gas milage

is there any prodict out there that actually helps with gas milage. or anything that I can make or do to my engine to help get better gas milage. just woundering cuz if you think about it there got to be A way.


thanks
66stang

My records show I gained about 3 MPG by switching to Mobil 1 synthetic, putting in Bosch platinum plugs, and a Pertronix kit. That's my story, and I'm sticking by it.

8) switch to a good synthetic oil, mobil one is a good one, add i little timing, the factory setting is 6degrees for a manual, i forget the automatic setting, but bump the timing to 12 degrees. use a good electronic ignition conversion and open the plug gaps up about .010", .035 to .045. drive smoothly, and maintain your momentum as much as possible. radial tires also help. you can also lean out the carb mix a little but if you go too far you increase fuel consumption due to a lean misfire.the switch to synthetic oils is not limited to the engine, trans and rear end also can be changed over, as can the wheel bearing grease. adjust your drum brakes out untill they just barely touch the drums when you spin them, again dont go too far otherwise you will create a safety issue, no sense in creatively customizing your front end with some one else's rear end. also run the engine temp a bit hotter, go from a 160 or 180 tstat to a 195 tstat.
switch from an engine driven fan to an electric fan or swap the stock fan for a good flex fan or a fan clutch. drive with the windows up all the time and avoid the use of the a/c, doesnt work well in southern arizona in the summer. if you are willing to do a little work on the motor, pull the head and have it milled a bit to increase compression. a low restriction air cleaner can help. a taller tire will reduce engine speed but remember to recalibrate the speedo, dont want your fuel saving to go to paying speeding tickets.

HELLO 66STANG

I WOULD CONTINUE ON FROM RBOHM....YOU SHOULD CHECK THREE OR FOUR THINGS THAT WILL HELP IF NOT RIGHT.

CHECK ALL FUEL LINES FOR LEAKS. (MY MOST OFTEN CAUSE FOR POOR MILEAGE. RUBBER HOSE LINES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS BEFORE CRACKING.)

CHECK FRONT TIRES FOR UNEVEN WEARING. BECAUSE ....... TIRE THAT ARE TRYING TO TURN IN OR OUT WILL BRING DOWN YOUR MILEAGE.

CHECK YOUR TIRES FOR LOW RUNNING, LEAKS,OR IF NOT AT OR ABOVE YOUR TIRE MANF"S LIMITS. BECAUSE ONE TIRE AT 19# AND THE REST AT 32# WILL GIVE YOU LOWER MAILAGE.

TWO THINGS TO CHECK ON CARB. THE CHOKE SHOULD BE CHECK... BECAUSE THE CHOKE PIPE CAN LEAK AND WILL TAKE TOO LONG FOR THE CHOKE TO OPEN. (IN COLD AREAS IT MIGHT NEVER OPEN RIGHT.) WHAT RBOHM SAID ABOUT THE JETS IS RIGHT ON ABOUT TOO SMALL A JET. BECAUSE TOO SMALL A JET WILL MAKE THE DRIVER PUSH FARTHER ON THE GAS WHICH GIVES LOWER VACCUM RUNNING LEVELS.... CAUSING POWER JETS TO OPEN TOO SOON, AGAIN USING MORE FUEL.

IF YOU FIND ANY OF YOUR PROBLEMS........ COME BACK AND TELL US!

LOL....LOTS OF LUCK

LIVE IN GRACE

LEROY POLL

I used to get really bad mileage with my car...at one point I was averaging about 12 miles per gallon, even with Pertronix, really good timing (no misses), and a rebuilt carb (stock Autolite 1100).

So I replaced the lifters and pushrods, and without even adjusting anything, mileage shot up to about 18-20 mpg.

It might be worth it to check out the condition of your lifters. If they're sticky or have excessive cam wear, you probably want to replace the cam and lifters. Yeah, it's a big job, but scarily enough, I've always found the big and involved jobs to be more fun :roll:. I could be wrong, but hey... the car's almost 37 years old, it could probably use the new lifters anyway.

Keep us posted!

wow. thanks for the indetail replies.


ok I have decided what I am going to do. I am going to pull the engine and rebuild it.(I know sounds like A big step just for gas.lol.) but I just got into A machining class. so it will be fairly cheap to rebuild it since I am going to do all the work. ok so new lifters and cam(cuz I am sure it is worn daown quit A bit) I just didn't know that could mean low gas milage. and probly new push rods. and I will definitly do some head work but let me see if I got this right.


I am suposed to rais the compression to raise gas milage. cuz I thought it raised performance. and normally when you do that it lowers gas milage.


well dont get me wrong I aint made of money.lol. my dad said he would help pay for the rebuild since it is going tords me learning more about cars.


thanks again for the realy good and deatailed replies.


thanks
66stang

Drive like you have an egg between your foot and the gas pedal.

well some one told me that the best way to go is to buy A rebuild kit. so whats your guyses opinion on this. and where can I find some kits at. o and if you guys know where to find some V8 rebuild kits for A 260.( I know I know it's not an inline but my brother inlaw is in ths hop with me and he wants to rebuild his engine to.



thanks
66stang

Cheapest: JC Whitney. It may or may not be right part.
Most reliable: find an interested local auto parts store, where you can return/exchange parts as needed.

