Your mileage may vary....

bb4re

bb4re

86X 22,000 miles
....I always hear the hype on the new car commercials promoting the high "30+ mpg" mileage these modern vehicles will get you. :nana:

I finally have the 1978 X that I bought from Eastep on the road and thought I would check the mileage. This is a 1300/4speed car, with a Midwest-Bayless performance head and electronic ignition. Filled up the tank when I left work yesterday. 38 miles to work from the gas station. Went directly back to the same station on my way home from work and struggled to get 2 gallons of gas into the tank. :italia:

My 34 year old car with performance enhancements is getting 38 mpg on the highway. I really cannot complain about that. :headbang:
 
agreed!

I would normally get 32+ with my 1500 with Dual 42 dcnfs.
Imagine what they could do with today's engine tech with yesteryears lightweight cars. older honda and Vdubs would easily get over 40 mpg back then.

odie
 
autox19 said:
I would normally get 32+ with my 1500 with Dual 42 dcnfs.
Imagine what they could do with today's engine tech with yesteryears lightweight cars. older honda and Vdubs would easily get over 40 mpg back then.

odie
Click to expand...

Very impressed BTW with your 32 miles MPG. I haven't seen that since I ran my FI car. Hell, my Jetta with a complete tune up, new injectors, coil pack, wires, plugs, etc is barely getting 30 and that includes a road trip of 100 miles on the odometer!

I just filled up the PBS motor with Chevron's 91 so lets see how it goes. Problem here in Cali is we have so much crap added to our fuel that its a wonder we get 1/2 decent mileage.
 
truth be told...

IF I put my foot in, and it was hard not to, it dove to 22 MPG. nice and easy shifting at 4k produced the best results.

Odie
 
I shift at about 4K rpms...

...95% percent of the time. I am sure that helps.
 
My modded x gets good milage too

On a trip to Pennsylvania on the highway I averaged 39 mpg doing a steady 65-70. Not bad for a car that will hit 60 in 5. In fact I don't know of any car made today that will do quite the same.
 
Across the country

My stock 74 averaged 38 mpg cruising between 3500 -4000 rpm in 4th gear. I was pleasantly surprised.
 
I've always gotten 28, can't seem to do any better, though that is a mix of highway and city and highway is usually 80mph, maybe if I cruised easy at 65 for a couple hours straight it'd be better.
 
It's highway all the way...

...to and from work for me. I have been running between 65 and 70 to get this figure. Much better than my 2000 Impala. I have figured if gas prices stay where they are...and I drive the X daily, I will save over $1000/year in gas.:whistle:

Too bad my jet boat burns 6 gallons per hour!!! Doh!
 
Thomas,

What you save in gas, you can afford to get X #10.

I haven't done a close check, but I think Big Bird gets at least 32 or better on the freeway cruising between 75-80. Probably better without the lead foot.
Mike
 
My advice Thomas

bb4re said:
It's highway all the way......to and from work for me. I have been running between 65 and 70 to get this figure. Much better than my 2000 Impala. I have figured if gas prices stay where they are...and I drive the X daily, I will save over $1000/year in gas.:whistle:

Too bad my jet boat burns 6 gallons per hour!!! Doh!
Click to expand...

Don't drive the boat to work.

Somebody had to say it. ;)
 
Good idea, Jim....

...drove the X up to Toledo and back this weekend. 180 miles each way. 38 mpg holds true. No runs, no drips, no errors.
 
Another data point

My '77 1300 with headers, reworked 1500 head, Faza 35/75 cam and single 34DMSA carb gets about 24mpg city/30 highway. I suspect it's running a bit rich and should do a bit better mileage-wise, but it has been running so well I've chosen not to mess with it.
 
You are probably right...

...I would think you should be getting similar results to mine. Mine is a 1300/4 speed, but has a Midwest-Bayless head, header...ect. Performace is really nice. Accelerates much quicker than any of my previous X's. My jetting is a bit off, but I really haven't been railing on the car and it doesn't offend me, as is. 4000-4500 rpms max. I will need to replace the rack bushing and the front wheel bearings sometime in the near future. Maybe a quieter exhaust. Some knucklehead PO put a quad tip Empi performance exhaust from a VW bus on the car. Too noisy at 4000 rpms. Annoying.
 
I had the top off on the way up....

...top on for the trip back South. Difference was only about a half gallon of gas. I was surpirised.
 
bb4re said:
Some knucklehead PO put a quad tip Empi performance exhaust from a VW bus on the car. Too noisy at 4000 rpms. Annoying.
Click to expand...

Thats because its supposed to live above 4k :wink2: I agree though. I regretted putting that exhaust on. I hated the sound at gear change from out side the car and it was a hideous mess to look at. I wanted more of a crackle and instead got an "ugh!" sound. I can affirm its sounded the best with just an open header:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U15Eq5AdUGM&feature=g-upl"]78 Fiat X1/9 First Drive With New Head - YouTube[/ame]
 
I like the sound

For a tuned X, it's all in the driving.



My first x19, a 1978, way back when, was a four speed, so naturally when the 85 was up and running, I drove it like a four speed. My MPG was in the low 20's.



Tony N, recently of the hospital, reminded of the virtues of using all my gears, regardless of how I like that sound of 5000 RPM at second and third, and it made all the difference in the world. Routinely get 33 average, am very happy about it. A second killer is short trips with a cold engine.


Always check my MPG, by buying gas 10 gals at a time. Must admit I still like the sound over 4000 RPM.


Vincent dba enzo mac
 
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