice to see enough left over so that my son can drive the Camaro's when we are too old to do so.
My '69 Camaro gets about 28 mpg and my wife's 70 Camaro gets about 24 if we stick to the speed limit. When my engine project is done the mileage shold not change significantly while cruising on the road, but it will suck it back when I stand on it. The '70 has a very old build 350 that needs a redo, do I think we might see closer to 30 MPG if I went to a smaller LS engine with EFI.

Walk to the store more often & keep the tire pressures in check on your cars, that alone will make a big difference. Rediscover the car, stop driving a big fat heavy pig as a daily driver.

Paul

Amen. My lady drives a 1998 Mazda MPV, with every possible option, including 4WD AND a locking rear diff. It'd be great if it got more than 13-15 mpg in town. It's also a hauler-short and long distance(drove 2200 kms 1 way to Wisconsin and back last summer, and towed our old front steps to the local dump with it too). She feels safe in it, and up until 3 weeks ago, I was driving a 25 mpg(city) 85 VW Jetta. It's something of a necessity at this point(can't throw out a super reliable vehicle, and can't afford a super-efficient new one). I'm already planning a 700-r4 swap for the 60 261-powered Pontiac to make the best of the 105.9 cent per litre fuel prices here. Are bicycles considered inline?