I swear, it seems like I used to get over 300 miles on a tank. (on the
freeway).  And then they started putting alcohol in the gas.  I drove
from my house to Spokane one time thinking I needn't fill up till I got
there.  Only I got about twenty miles short and sputter, spit, and
sphewK.....

One thing for sure, I don't get 300+ miles per tank anymore.  I average
more like the above listee who gets about 225-250 depending...

> ----------
> From:         Chris Uzzi[SMTP:uzzi@AIMNET.COM]
> Reply To:     Chris Uzzi
> Sent:         Wednesday, March 18, 1998 9:54 AM
> To:   Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
> Subject:      Re: mileage
>
> wow! 418 miles per tank! my wife and i are about to embark upon a
> 3,500
> mile road trip in our '90 westy. i can only hope to get that kind of
> mileage. i usually average about 220-250 per tank.
>
> what were the elevations variances like on your trip?
>
> chris
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:   William Carden [SMTP:wpcarden@HOME.COM]
> Sent:   Wednesday, March 18, 1998 3:13 AM
> To:     Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
> Subject:        Re: mileage
>
> I bought my 84 Westy in southern Calif. and drove it home to Phila.
> Pa.
> When I first started the trip, the mileage was about 200 per tank
> load.
> Every tank fill the mileage got better and better. 250, then I hit
> 300,
> 325,
> 345, 365, 384, 398, I thought it might blow up. It keep running better
> and
> better. By the end of the trip I hit a all time high of 418 miles per
> tank.
> Could this be due to an average Of 15 hours per day of semi continuos
> driving
> except for gas and food stops.
>
> Well a year has past and on a long trip I can only reach around 300
> per
> tank.
>
>
>
> Peter Zendzian wrote:
> >
> > Don't know much about milage, but my 83.5 Van gets about the same
> that
> you
> > got.  I had the same problem with my idle speed jumping up and down
> like
> > yours.  It turned out to be two problems, I had a small vacuume
> leake on
> the
> > hose in front of the engine and the idle speed was set a little too
> high,
> > 100 rpm.  The engine has a high speed idle cutout and when the
> engine
> runs
> > at 1200 rpm (could be 1400, going from memory) the engine is
> automatically
> > idled back.  Now because of the two problems that I just mentioned,
> when
> my
> > engine got hot, not just warm, I would have the same problem that
> you
> > mentioned.  If you need help setting the idle speed, let me know as
> it is
> > rather pickey and has to be done right.
> >
> > Pete
> > peterz@gte.net
> > '83.5 Vanagon
> >
> > >Just returned from a long trip northern Wisconsin to the Rio Grand
> and
> > >back over spring break. Nice place to go birding if there are any
> westy
> > >birders out there.
> > >
> > >Oh, the VW content... I was surprised to see my mileage vary a
> great
> > >deal between over the 3,800 mile trip. High was only 19mpg and the
> low
> > >was 13.7mpg. Averaged around 16 mpg. Now we did drive a lot at 65
> to 68
> > >miles per hour and we did run into a good bit of head wind but I
> figured
> > >we'd do better than that especially since it's a new engine with
> only
> > >6,000 miles on it. Is this normal for an 84 westy automatic?
> > >
> > >One other puzzle. Towards the end of the trip I pulled in for gas
> and
> > >when I stopped and put the trans in netural the engine began reving
> up
> > >and down between 1000 and 1800 rpm. Hasen't done it since so it
> really
> > >has me puzzled. Any ideas?
> > >
> > >TIA, Bob
> > >
> > >84 westy "der bus"
>