A poll to see what our cars gas mileage these days. Mine the last time I checked was like 11, I think thats pretty bad for my car, shouldn't I be in the 14's or 15's? So whats your gas mileage?...

BTW, to figure out gas mileage... go to the gas station, fill up full tank, when done, hit your tripometer to clear it, 0000. Now the next time you go to fill up your tank, look at your tripometer. Then look at how many gallons of gas that gets put into your tank. Now divide miles/gas=gas mileage.
>I remember my trip saying 150, and I believe I got 12.7 gallons put back in. So I divided 150 miles/12.7 gallons and I get 11.8 gas miles.

Also another FYI, to see how many gas miles you have left at E, do this. Do all the steps above, but now look up in your manual or someplace to see how big your gas tank is, in gallons. Subtract the amount of gallons of gas that got put into the tank, by the tank's size in gallons, gallons put in - tank size in gallons. Now take your gas mileage number and multiply that by the remaining gallons that were left in your tank. And there ya have the remaining miles that you still had, until FULLY empty.
>So for me I believe I have a 15.5 gallon tank (not too sure) . And since 12.7 gallons got put back in, subtracting those two gives me 2.8 gallons, which were left. So I take my gas mileage which is 11.8 and multiply that by 2.8, and that gives me 33 miles, so I could have driven 33 more miles before I was FULLY empty.

Programmer format:
1)
GasMileage=TripMiles/GallonsPumpedIn
2)
GallonsLeft=TankSizeInGallons - GallonsPumpedIn
MilesLeft=GasMileage*GallonsLeft
Hope that helps...

You poll is incomplete. Many of us TPI (and TBI) guys get way better than 20 MPGs. I routinely get 29-30 US MPGs with my basically stock L98 (with an optimized eprom).

The one time I did calculate my gas mileage it was 19.2 hwy. That was after the engine swap. With the V6 it almost exactly the same. Now, I never have enuf money to fill the 27 gallon gas tank.

Your car should definately get better milage. Heck, I got better when my OD didn't work with the 305.

Glen when i get back to Canada im going to have to come visit you and get you to teach me the ways of the jedi getting 16mpg is a pain in the arsicle

A word of warning to the "less experienced" and/or "poorer" members on this board.

Please do not use the "E" mark = "blank" number of gallons = "blank" number of miles "I can still drive" method.

Most (I repeat MOST) vehicles cannot get the last drop of fuel out of the tank. My experience says you will have great difficulty getting the last gallon out.

Besides, if you are on the "E" you had better be getting some fuel. Most modern engines with pumps in the tank (even the old regular engine mounted pumps) do not like being run dry. Good way to burn the pump out. Lots of time and lots of money (from $100 to $300 if you pay someone to do it).

In addition, even with a fuel filter, run the fuel low and you risk picking up "trash" out of the bottom of the tank and, if you are very lucky, you will only plug up the filter (about $10-$20 if you change it). You COULD plug some injectors (anywhere from $30 to ?).

There have been many comments on this board about cars stuttering even at 1/4 tank left.

I realize the opening post comment was for a point of reference but I have a nephew that just got his first car and has yet to experience the delightful "Dad, I ran out of gas 12 miles from home, but it was just barely on empty" phone call. And he reads this board and others.

My point---"Get low, get gas!"
jms

p.s. My '88 GTA has seen 30 mpg also. Several times.

GTA Palidin, no problem. Especially if you are planning a little trip to the sunny Okanagan this summer.

JMS has a very good point, the "in tank" fuel pump don't like being ran low on fuel. The fuel level helps cool the fuel pump and you should try to have the fuel level as high as possible to promote long life. Continually running the tank with a low level of fuel is a great way to shorten your fuel pump's life.

If you REALLY want to monitor your fuel mileage, you are better to "top" the tank a few times (noting the amount of gas) a few times and then just take the "average".

Also in our vehicles 1/2 a tank is reall 1/3 due to it's great shape

Yep, I learned that about a month ago, in the FAQ section. I always wondered why it seemed like the first half I could get 100 miles and the next half only 50.

I dont know if id want to take a trip to the okanagon, i might never want to return to Greece after that

That 1 post per poll stinks.
82 Firebird mild 355/Th350 600cfm holley =18city (easy)
85 Camaro wild 355/th400 670 holley 14 city (best)
SSC

For all you people that like putting 5 or 10 bucks in at a time. just remember its just as easy to keep the top half of the tank full as it is the bottom! i never have my car under 1/2 tank.


Does anyone know for sure what size tank i have on my 87 TA??? with the carb 305

Then whats up with my car man? Do I need a tuneup? Whats the problem with it?

My '86 2.8 gets 18 city, and normally 30-36 hwy.
My '88 5.0 tbi gets 16 city, and around 19-20 hwy (still working on tuning).