I've been using Delo-400 h/d 15-40w oil with Lucas oil treatment in my '64 200. I drive 130 miles a day, five days a week with my Comet. It's been holding up just fine, but just last week a buddy of mines Dad suggested otherwise. He said" use synthetic", he gave me a pamphlet on Amsoil. It sounded interesting, but do I need an additive for my older engine? Other people suggested Mobile One it's less expensive, but again should I use an additive...ZZ

I wish I could run sythetic....damn road draft tube really sucks the oil out. and I m sure my rings are about shot. I don't cahnge oil, just add and change the filter.

gearing has alot to do with it. if you can get the motor to turn in its ideal rpm range then you will get better milage. on the 2.3 turbos people can goto a 3.73 gear and keep the sme milage since the rpm's are int eh same range.


nick

If you have bad rings and poor compression, gas mileage is a pipe dream. As far as road draft tube, ditch it. Get a later model valve cover with PCV valve and carb base. The PCV valve will actually improve your mileage a little. You can actually lean out the carb some. It will also help the engine last longer by reducing the buildup of gasses in the crankcase. It will get gummed up if you have excessive blowby.

Check out these web site for some good oil info (specially the third):
http://www.viperclub.org/articles/oilfaq.htm
http://www.synlubes.com/about/faqs.html
http://hint.perm.su/auto/auto/ehoilfaq.htm

I have been running Mobil 1 10W-30 for the last 3 years in my 66 Mustang 200. I picked up about 1.5 MPG (I keep careful track of my mileage) on road trips. I drove from Nebraska to MA and back in 2000 (3100 miles or so), and Nebraska, Dallas, Virginia, Nebraska this summer (about 4100 miles). Most travel was at the highest speed I could get away with (75-80 MPH).

I used 1/2 qt in the 4100 miles, and that is because I have a small oil leak between the block and head. The Mobil 1 has done a good job of removing the paint off the sides of my block.

As for the breather tube (road draught) - I have been pondering adapting mine for a push-in breather, with the PCV on the valve cover, and a sealed cap on the oil filler. I see the potential benefit as being air circulation through a little more of the engine. Does this sound way off beam?

:roll: Obviously, with major blow-by, this wouldn't cut it.

Thanks, Adam.

I adapted a PCV valve on a 57 T-Bird I used to have. The floorboards had holes in them, and it nearly killed me on a trip from Atlanta to Tampa.
Just pick up the kind of valve and breather you'd find on later model engines. May not be perfect, but sure beats breathing in those fumes.

8) 66stang, what you want to do is increase the efficiency of the engine. when you do that performance increases, and as long as you are conservative with cam timing, fuel economy also increases. increased compression inproves combustion efficiency by getting more work from the same fuel charge, thereby increasing the available power, thereby allowing less throttle pressure for a given road speed, thus lower fuel consumption. a larger cam can also increase fuel economy, again as long as you are conservative with the cam selection, because the engine again improves efficiency wise. as for engine kits, performance automotive wholesale has them for the 170/200/250 inlines. just remember that they usually sell "white box" parts. meaning that the parts are generaly sold to rebuilders, not to the general public. they are good parts but may not have the trw(for example) name. the pistons usually come from badger or triplex, good parts but not name brands. also double check the clearances, a good idea with any kit, as you assemble the motor to prevent problems down the road.

rbohm- thanks for explaining that to me. cuz I was confused for A moment. ok well I am preaty sure I am going to try to do A conservative reabuild and increas both gas miladge and performance.



thanks every body.
66stang

8) you go with either a 252 or 260 comp cam. if you can find a set of 1.6 ratio rocker arms to replace the stock 1.52's, use the 252 cam, just remember to double check the valve to piston clearance. you shouldnt have a problem, but better safe than sorry.

ok so A 252 cam use 1.6 ratio rockers but whats the best ratio rockers to use with the 260 cam.



thanks
66stang

Hey, '66...
If you're looking for good mileage, go to higher compression for sure - I don't know where you live, but at sea level a 9.0:1 is good if you want to run regular gas. I live at 6,000 feet and 9.8:1 works good up here.

If you DON'T deck the block on the rebuild, see my post in Buy-Sell-Trade about 200 head gaskets. If you have the bucks, deck the block to recover the squench band and efficiencies or you will still end up with poor gas mileage. These engines were not known for mileage, but for good torque.

Be sure to go electronic on the ignition. Add MGC from BG into the transmission (manual OR automatic) for reduced friction - and add it to the differential, too.

Try to find the exhaust port divider that Clifford makes (made?). Install it while the head is off.

If your intake has the 1.625" carb hole, the Autolite carb is OK, but if you can fit the 1946 type from a Fairmont (1978-1980) it will give you more HP in the end (it is also a 1.75" throat and flows 187 CFM instead of the 155 CFM of the Autolite).
After my rebuild I got 4 MPG better economy (from 12-ish to 16+ in town), but it took almost 10,000 miles to break in before that happened.

Above all, have a ball - these engines are fun and easy to build!

yea I have allready switched to synthetic oil in my engine and am about to do it to my trans and rear(probly this weekend) well thanks for mentioning decking the block. I will be sure to do that in the rebuild.


well guys you have answerd my question and then some, thanks. and as always if ya think of anything ellse pleas let me know.


thanks
66stang