Please, like Glenns, have been asking me what my MPG has been like with my new motor. (The "LM1" GM Universal 350 Crate Engine). Well, I'm sad to say it seems to be around 6mpg. Yes, you read that right... 6.

Any ideas why it would be so low in a brand new motor?

Adam,
If I were you, I would find a hour or two and take it over to see George and let him have at it. Does it run and idle ok? You did not mention it running funny yesterday when we talked so I have to guess it is running smoothly....anyhow, get with George. If he can get those webbers running right, chances are he can get you fixed up.

Sheesh Adam ,,, I get better mileage than that ,,,, and you know what my fuel system is like . Of course I have only romped on it a little bit . Well maybe more than a little bit ,,,ok I fibbed it was a lot more than a little bit .

geo

Adam:
I also have a 79 that was getting probably between 6-10 MPG until I found out the carb was not original, the jets were laying in the bottom, and when replaced they wouldn't adjust. This caused rings of black soot to mark my garage floor everytime I started her up. Have just had a new Edelbrock carb installed and although I have not had the chance to take her out and test to see if the MPG has improved (she's still in the shop getting differential seals and new mono spring installed) I know that she no longer blows the soot rings, she purrs like a kitten (OK maybe a tiger!) and I can't wait to get her back home where she belongs!

Probably haven't helped, but thought I'd let you know you aren't alone in the MPG category.

Also, am thinking about buying the Tornado Fuel Saver (www.tornadofuelsaver.com) to see if that will help improve the gas mileage. Let's put it this way, with the old carb, back and forth to work and home (10 miles each way) was costing me just under 1/8 of a tank! If anyone else has tried the Tornado, please post your thoughts here for review.

M Romanowski

Hey Adam, I get about 10-12 MPG with my "Crapfire Injection" motor. So don't feel bad

Well, I don't have smoke damage on my garage floor after start up.
And before I got the new engine, I was getting closer to 12 MPG. So that is why getting 6 with a NEW motor concerns me!

|QUOTE|vettedreams79 said: Adam:
I also have a 79 that was getting probably between 6-10 MPG until I found out the carb was not original, the jets were laying in the bottom, and when replaced they wouldn't adjust. This caused rings of black soot to mark my garage floor everytime I started her up. Have just had a new Edelbrock carb installed and although I have not had the chance to take her out and test to see if the MPG has improved (she's still in the shop getting differential seals and new mono spring installed) I know that she no longer blows the soot rings, she purrs like a kitten (OK maybe a tiger!) and I can't wait to get her back home where she belongs!

Probably haven't helped, but thought I'd let you know you aren't alone in the MPG category.

Also, am thinking about buying the Tornado Fuel Saver (www.tornadofuelsaver.com) to see if that will help improve the gas mileage. Let's put it this way, with the old carb, back and forth to work and home (10 miles each way) was costing me just under 1/8 of a tank! If anyone else has tried the Tornado, please post your thoughts here for review.

M Romanowski |/QUOTE|

Save your money on the tornado fuel saver, and buy some gas with it. Those things don't work... Besides that, you can get about 66 gals of gas for the price of that thing, and you would have about 700 free miles worth of gas.

One thing about the mileage on vettes, they spin too fast. At 60 MPH my engine is turning almost 3000RPM. That is way too fast for a 350 to turn to get good mileage. I get between 10-14 and if I had OD, it would probably get 16-18. Another thing, that makes a difference, is how heavy your right foot is. That will make a lot of difference, and another thing, is all your driving in town? Stoplights are bad on gas mileage too.. , especially if there is a Ford or foriegn car next to you .

I can't really knock a Ford, but a lot of Chevy owners wouldn't be caught live or dead in them..


The guys with a 700R4 O.D. probably get decent mileage because of the overdrive. 82 models have the O.D.

|UPDATED|8/13/2002 12:05:42 PM|/UPDATED|

Adam lets get together when we get a heat break, the problem should not be too hard to get straightened out. 6 MPG is not very good mileage and probably very fixable,,,,,I hope !

Geo

HI Adam.....I have the same engine as you do and I get between 8 and 12 mpg depending how I drive it, if its summer or cold enough for choke to kick in etc. I'd say 10 is average on it.
I gave up trying to get any better on it, I just put more it when its about 1/2 full. I usually just run it for short runs in the local area so not a big problem but it would be if I were putting a lot of miles on it daily. I don't think any of those 79's were to good with the 3 speed in them and how the rear was geared in them. I seem to recall there were 2 choices but the ones that were standard in them were not in the best interest of mpg. Maybe the new engine being a little tight could account for some of it but seems like something is out of wack there......Is it possible a dragging brake or bad wheeling bearings or something causing friction elsewhere in drive train? just a thought, more than likely its carb out of wack, jetting, or something along those lines....Doubt if a fuel leak as you would see it on ground more than likely. I smell fuel from mind all the time but never find it on ground or any damp spots around so just assume its venting by the cap and I'm smelling it as it only does it when I first stop, once stopped it goes away, so maybe pressure from within the tank. At least your finally getting to use it again.....Swampy

Hi Adam,
6 MPG definitely doesn't sound right. How many miles are on the new engine now? It usually take a couple thousand miles to start to "loosen" up the engine. Did you follow the proper break-in procedures that came with your engine? How old is the carb? And what kind is it? i.e. Q-jet, Holley, Edelbrock. With a vacuum gauge, what Hg in. (Mercury Inches) are showing on the gauge? 17-19 Hg or higher? What gear ratio and tranny does the car have? Lastly, what is your initial spark timing at? 8-10 degress?

My '81 with a 350/330hp H.O. crate engine/4 spd. 2.72 rear end is getting a solid 15 mpg.
So I think your car can do better than 6 mpg. Unless your contantly trying to stuff the gas pedal through the radiator.
Sarge