Of course, good gas milage is easy if you have the little engine.

my LB9 gets about 20mpg in town and if I keep the cruise control at 70mph, it gets almost 30. It should be noted that cruising at 75 mph, the milage drops back in the neighborhood of 20mpg.

If i'm on a long trip, you can find me in the right lane with the overdrive on

I made a trip to Dallas last year and I averaged about 26-27 mpg. I was doing about 80mph most of the way, sometimes even 90. I usually get nearly 30mpg on trips to Memphis because my speed is around 70mph. Takes a whole lot of fuel to get those extra mph. BTW, I'm in NE Arkansas.

Yer numbers don't go high enuff...I average about 24 to/from work, and have gotten 33 on extended interstate cruising @ 75 or so. I can routinely clear over 480 km (298 miles) per tank between fillups, and occasionally over 500km. This with a 220,000+ mile carbed LG4, T5, and 3.42's.

Pete

Normally 20 - 22 in town and 27 - 30 @ 75mph on the highway.
I actually picked up a little mileage when I turned up the fuel pressure on the TBI. Next up hi flow cat and headers. Plus all the chrome stuff my wife got me for the engine for Christmas.

Hmm... generally around 15mpg/city for me. Of course, my drive to work is only about 1 mile, and I don't even get over 40 mph on the trip... that affects it some. When I had my Jimmy (4.3 Vortec), I could get around 330 miles from a full tank on the hwy, but only about 170 when driving exclusively to work and back. Who'da thunk such short range driving could knock that big of a hole in your average mileage?!

Im confused

Maybe its my High Stall thats eating all my gas. SCC your getting 14 MPG on a wild 355, Ive got a real wild 355 (When it runs right) and a 3200-3800 RPM Converter, would that account for my 5 MPG? What Stall is on that TH400 ?

16-17 around town, not totally sure about highway mpg but I know it is over 20. (89 5.7 GTA)

What???????? I really hope no one actually needed this explanation. This world is really turning into **** if people can't figure out how to determine their gas mileage. The only skills involved are the ones you learn in 3rd freakin grade math class. Again, I really hope no one needed this explanation.

I have a 2300 stall converter, It really stalls about 1300. I would check your stall and see if it is accurate to the manufacturor. Most arent after all engines are different. I would say if you used less of a stall it would help mileage a bit especially if you are stalling at the advertised rpm. Its almost impossible to run 3200 rpm and keep the converter stalled when your in city driving. When you look for a converter you should take drive you car on a normal trip through town (someplace you go often) and check tooo see the rpm you avarage. It should be 1500/2000 rpm for normal city and you would want a converter that stalls at the lowest city rpm (1500)so you increase your fuel economy by being locked up.
Most people run too much of a stall and whine about bad gas mileage, they blame it on the engine. My friend for example with a 72 nova, I cant convince him that he needs less of a converter. The speed shop told him that the 3200, probably the same manuf as yours (TCI) was perfect for his car. He only gets 6 MPG city in a 14 second car. My firbird pulled 14 second runs with the LG4. The MPG for the camaro I posted is the best city MPG I have gotten recently and @ 4800 ft it runs solid 13.1's, corrected thats about 12.1.

BTW did you get the power problem fixed?

SSC

I second that. It's all in the PROM . I voted for the highest one, but I can get upwards of 25 with mine right now if I drive it nice..... and my PROM is far from perfect.

Im not sure if i fixed it or not, coulda been the intake leak, or somthing else. cant drive it now, no insurance, but im still working on it, fixing up the interior and stuff. The Stall on mine depends on the power-output of the engine. My friend has the same exact converter, and his stalls to 3700 Rpms behind a 388 Stroker. Mine is sitting around 2800 rpm cause the engine has no power. once it straightens out i expect around 3300 rpm stall, but since it slips, at 70 MPH 1:1 ratio (4th gear, manual tranny) + my 3.08 Gears, put me at around 3100 RPMS. Now with the same rear end, and a high stall converter, 70 MPH puts me at 2300 RPMS, almost 1000 less rpms than before with a manual tranny, just cause when slipping the engine puts out enough to kep the car moving at 70 mph. which is also why i cant figure out how im getting 6 MPG or less. I think it has to do with this intake leak ive got or somthing else. who knows.

My car is running so badly that it gets 2 maybe 3 mpg. This is on a basicly stock 63K mile L69 in an 84 TA.

holy ****. 2-3 MPG!!! It must be barfing out liquid gas!

dingo if you count the money you spend in gas driving that thing im sure if you bought a new thirdgen for like $2000.00 (they are super cheap now-a-days) it would pay for itself in less than a few months LOL.

I'm getting an average of 14 mpg with my new 300HP crate motor,TBI,5 Speed and 3.08 gear.If I drive on the freeway at over 85, I average about 29mpg!
That'll all change soon enough though, next month the 3.73 geared rear goes in.
-Rich-

I get fifteen miles to the gallon going 80 miles an hour.