Thanks for the response Klaus.

When I say coast into the 40s, I'm talking about the on-the-fly mileage calculator. I don't consider that to be my true mileage, I just check it to remind myself to ease up on the accelerator. Letting the car coast up and down ramps off the highway usually rewards me with a sudden (and brief) jump in the mileage - usually over 40. Lately it has been low.

My actual calculated mileage (mostly city) dropped down to about 14 mpg - this is definitely a decrease from normal. I don't do more than 2 or 3 miles on the highway when I do choose to use it on the way to work (and I don't have to). My total commute is less than 6 miles each way. The short commute was actually deciding factor in letting go of my 68 Amazon daily driver.


Anyway... an issue with the PS actually fits with some other issues I've been tracking.

Ever since I got the car (Feb 09), it has made a bit of a whirring sound in time with the engine. The sound has reminded me a bit of a MiG 17... I traced most of the noise to the PS pump area, but have never been able to pinpoint it for sure.

Also, right before my failing headgasket made the car un-drivable the pump was starting to make a lot of noise and my alternator light was coming on. Things returned back to a baseline "whir" after I replaced the head gasket. My assumption was that the spewing coolant was wreaking havoc on everything under the hood.

Regardless, I've been cognizant that the PS pump needs some help for a while and I just received a replacement (used) pump that I was going to install this weekend.

I'll try and limit the variables by *not* screwing around with the timing until after I get the replacement pump installed.

I picked up that IPD timing adjustment wheel, but will refrain for using it until I try the replacement pump.