-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Thoma <TVReporter@stratos.net>
To: Vanagon.@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon.@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Wednesday, July 01, 1998 4:15 PM
Subject: IT'S ALIVE (and it's a turbo-diesel) Chap 2. "The first tankful"

Hey volks,
If any of you care.  I just filled the '82 turbo-d for the first time since the new engine.  Here's the poop...it went 401 miles on 12.43 gallons of #2.  That works out to 32.2 mpg.  Since I commute about 55 miles a day, most of that was on the interstate at an average speed of 65 mph.  I rarely drive below 63 and rarely above 68 (although the van runs just fine at 70 or 75 for that matter.)  Since this was the first tankfull since the motor transplant, I was hotrodding (in as much as that's possible with a turbo-diesel Vanagon) most of the time around town, and trying to see what this thing was capable of acceleration-wise (not much.)  The next tankful I'll drive more conservately and see what she'll do.  At any rate the miles per gallon says I should have an easy 500+ range on a tankfull.  To be continued...
Mark Thoma
 
p.s. when the intercooler gets hooked up I might even get an extra mpg or two!  Eat your hearts out gassers.   

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