Re: 4k gas mileage

[ti@amb.org (Ti Kan)]

Andrew Buc writes:
> A few days ago I struck up a conversation w/a woman in a pre-'85 non-Q 4000
> that had 190K miles on it. I didn't find out if she'd had the car from new,
> but she'd had it a long time.
> 
> At one point I asked about gas mileage. She said it used to get 38mpg on the
> road, but now it's down to 30. I didn't probe further, but I'm assuming that
> both figures were compiled over time, we're comparing apples w/apples, and
> just tuning it up doesn't restore the missing 8mpg. Of course, lowered
> mileage from an engine w/190K of wear and tear on it sounds plausible. Is
> the delta here about par for the course?

38mpg sounds a trifle optimistic...  Depending on the transmission in
her car, if she has one of those very tall 5-speed 013 manual boxes
(such as code 2M), then it is possible to attain mid-30mpg range.
The shorter gear ratios in the 013-2N, 013-2P or some of 4-speed boxes
would not likely to get that much mileage...

30mpg is not completely out of whack either, depending on the type of
driving...  To be sure, just check the usual tune-up type things.
Spark plugs, wires, distributor cap.  If no improvement, then fuel filter,
basic CO adjustment, OXS sensor, OXS sensor thermoswitch, and control
pressure regulator, if equipped.

-Ti
96 A4 2.8 quattro
84 5000S 2.1 turbo
80 4000 2.0
-- 
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
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