Charles Klein

I reset my gas mileage gauge every few tanks of gas. It has never averaged higher than 12 mpg. Typical it is between 11 and 12. I bought the car last October with 24,000 miles on it.

I spend a lot of time at higher rpms. Most of the miles come from country driving where the tach never reads below 4000. Nonetheless, is this low mileage?


[Modified by Charles Klein, 7:22 PM 8/4/2001]

AquaMetallic94LT1

Its not surprising cruising above 4K. Why are you running (cruising ?) above 4000 ? :confused: My 6 speed stays below 1500 most of the time.


[Modified by AquaMetallic94LT1, 7:50 PM 8/4/2001]

NoWorries

Agreed with above...

What does your handheld calculator say? The dash isn't the most accurate at these things.

Crushinator

That sounds on par with my LT4. I do alot of intown cruising at 2,500 to 3,500 RPM. I reset mine and it's always at 12.5 MPG within a few trips.

Charles Klein

I meant country driving on continuously curvy roads. High rpm maximizes hp and control going in and out of turns. You're really missing out if you have to accelerate out of turn while spinning 1500 rpm, and you don't want to shift in the middle of the turn. Also the higher rpm allows for rapid throttle-only regulation of speed during the turn -- speed is easily added because of the high torque/hp in that range, and it is easily taken away due to the large amount of the car's kinetic energy that's eaten up by the spinning engine as you let off the throttle. Let off the throttle at 1500, without breaking, and for a significant amount of time, nothing will happen to your speed. Do it at a much higher rpm you can cut the speed very quickly with just a little input.


[Modified by Charles Klein, 9:00 PM 8/4/2001]

SouthernSon

Charles, are you familiar with the dry oil sump experienced by autocross guys in the LT4 while pulling high G loads at high RPM? :yesnod:

LTxDave

Well...I'm not blessed to be able to drive my LT4 purely for pleasure. Cruising to most folks isn't 'spirited driving'. 12.5 with that kind of driving sounds good to me. Cruising around town, 12.5 mpg would suck. I get around 19 mpg cruising around town. I don't even try to figure mileage when I'm out having fun.

Micky Davis

I too am suprised you get that much spinning the motor like that.
I filled up today and only got 11.7 on a tank of feather-footed city
driving. I usually get in the 12's unless any kind of road work was
involved at all. Then it goes up quickly. I get 24+ on pure road
tanks running in 6th.

Charles Klein

Southern Son,

No I have not heard of that problem, but it sounds very bad. What's the evidence that it's happening? Has it killed motors?

Mr. Dave,

My LT4 is my only car, but I happen to live within a few 100 yards of all basic necessities -- my job site and grocery stores. Most of my driving is for pleasure.

Micky,

I'd say there is about 1/3 highway miles mixed in there, so maybe it's not so surprising.

Charles

SouthernSon

Charles, I have read about the oil starvation problem in atleast one article this past year and I have seen posts by a couple of members that have spun bearings in LT4's during autocross events. Some just add a little extra oil for an event. Others have added an aftermarket oil pan.

ProfMLB

I just got done with a little over 7000 miles of vacation driving. I will only use freeways if options are not available and I drive like a maniac on most curvy roads. Out of the 7000+ miles, I do not think I had more than 600 miles of freeway. I like back two lane roads where you can drive around 100 MPH. My average MPG for all of the miles was 25.0. Even with just driving around town I get 17+ MPG. Do you guys drive even crazier than I do? I thought I drove like a maniac. I have just opened up the air box and the exhaust and when on curvy roads I am the one that goes by people at 100 MPH.

I would not think that my LT4 would get so much better gas mileage, but maybe there is another reason.