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8 mpg!!??

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Turbo301 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 15-April-2010 at 4:24AM
I finally got around to doing a mileage check on my '77 Cougar: ouch! In all-city driving, I'm getting only 8 mpg, and that's out of a 302! Yes, it's a LOT of stop-and-go, but I really expected double-digits, at least.
 
Any thoughts?
1977 Cougar XR7
1980 turbo Trans Am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-April-2010 at 7:36AM
Define "all city". With a light foot and mostly highway/ 40 mph back roads, I get 10.8 with my Cougar.
 
Um, you sure your speedo is accurate? LOL
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-April-2010 at 7:58AM
All stop-and-go, 30-40 mph speeds. And yes, my speedo is reasonably accurate... or else the cop behind me last night was very generous :).
 
I think I have a pretty light foot, although I do have to step into it a bit to get any sort of acceleration like I'm used to.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-April-2010 at 11:15AM
>although I do have to step into it a bit to get any sort of acceleration like I'm used to<

There's your problem.
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
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Turbo301 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-April-2010 at 11:40AM
That would hurt that much, eh?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote occupant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-April-2010 at 12:08PM
Geez. I've got an oil-burning, noisy valvetrain 351M in a heavier '76 Gran Torino sedan and I've gone 150 miles on a third of my very first full tank so far but it's probably more like half a tank thanks to the fuel gauge curve. Either way I'm probably pulling 13mpg minimum and I'm thinking more like 15 or 16.

But 80% of my driving is going 62mph on dry pavement. The rest is gentle driving because the more I put my foot in it, the more oil it burns. At 80mph I appear to have a blown head gasket. Under 50mph there's no smoke, but I can't drive that slow out here in the country unless I'm painted IH red, JD green, or Ford blue.

Edited by occupant - 15-April-2010 at 12:09PM
08 Uplander LS, 262K, broken again
08 Explorer EB, 195K, for the wife
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BIGEMUN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-April-2010 at 2:43PM

Hmmm- gummed up carburetor, dirty air filter , fouled plugs, bad wires, old cap/rotor/coil, and bad gas might be worth looking into as causes?

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Turbo301 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 2:16AM
Changed/serviced all those things except the wires and cap/rotor, which look fairly new. I might get some new wires anyway, though, as the set on there now is one of those "universal fit" kits that really doesn't universally fit :).
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 2:49AM
I'm sure if my 460 was stop and go in the middle of the city, it'd be much less than 10. Try filling the car and going 'on a run'. backroads, high way, that kind of driving. You should see around 17-18.   
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BIGEMUN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 2:50AM

Maybe your axle ratio? Also check if you have a vac. actuated flap on your exhaust for cold starts to see if it opens after warming up.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 2:54AM
Bigemun, there's a guy on mercurymuscle.net who regularly gets 15-18 MPG from his cars, and he daily drives them, stock setups. A 302 should have 2.75s. It should get better than 8 MPG.. I think it's either his driving habits (What do you let the car shift at?) or.. his route/traffic.
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote occupant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 3:03AM
There's a pair of mixture screws on the front of the carburetor. According to some Jeep/Bronco boards, they should be 1.25 to 1.5 turns out from seated. When I got my car, they were a good three or four turns out. So seating them and then backing off a turn and a half on each made a difference, exhaust has no smell now except for burning oil, etc...
08 Uplander LS, 262K, broken again
08 Explorer EB, 195K, for the wife
still looking for another something
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 3:03AM

The traffic has been terrible, no doubt about that (hitting EVERY red!)

I'm not that aggressive a driver, honest! But the car seems quite hesitant to accelerate up to speed; it's okay going from one speed to another, but from a stand still it's pack-a-lunch time :). I just figured that was a function of the gutless 302, but maybe it's not supposed to be THAT gutless?

It idles nicely, and starts right up... unfortunately since I cleaned the carb it no longer goes to fast idle, it just goes immediately to low idle. Once it warms up and the choke lets go, though, it runs fine.
 
Blargh, so much to go funny on a car LOL!
1977 Cougar XR7
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 3:07AM

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4161105945085313481#


This is my 351W with 3.5:1 rear gear. Your 302 shouldn't pull anywhere close to this, IMO. 

Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GranTorinoMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 3:39AM
I would pull the distributor and make sure it's dialed with the right advance curve first. Pick a gas you fill up with most of the time and tune your car to it, I've got my 472 set up for Shell 87 (bronze). With the correct advance you can play with the Carb to get the right fuel ratio for max economy and power.
 
 
       


Edited by GranTorinoMan - 17-April-2010 at 3:01AM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote occupant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-April-2010 at 2:28PM
If you want to play with the dizzy, and hesitation throughout the power band is a damn good reason to figure out what the ignition system is doing, read, read again, and read a third time, this post:

http://www.carbdford.com/viewtopic.php?t=5543

Tells you ALL you need to know about the Duraspark setup. You want to tune it right, that thread is the place to be.

Edited by occupant - 16-April-2010 at 2:28PM
08 Uplander LS, 262K, broken again
08 Explorer EB, 195K, for the wife
still looking for another something
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