how to accurately check milage

I had one of these powerful beasts for years, they are a tad sensitive.

First point of call would be to check there isn't a leak on the big rubber carburettor base gasket, just spray WD40 around the bottom of the carb and listen to see if the engine note changes.

If you are new to this car somebody could have swapped the carb for a 1.3

Check the choke is going off properly at the carb.

Secondly these cars have a big engine breather pipe attached to the underside of the back of the inlet manifold, the rubber breather hose gets very hot and perishes, they are often split or fallen off, this will often cause the car to stall out, so people who do not know adjust the carb to compensate.

The inlet manifold is a weak point of the design.

Thirdly, check the points gap.

Check the timing - use a Gunsons colortune or get it krypton tuned by a specialist if you have to, for around £50 they will do a full tune up and diagnoses, you will make this money back in a few tankfulls.

Best of luck Andy

Heh!

Si

No, he's just waiting to see the parole board.

The message from "Dave Baker" contains these words:

I only married her ten years ago - but we've been around for 17 years.

Oh yeah, sorry :-(

It should be : (400 / 40) * 4.546 = 45mpg

Both my very different cars have them. And they're both as accurate as filling the tank to the brim over several goes and working it out manually.

On the BMW, it's also linked in to the 'how many miles left before filling' part, and that seems *very* accurate.

Gas meters?

Dave Plowman (News) ( snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Yep, likewise with a Cit XM. As accurate as the odometer is.

thanks for all the good info so far...will keep you posted

I also have one of these cars, and usually get around 32 mpg around town - and even that is a bit low because of a faulty thermostat... which I *will* get around to changing soon! On longer journies and with a working thermostat I would expect high 30's to low 40's MPG.

Alan.