Hi Kevin, I reckon I'm about the slowest driver on the highway. I have
determined that my speedo reads 12% high (GPS and using those
side-of-the-freeway "speed check" mileage markers). This makes me think I
am going a lot faster than I am. I tend to keep around 65 mpg as indicated
by the speedo, which puts me at about 57 mph.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
KG6RCR

On 9/10/2007 6:04 PM Kevin Gilbert wrote:

> Rock,
>
> FWIW, I just got home from a 900-mile ride through the mountains of
> Virginia and North Carolina, and averaged just shy of 22 mpg. I drive
> an '84 westy, same size tires as yours.
>
> I inflate my tires just a hair past tire recommendation, to keep them
> hard for best mileage. I have new O2 sensor. But most importantly, I
> drive under the speed limit on the highway. I figure when people see
> a VW camper, they expect it to be slow. I try to avoid opening the
> throttle any more than necessary to maintain 60 mph. All the
> mechanical issues aside, driving a VW for gas mileage is different
> than driving anything else. You have to be willing to go slow and
> watch the scenery - and traffic - go by.
>
> Kevin
>
> On Sep 10, 2007, at 8:12 PM, Michael Elliott wrote:
>
>> Hi Todd, 185R14. Here are the data volunteered to me from when I
>> initiated
>> this subject, like, last month I think (use a fixed-width font to
>> avoid
>> this looking like a total mess). I'm the Rocky Squirrel sample.
>>
>> Year    Model   Engine  Trans   Owner   mpg     Comments
>>
>> 82      Westy   1.8     manual  Alistair Bell   24.4    185R14, summer
>> 84      Westy   1.9     auto    Rocky Squirrel  15.5    185R14
>> highway, sea level
>> 85      Westy   1.9     auto    Thomas LaPointe 17      best
>> 85      Westy   1.9     auto    TC      19      average
>> 84      Vanagon 1.9     auto    Mike Collum     19
>> 84      Westy   1.9     auto    David Etter     21.5    Ave. (2
>> engines)
>> 84      Westy   1.9     manual  Tom Buese       17      4500ft
>> elevation
>> 84      Westy   1.9     manual  Jack R. 18      185R14, 650ft
>> elevation
>> 84      n/a     1.9     manual  stuart jeff     20      stock 14''
>> wheels
>> 83      Westy   1.9     manual  Wesley Pegden   20      19.5/22 mpg
>> 85      Westy   1.9     manual  Mike Collum     20.5
>> 84      GL      1.9     manual  Jake de Villiers        24.5
>> 83.5    Westy   1.9     n/a     David Kao       22      average
>> 88      Westy   2.1     5-speed Todd Last       16.5    205/70 R14
>> tires
>> 87      Westy   2.1     manual  Stephen Grisanti        17      EPA
>> sticker: 17/18 city/hwy
>> 86      GL      2.1     manual  Joel Walker     19      EPA
>> sticker: 16/18 city/hwy
>> 87      Camper  2.1     manual  TJ Hannick      19      A/C on,
>> seal level, 225/70R14
>> 86      Westy   2.1     manual  Jake de Villiers        20.5
>> n/a     Carat   n/a     manual  Angus Gordon    22      average
>> 87      Synchro Westy                   mike    15      8.5X27 14
>>
>> --
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>> KG6RCR
>>
>>
>>
>> On 9/10/2007 4:18 PM Todd Last wrote:
>>
>>> What tires are you running?  (Specifically what diameter are they?)
>>>
>>> Todd
>>> '88 Westy
>>>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
>>> From: "Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
>>>> As I've posted previously, my 84 1.9L auto only gets about 15.5 MPG
>>>> while others have reported somewhat higher mileage. Even after
>>>> filtering
>>>> out those who seem to be quite optimistic, and paying especial
>>>> attention
>>>> to those who deny not keeping careful records, Mellow Yellow still
>>>> trails the pack. It gives us great sadness.
>>>>
>>>> It has been proposed that my poor numbers might be due to a funky O2
>>>> sensor, or crummy compression. I'll get to the compression
>>>> tomorrow or
>>>> the next day, but right now I have hooked up my handy-dandy
>>>> voltmeter to
>>>> the sensor and with the engine warmed up, it is outputting
>>>> between .36
>>>> volt and .66 volt, ranging around about .55 volt. This seems kinda
>>>> normal, from what I read.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>>>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>>>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>>>> KG6RCR
>
>