[BFix] Thinking outload gas mileage and EB.... LONG now!!

Thu May 8 06:26:33 MST 2008

I wonder how a fuel injected 5.0 would figure into the equation?  You would
have to think it would do a little better than a 302.  Now I am thinking I
will do some gas mileage figures on my injected 351W just to see how it
does.  Problem is, it rarely sees the freeway, but I guess I could take a
little trip somewhere, hum, Moab is only 4 hours away, maybe that would
work.

On Wed, May 7, 2008 at 11:39 PM, Brian Cooke <nvrstuk at elltel.net> wrote:

>  Just what Eric said...
>
>
>   I've kept extremely detailed mileage logs on all my myriad of
> tire/wheel/engine/suspension/body lift combinations for 32years of driving
> my Bronco this JUNE. Wow, 32 years I've owned "it", well parts of the
> orginal anyway.  Before that, my Dad kept super accurate mpg logs on his
> '69 (that's where I got it from)     :)
>
> Anyway, 17 mpg with Eric's combination is spot on. That's what we used to
> get towing our 600lb Apache tent trailer with the alum boat on it. Go a bit
> slower (like back in the FIRST oil crisis) when our National speed limit was
> 55mph and our freakin' Gov'nr Dixie Lee Ray had Washington speed limits at
> 50 mph. Now that's crawling when going from Ellensburg to Spokane since
> there's only about 1 exit every 30 miles or so... but anyway... I could
> average 18-19 everyday when traveling 50 - 55 mpg. 19-20 on extended trips
> (like Eburg to Spokane).  289, headers 4bbl, 3 spd, 28" tall L70x15" tires,
> 3.5 gears, etc
>
> 289 avgs 2-3 mpg better than any of the 3 different 302's I've ever run.
> My Dad's 69 w/stk 302, 2bbl & 4 bbl, 3.5 gears, headers & stock manifolds
> and G78x15" Town and Country tires always got 15mpg (but he had a big pwr
> difference with the perf upgrades. 14mpg towing  He put 186,000 miles on it
> from brand new to when he sold it and always got the same mileage!
>
> My first 302 in a smog ridden '77 got a lousy 11mpg, stock 3.5 gears, C4. I
> hated that trans. lol   I tried 4bbls and headers and bumped it up to 12mpg.
> What a PIG. Terrible performance also. Engine was in good shape, low miles,
> just a smog motor/low compr. Could barely tow a small trailer up a long
> hill, when it did, it got 10mpg. I stole all the running gear out of this
> one and still use the housings today.
>
> My next 289 was an HP289/271horsepower solid lift cam factory motor.
> Numbers matched till I got rid of the heads. (Iknow, what a fool) Anyway, it
> ran like a bat out of h#ll and I still got 16-17 mpg. I broke a lot of parts
> wheeling in that rig. Couldn't keep my foot out of it.  :)  3.5 gears,
> 28-30" tall tires. 3spd
>
> First bump up to 4.10's with a 289 4bbl/headers cam 3 spd still got me
> 15-16 mpg
>
> Next bump up to 4.10's with a 289 4bbl/headers and a 4spd O/D toploader
> style Granada trans got me16 -17mpg
>
> Couldn't stand the tranny so I went with a true toploader 4spd out of a
> Torino, with my HP 289/271 HP engine with description above. Still got 16+
> mph but started twisting a LOT of rear axle shaft splines off btw 1st and
> 2nd gear shifts (hmm...can't understand how that always happened)  lol
>
> Rolled this rig and stuffed in my 351/headers/cam/4bbl
> (Holley/Carter/Q-jet) block that I still have today. 4.10 gears (now 4.56),
> started with 32" tall tires now have 37". Stock suspension with the 33x9.50
> tires and 15mpg dropping to 12-13 mpg today with 37"s, 2" body lift and 3.5"
> susp. 14.5mpg to the Rubicon and back with above 351W with 35"BFG's (40,000+
> miles of gas tests with 35" tires) running 3.5" susp and 2" body. Often at
> 70-85+speeds ask Eric  :)
>
> I noticed a big difference when adding the susp and body lift. Handling
> suffered, brake dive really increased, pwr at freeway speeds was reduced
> (wind resistance).
>
> Sorry if this took forever, I've run SO many combinations of all the above
> that it would take quite the Excel spreadsheet to show it all.
>
> Best mileage?  Keep stock lift ht, run a 289 (fuel inj), skinny tires/stock
> size, 3.5 gears, 4 spd toploader (less friction losses than autos), O/D
> won't do you much good with 3.5 gears and small cubes pushing a small brick
> at freeway speeds.
>
> Or buy a loaded one owner 91 Civic (even has cruise control) for cheeeap
>  HA
>
>
> Lot's of possibilities but they all cost money that'll you'll probably
> NEVER earn back in savings in fuel costs unless you keep your rig for 30+
> years like me.
>
>
>
> Brian @ Columbia River Broncos...20 forward gears & 4 reverse to choose
> from.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Eric Neasham <neasham_e at hotmail.com>
> *To:* mail at broncofix.com
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 07, 2008 7:59 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [BFix] Thinking outload gas mileage and EB....
>
> Well,
>
>     My EB, with the stock 3 speed, 289 (stock bore), 4.11 gears, 31x10.50
> 15 tires, stock suspension towing a 1000 lb utility trail would routinely
> get 17 MPG to and from SOB - about 5 hour drive...
>
>    I think the height of the EB has more to do with the mileage, and a 289
> usually gets better fuel economy over a 302 with the rest of the EB being
> the same... if you don't believe me, ask Brian Cooke... wh has run them
> all.. and ZF...
>
> just throwing more fuel on the fire...
>
> Eric
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Jim Lemanek <hucklburrybronco at sbcglobal.net>
> *To:* mail at broncofix.com
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 07, 2008 11:21 PM
> *Subject:* [BFix] Thinking outload gas mileage and EB....
>
> Reading all that we do, it looks like someone with a 5.0 and an OD tranny
> like a ZF gets maybe 18 mpg.  What gears is that with?
>
> So if I were to keep the 3.50 gears, install a 5.0 and a ZF, any guess what
> I could get?
>
> According to gear calcs, an OD at .75 and 34" tires, at 70 mph I get 18XX
> rpm at 70 with 3.5 gears and 21XX rpm with 4.11.
>
> What do you think that would do to mpg? Stock 92 mustang 5.0.
>
> Just wondering thoughts.  I was gonna ask best mpg setup as an excercise
> but quickly realized I would get a discussion on 4bt probably.  Thats a bit
> outside my motivation based on my current resources.
>
> --Jim
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> bfix mailing list
> bfix at broncofix.com
> http://broncofix.com/mailman/listinfo/bfix
>
>  ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> bfix mailing list
> bfix at broncofix.com
> http://broncofix.com/mailman/listinfo/bfix
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> bfix mailing list
> bfix at broncofix.com
> http://broncofix.com/mailman/listinfo/bfix
>
>

-- 
Dan Davis
69 Bronco 351W SEFI
My Pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/utahbronco
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.broncofix.com/pipermail/bfix/attachments/20080508/c5cbfe53/attachment.html