Fuel Mileage - how far on a tank

PostPost by: Galwaylotus » Thu Jun 17, 2010 8:10 pm

alexblack13 wrote: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. :shock:

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!! :evil: :evil:

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

Alex B.... 8)

Same for me. I bought the car in Kent and drove it to the ferry in Fishguard. My gauge was working - except I seemed to be doing a long distance on 1/4 full!! I was about six or seven miles from the ferry when it ran dry! :oops: Fortunately I had plenty of time to get a lift to a petrol station, buy a fuel jug, fill it and get back to my stranded Elan. With an electric fuel pump it started immediately and I had time to get a sandwich before the ferry sailed! :) The joys of motoring!!!
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PostPost by: rcraven » Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:52 am

I recently drove 320 miles to Harewood Hillclimb and got 39 mpg. On the 437 miles' trip back back (which included my 6 times up the hill and some touring round Yorkshire) I got 40 mpg. This is in a 4 speed Sprint with Dellortos.
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PostPost by: StoatWithToast » Fri Jun 18, 2010 1:31 pm

richardcox_lotus wrote: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).


There's a services at Bishops Stortford (near the airport) - Juntion 8 on the M11.
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PostPost by: Dave_Newcastle » Fri Jun 18, 2010 1:57 pm

400 mile round trip for me last weekend into Scotland. +2S130 4spd on dellortos - mainly at steady 60/65 mph, though with about 100 miles on Motoway and dual carriageway and averaged 40mpg
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PostPost by: rcraven » Fri Jun 18, 2010 2:13 pm

Dave_Newcastle wrote:400 mile round trip for me last weekend into Scotland. +2S130 4spd on dellortos - mainly at steady 60/65 mph, though with about 100 miles on Motoway and dual carriageway and averaged 40mpg


I'm glad to see you got a similar figure to me. I've always had 35 mpg or more on long steady journeys.
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PostPost by: 512BB » Fri Jun 18, 2010 5:51 pm

At last, some posters that are getting a decent MPG out of their cars. I always get 40-42 MPG out of my Sprint, but rarely exceed 80 mph. I have checked it so many times to make sure it is correct, and am at a complete loss to know how some of you guys are only getting 20-25. You must have lead boots!

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PostPost by: Boston-Sam » Fri Jun 18, 2010 6:21 pm

I get around 20MPG - is this not normal for a newly rebuilt moter in an s4 with webers?
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PostPost by: alexblack13 » Fri Jun 18, 2010 6:39 pm

Its all that paranoia.. And throttle blipping / idling / 'tuning that goes on when you 1st get it going...

!1 x Brmmmm = 1 mpg less .. :lol: :lol: :lol:

It will settle down..

Mrs B is getting just over 25 mpg out of this monstrous M3 ( V fecking 8!! :shock: :shock: ) she is winging around in at the moment but she can't wait to get her own car back.. Fancy not liking an M3!!

Blimey!! :shock:

Alex... Ready for the off now. Everything (inc' the kitchen sink!) is in the boot..
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PostPost by: denicholls2 » Fri Jun 18, 2010 6:51 pm

richardcox_lotus wrote:(I don't want to pick up sludge either !)


Odd notion, this, but a popular one. I don't think the Elan picks up fuel from different locations as the tank goes lower. Given one place to suck the gas out of, dirt is going to get sucked out, period. Now if there's a high concentration of dirt relative to fuel, there is that. But if low fuel content follows high fuel content, that sludge should have been washed out in diluted form when the tank was fuller, no?

Or are there little people inside the tank who come to life and shovel sludge towards the pickup when they are no longer covered by fuel? :?

My experience is that Webers are thirsty carbs indeed except on long trips, suggesting that if you don't move the throttle, you can do quite well with them.

Yeah, right. Try doing that with an Elan on nice Lotus roads. :)
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PostPost by: lotusfan » Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:23 pm

Boston-Sam wrote:I get around 20MPG - is this not normal for a newly rebuilt moter in an s4 with webers?


But your US gallons are smaller than Imperial gallons so to compare with the UK that's 25MPG.
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PostPost by: john.p.clegg » Sat Jun 19, 2010 6:46 am

Well,,,,,,my dad's bigger than your dad,,,,,,and I never get less than 55mpg out of mine and I drive it like a rental.......

next!

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PostPost by: alexblack13 » Sat Jun 19, 2010 6:05 pm

We have an M3 rental right now and Carol was polishing the thing yesterday!!!!! & She is driving it like she owns it.Which is worrying!! We should have our own car back soon though. :?

Talking of big dads! My dad is bigger than your dad was a statement of truth for me most times, and i did not need to see the other dad... :lol: :lol: Mine was 6'7'' and around 20 stones of V fit Miner! and scary with it. (Not to us though I hasten to add).
He would be very scary now.. He has been dead for about 10 years... :? :cry: I hope you never bump into him... :lol: :lol:

He was a great fella though..

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PostPost by: Galwaylotus » Sat Jun 19, 2010 7:22 pm

Ok. You win. Mine was 6'4" 230 lb and an ex-US Marine. Like yours, not at all scary to his kids. In fact if we were deserving of discipline, we would always prefer if my Dad was dishing it out instead of my 5'4" Mom!! 8)
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PostPost by: prezoom » Sat Jun 19, 2010 7:31 pm

Playing with the bleed valve in the bottom of the float chamber can make drastic results in mileage. The accelerator pump moves a lot of fuel every time you move your foot, extra fuel your engine does not need. Saying a steady foot makes for better mileage is spot on. Try enlarging the bleed hole until it starts diminishing your performance. It will help increase your mileage.

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PostPost by: alexblack13 » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:36 pm

I just put smaller acc' pump jets in. They were way too rich.. Expensive then!

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