Fuel Mileage - how far on a tank

[richardcox_lotus]

Just thinking a bit more about my trip up to Snetterton on Sunday. Routeplanner reckons 118 miles each way. Therefore 236 in total. Given a 9 gallon tank capacity in a Sprint, if I try & do it on a single tank, that means my ave fuel consumption would have to be 26.2 mpg

Mainly motorway in a 4-speed with standard Sprint Diff & ratios.

Tongue in cheek - what's my chances of getting there and back on a single tank ?

Richard

[RichardS]

Richard

Could be close and you obviously will not rely on the fuel gauge!!

Why not take a spare gallon and then you will have the excitement of knowing you might run out, but the knowledge you will not be stranded.!

Richard

[john.p.clegg]

...and if you fill it up beforehand,you'll get an accurate MPG reading...

John

[trw99]

Richard

Remote, I would say.

I have just averaged the MPG figures obtained during Sprint road tests when they were new (the figures are on my web site). I got an approximate figure of 24.32 mpg. With a full 9.25 (UK) gallons tank that will give you a range of approximately 224.96 miles, leaving you a smidgen over 11 miles still to go. Even with a spare gallon of 'get you home' petrol, you will be pushing it, as I guess you will have to do some queuing to get in and out, which will increase your consumption.

Another thought is that Sprints are wasted on motorways and I would look at going the A and B class roads once off the M25 for maximum Sprint enjoyment. That will bring your consumption down a bit too!

So don't leave home without it - the credit card, I mean!

Tim

[John Larkin]

I got 30.6 MPG overall on a trip of 2400 miles in 2008 in a S3 SE coupe.

John Larkin

[69S4]

Chuck the Webers and nail on a set of Strombergs. You'll get there and back easily then. Driving normally I usually get somewhere in the low to mid 30's on a run, so with 9.25 gallons you'd be ok for around 300 miles. The only time it went down to Weber levels was when the hose from the fuel pump sprang a leak.

[StoatWithToast]

I've not had it long enough to have proper MPG, and I'm running rich, but I get 25mpg maximum at the moment and average about 21/22mpg.

I wouldn't want to pull the sludge at the bottom of the tank through the fuel lines, carbs or cylinders either.

[live_ade]

I wouldn't want to pull the sludge at the bottom of the tank through the fuel lines, carbs or cylinders either.

as I was about to say.... oh - allow for a bit of traffic around the circuit... time to remove tongue from cheek and wallet from pocket ?

[richardcox_lotus]

Interesting isn't it ? I've once managed to get up to 250 miles (Odometer reading) on a tank before bottling it & filling up, but I usually estimate about 220 to a tank now (I don't want to pick up sludge either !), so I was always going to top up en route.

The pain is that the route, once you're on the M11, is M11-M25 with no direct petrol stop for, I would say, 60-80 miles. (Unless they've built a new stop).

Regards
Richard

[trw99]

Nah Richard!

Peel off the M25 and onto the A12, dual carriageway past Brentwood and Chelmsford, then A130/A131 Braintree, Sudbury to Bury St Edmunds (good road that), A134 to Thetford then A11 to Snetterton. Some nice, swift Elan roads, with the option to get onto some excellent country roads if you wish....and plenty of petrol stops on the way.

Tim

[msd1107]

My S4SE on Strombergs with different needles got up to 45 US MPG on trips and 35 US MPG around town. I used to keep a mileage log, but that was lost when the car burned. I would easily exceed 400 miles per tank.

For Weber cars, look at http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/sidedraft_central/ . Keith Frank is doing a lot of work in getting Webers to work. On his Elan with a 3.9 differential he is up to almost 30 US MPG around town. Sarto has a FHC with 3.55 differential, so he may be a good candidate for seeing how many freeway miles you can get on a tank.

David
1968 36/7988

[leojenbo]

Today I measured my Sprint FHC w/Weber 40s fuel consumption. It had done 430km (273miles) on 37L (8,2 gallon), which is 8,6 L/100 km (approx. 33 mpg). The distance was a mix of driving in Copenhagen city and A and B roads plus fast motorway.

The odometer is calibrated recently (and very accurate), when I changed to 3,55:1.

[billwill]

I always used to say, I get 23 to 25 UK MPG in my Elan and 35-40 MPG from the last gallon (after I've noticed that I am nearly out of fuel)l.



I've only actually run out twice in 40 years, the first time was just as I reached a garage forecourt so I only had to push it about 15 yards, the second time was when my fuel gauge was out of action and I seriously misjudged how many miles I could do on the tank; didn't want to stop to get more fuel as I was trying to meet a train timetable.

I had to call the RAC, blessed be mobile phones.

[alexblack13]

I ran out the 1st time I drove the car! I was bringing it home after purchase. The gauge had been inop for years apparently and PO used a dip stick to check his fuel tank contents.

The garage that 'looked after' the car for him was taking the pi55 and told him it was a big electrical expensive bla bla bla..problem... Pillocks!!

The float was full of fuel. New float = working gauge..

Alex B....

[billwill]

Aye, I use a dip stick when the fuel gauge is out of action.


Calibrating a dip stick is fun.... Not!