Almost 40 mpg!

instarx · Post by **instarx** » 31 May 2011, 15:12

I don't agree that higher tire pressure wears the tires out faster. I always run about 42 psi and my tires are worn evenly across the tread. It USED to be true, with old bias-ply tires, that over-inflated tires would wear out the center, but modern tires don't have that problem.

Recommended manufacturer's tire pressures on the filler lid take into consideration both ride and safety. My ride is firmer with higher pressure and I like that, but some people would not. I think my car handles better with higher pressure. Really high pressure (like 60+) would likely effect safety and wear, but I do not believe my car is less safe for running 42 psi. Nor do I think it has a smaller contact patch than at 32 psi (but I admit I could be wrong). Contact area should be fairly easy to measure - I may just do that little experiment later this week.

The only advantage to nitrogen is that it doesn't leak out as quickly as air.

Post by **Red-Arrow** » 01 Jun 2011, 00:27

I have gotten 32mpg on a long drive but never 40mpg. It must be the wind behind you in all cases of high economy.

Right now I'm getting 16.2mpg but I am towing 3500Ibl, its like I'm pulling another T5 Wagon! so I would be seeing 32mpg if I was not towing a U-Haul.

Post by **jblackburn** » 01 Jun 2011, 06:40

16 ain't bad for towing - I got a whopping 11 out of the Jeep towing that much through the mountains

Hills make the biggest difference I can tell. If the road's just flat, it can get amazing mileage. The only wind this weekend when I got the 34 mpg was blowing east while I was heading north.

Post by **Red-Arrow** » 06 Jun 2011, 22:09

Everybody thinks Texas is flat and I can assure you its not! The overall average mileage was 17.2mpg according to the trip computer. I have all the fuel receipts and I intend to calculate the actual fuel use and update the U-Haul thread.

I did notice the tail wind helping the car in certain places but those were far and few between.

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 06 Jun 2011, 22:17

Woo! Glad you made it alright!

SkidMark · Post by **SkidMark** » 07 Jun 2011, 08:36

I get 21 to 29 on my '96 850. Mostly rural, hills and valleys.
When I had the hydrogen generator on her I could get 36.

@Red-Arrow
Where in Texas did you go?

Post by **xtrattitude4u** » 11 Jun 2011, 15:15

jt74 wrote:My mileage sucks balls. 15mpg, with new plugs, wires, rotor, cap, fluid changes, flushed tranny, tires inflated to 36 psi..... I drive aggressively but not constantly. Anyone can tell me what I should check next? Thanks.

I was in the same boat until recently with my 98 s70.
I had 2 main problem areas. The main problem was air leaks.
After replacing a few vacuum-tree caps a couple months ago, two of them had already failed.
Check that area well, also the infamous vacuum elbow on the left side of the intake manifold.
I also noticed a considerable difference after (carefully) sealing all of the intake parts down-stream of the Mass air flow sensor with liquid gasket.
Another problem I was having was with spark plug gap.
I was using a cheap round spark plug gap tool available at any parts store.
I thought these were accurate enough, but not in my case.
After buying a quality wire gauge, I re-measured my plugs and found them to be .030" to .031".
I gapped these plugs at .028 less than 3000 miles ago. .003" doesn't sound like much, but for these cars it makes a huge difference.
After gapping the plugs with the new wire gauge,
I got the best mileage I ever could with this car, 27.5mpg over a 110 mile trip. (and with 172,000 miles!)

Post by **jblackburn** » 11 Jun 2011, 23:22

31.5 mpg driving down to VA Beach today @ 75 mph. Windows down until around Richmond, then AC. This was with 3 people in the car, too.

28.5 mpg for the return trip (lots of uphills), a friend driving instead of me, and AC the whole way.

Still not bad for a car that can wind up and explode past slow-moving left lane campers like they're standing still

Post by **xtrattitude4u** » 12 Jun 2011, 10:29

That's great mileage for a turbo.
Do the T5's get better mileage than the N/A's?
I have a 98 N/A and 27, 28 mpg is about the best I can manage under ideal conditions.
Do you think I have room for improvement?

Klausc · Post by **Klausc** » 12 Jun 2011, 13:40

jblackburn wrote:I was proud, I never get anywhere close to that high! I usually manage around 27-29 highway.

I was letting it shift around 2000 RPM when I was in traffic (it still went down significantly). Keep in mind this was straight driving at speed for 40 miles; I let speed fall off a little bit on hills, and never ran into any lights/stop signs or anything until that stop when I took the picture.

I've always found the dash calculator on mine to be very accurate - it's very close to the miles/gallons calculation you do at the pump, and that usually depends on exactly how much was in the tank to begin with (I usually top off - you can usually fit another few $ in there). Overall, I returned 34.3 mpg from 105 miles of driving; 32.5 on the way back where I took the interstate the last leg of the trip and another 100 miles.

I am glad to see those figures. My road trips the last few years always are into the wind - both directions!. Still, I get 24-26 mpg at 70-75mph. I refuse to go slower than the 18 wheelers.
I still keep asking Volvo to make a V70 with 4 electric motors (AWD) and a diesel generator. That combo should get close to 100mpg.

Klaus

Almost 40 mpg!

Re: Almost 40 mpg!