Cure[?] for disappointing mileage [We'll see...]

[Moseso]

After reading Tinkerman's leak thread, I thought I'd post my own.

Fuel mileage has been disappointing lately. 19 - 20. Blech! Also, the fuel smell in the garage seems a bit stronger. Hmmmm.... Open the bonnet and notice that the top of the fuel pump is definitely wet. The stick-your-finger-in-it-and-sniff test proves the wetness to be fuel.

So, this morning, I get to the shop and blow the fuel away with the compressed air hose -- and watch. Ha! Fuel seeping from the outlet compression joint. Let's apply a little tightening and see what happens... Success! Further inspection reveals, however, that there is still fuel seeping out around the perimeter. I get out the screwdriver and apply a little torque to all the screws around the edge. More success! Now the thing stays dry with the engine running.

I think I'll fill it today, so I can see the results sooner. I'm betting +5 mpg. That was some serious seepage.

 

[Tinkerman]

That's interesting. A little leverage with the proper tools eliminates the leakage. A cost free fix, Great!
Question, what is the normal MPG on a TR? I have no idea. I haven't driven mine, much less just run it. Hopefully that will change soon.
Well I'm off to set the carbs before the start try.

Cheers, Tinkerman

 

[tdskip]

High teens in the city, mid 20's on a run would be my less than educated guess. My TR3a didn't run long enough for gas mileage to be a consideration.

 

[TR3driver]

I average about 20 overall (mixed freeway and city driving). Should be able to get 30 on the highway, if you drive conservatively. (But where's the fun in that?)

 

[toysrrus]

Howdy Folks,

Does anyone really care what gas mileage they get with any LBC?

"I Don`t"!

Russ

 

[Tinkerman]

Good point Russ! I will really just happy to be hearing it run. Besides that I did some internal changes that will change the mileage equation anyway.

Dick

 

[martx-5]

Howdy Folks,

Does anyone really care what gas mileage they get with any LBC?

"I Don`t"!

Russ

As Moseso showed us, there may be something wrong if you're mileage is too low, or drops suddenly. It's good to keep some sort of track on it.

 

[Moseso]

Howdy Folks,

Does anyone really care what gas mileage they get with any LBC?

"I Don`t"!

Russ

As Moseso showed us, there may be something wrong if you're mileage is too low, or drops suddenly. It's good to keep some sort of track on it.

That -- And I DO care about my mileage. When the TR3 is getting less than my freakin' TRUCK, I am unhappy. I would like to see it average 25. I don't often get that, but i see it as a good goal.

After the ride home from work, yesterday, Fuel pump bone-dry on the outside. Fuel does NOT belong on the outside of the pump. If nothing else, that's air pollution, on-the-hoof. I'll report back in a week, when I've driven-off this tank of fuel.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha Moseso,

Sorry for the later reply, but I didn't need to fill up until yesterday. I've been getting about 24.5 on my TR3 for the last 3 or 4 tanks. I drive a combination of short trips while running errands around town and perhaps one or two drives of about 50 miles per tank.

 

[Moseso]

Well, my first results are in. Since fixing the leaky fuel pump, I got 22.7 -- up from 19.6 on the previous tankful. A decided improvement -- though not the 25 I've hoped for.

I fear that the 87mm jugs and the Isky camshaft will forever keep me in the low-20s, average, maybe hitting 25 on a real road trip.

 

[Guest]

Dude, I get ~22-23 w/ a stock Midget 1500 no matter what, SU's, DGV, DCOE...

 

[Moseso]

My problem is my memories of my 2nd TR3, which I had ca. '71 - '72. It regularly averaged 25 and did 30 - 32 on trips up-and-down the west coast. That car was magic, I guess -- or maybe the odometer didn't work right -- who knows? That was a long time ago and I didn't know that car inside-and-out, the way I do this one.

 

[bgbassplyr]

From what little I know about it, the fuel today (ethanol) will not allow the kind of mileage you get with the old stuff. Driving my TR3 back in the day easily got 32 mpg on the road and high 20's in town....and that with my foot in it!

 

[Moseso]

Hereabouts, one can (I do) purchase non-oxygenated (no ethanol) fuel. It's marked at the pump, "For use in cars registered as, or eligible to be registered as collector cars, and small motor tools." It does improve the mileage a little, though probably not by the amount extra it costs to buy.