High Mileage VW Bug Mileage

Rebuild the engine and tune it to perfection. Instant 20-30% improvement, and zero modifications.

This applies to most neglected VW beetle engines out there (most of them are).

Jan

Install wooden block under gas pedal.

Speedy Jim

Thanks Jan and Speedy Jim Have either of you ever heard of or seen these carb before please?

The 100 MPG Carburetor Myth

Anyone ever heard of this Carb before?

...............A stock engine with the original carburetor is about the best available option for gas economy in a pre-75 year model bug. Driving style is far more important. You're not going to match the 38 mpg at 65 mph of a Honda civic with an aircooled engine that was designed 70 years ago unless you drive it at a much lower speed. Even then, you'll have trouble getting

30 mpg unless everything is perfect.

...........With my '77 bug, the L-Jetronic EFI with a stock cam & exhaust system on a fully balanced Berg 1679 gets about 28 or 29 mpg at a steady 65 mph. Unfortunately, I like to drive at 75 to 85 mph...........lol

LOL OTOH I had a KG w/1600cc (stock) that would routinely get 38-40 MPG at a very steady 60MPH. (I did cheat a bit with more advance than is recommended but one has to assume the risks that go with it...)

Speedy Jim

Yes. It is an ancient story (well, 70 years...)

Do a GOOGLE search for: "Fish carburetor"

Draw your own conclusions.

Speedy Jim

..............Foul!

......That KG was more aerodynamic than a bug and I bet you even kept the windows rolled up to lower the drag coefficient and maybe you even put 40 psi in the tires too..........lol

.......I'm running 38 deg total advance with 87 octane gas but that's because I've got semi-hemi heads.

than a bug and I bet you even kept the

Guilty! Did all of that too!

Jim

Nope, never heard. Google might know something.

In general, an engine needs to be fed a certain amount of gasoline and air mixture for it to operate properly. If everything is in good shape, it is very difficult to reduce consumption without risking something.. first thing that comes to mind is eliminating the auto choke, and jetting the carb lean. Missing choke causes accelerated wear and if you pump the gas pedal when the engine is cold to keep it running, you win nothing. Running the engine lean will eventually cause engine breakdown, as well as poor performance from the beginning. (You end up pushing the pedal in deeper, especially to compensate for the take-off "bog", and thus you both make the ill effects worse, AND use more fuel too.. so no savings there)

The VW aircooled engine just isn't a particularly economical engine to drive. It's old technology, and for a car that size & weight, the fuel consumption is horrible compared to today's technology.

But low fuel consumption is NOT why you would buy an old beetle anyway, is it? If that's what you are after, buy a diesel Lupo.

The hands down winner in the list of tricks to reduce fuel consumption is the easiest too. Keep your foot out of it.

Jan

Paul Regal wrote:

My 1961 stock 1200 28 PICT setup gets about 38 MPG... so the older 40 HP and earlier motors weren't bad at all... That's 38 miles per IMPERIAL gallon by the way... I guess if you meant miles per US gallon, then it's a bit lower at 32 MPG if I do the conversion.

................How fast do you drive, on average? I've heard more than once that the 1300 in '66 is the best running and most economical bug of them all. Right Howard?

cant remember which way round it works but US gallon and UK Gallon are different ammounts so dont know how good 46mpg is !

The above link shows and article on high mgp attempt.

Rich

ilambert wrote:

The change is quite significant... 46 miles per imperial gallon converts to 38.3 miles per US gallon.

There are only 0.833 imperial gallons in a US gallon. Canada uses the imperial gallon.

Not sure of the history behind this... I'd have to Google it... but the solution is rather obvious... METRIC SYSTEM!

1 UK gallon is 4.55 litres. 1 US gallon is 3.79 litres.

-- Howard Rose

1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe 1962 Austin Mini Deluxe 1964 Austin Mini Super Deluxe (cars on website)

I can never remember which is the metric one - US or UK? I always prefer to use litres to avoid confusion :-)

-- Howard Rose

1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe 1962 Austin Mini Deluxe 1964 Austin Mini Super Deluxe (cars on website)

With my stock 1300, I get about 31 miles per UK gallon... Bang on the original performance figures, in fact!

-- Howard Rose

1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe 1962 Austin Mini Deluxe 1964 Austin Mini Super Deluxe (cars on website)

The stock 1600 in my winter Baja gets 29-33 mpg. The exhaust and a compufire are the only non-stock components. 7.7:1 CR at 7500'.

Max