> I'd suspect you may be leaking gas rather than burning it. Do you smell
  gas? Especially when cornering with a fullish tank? If so, you may be
  leaking from the rubber elbow where the fill pipe  connects with the
  tank. Another possibility is a leaky fuel pump diaphragm. There is a 
  little hose on the pump that directs leakage in to the cooling air
  stream below cylinders 1 & 2 <it's the one that goes thru the sheet 
  metal>. Pull it off at the pump. There should be NOTHING coming out 
  of it. 

  My '72 had 137.5 main jets and never got great mileage <17-20>, but it
  never got as bad as 14. During the time I had that bus I had several 
  fuel leaks from various places: Cracked hoses, leaky fuel pump, one
  of the little brass tubes where the hose connects to a carburetor came
  loose, etc., etc. It's not expensive and probably a good idea to simply
  replace every piece of rubber fuel line between the tank and the carbs
  if you've got the time. 

  
  Dave

>  My gas mileage has hit an all-time low of 14 mpg. I have a 72' 1700
> and I'm at my wits end as to how to get more miles for the buck. I've
> changed the ignition system completely (i.e. brand new), I've checked
> the compression and its A-OK and I've changed the cut-off jets in the
> carburator. All of these things were done on the advice of
> mechanics... What I have not yet attempted is a carb equalization. I
> didn't think it needed one because the engine runs like a Swiss
> timepiece. Any suggestions? Is the "volume control" screw really just 
> an idle mixture screw? If not, then is there a volume control screw on
> the passenger's side carb? AAArgh, I hate not being able to drive my VW...
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Mark Sabourin
> 
>  "They all err; Muslim, Christian, and Jew
>    Two make up humanity's universal sect,
>   One man, intelligent without religion
>    The other, religious without intellect."
>                - Ma'arri (1057)
> 
>  "The plague of man is the opinion of knowledge. That is why ignorance
> is so recommended by our religion as a quality suitable to belief
> and obedience."
>  "Man is certainly crazy. He could not make a mite, and he makes gods
> by the dozen."
>               - Michel de Montaigne
> 
>  Carleton University
> 
> Email address: msabouri@chat.carleton.ca
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>