Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Calculate fuel consumption when idling?
From:Michael Elliott
Date:Sun, 25 Nov 2007 22:03:51 -0800

0.6 gph is well within the probable error of my cocktail napkin
calculations. The probable error being +/- all the numbers there are.

--
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 11/25/2007 9:19 PM joel walker wrote:

>> I'm with Scott, measure out a quart and run it 'till it's gone and
>> watch the
>> clock.  It would be interesting to compare the calculted with the
>> real
>> world.
>
> ... or ... you could do what i did:
> install a trip computer that measures the amount of fuel used by
> counting the clicks of one of the fuel injectors. after calibration,
> it was very accurate ... at least to 1/10th of a gallon.
>
> and yes,i tested it at various rpm settings on the highway, and
> measured the fuel consumption by time. and yes, i also measured the
> fuel consumption at idle sitting in my driveway. :)
>
> for a 1986 vanagon gl, 4-speed, with about 40,000 miles on it at the
> time,
> it measured ...
>
> <drum roll>
>
> 0.6 gallons per hour.
>
> and i'd say that was accurate (based on my experience with the trip
> computer) to +/-0.1 gallon.
>
> unca joel