|
|
|
I've posted before about my displeasure with the rotten mileage I've experienced with my 96 965. I've gotten as low as 14 in town, winter driving. Two weeks ago I took my first long drive since buying the car last October. Two adults, two children and luggage. Logged 2,900 miles, worst mileage for the whole drive was 23, best was 26. Average was 24.5. All I can deduce from this is that 960s love the highway. This was all on 87 octane (I kept meaning to try a tank of high octane, but forgot). The car performed beautifully, driving at an average speed of 75, AC on. I have never had such a pleasant, stress-free cross-country drive and am even more enamored of the car than ever. Given its performance, I'm now willing to accept its poor in-town mileage as an acceptable trade-off for what I consider brilliant highway mileage and performance.
Richard
--
86 740T/87 745GLE/96 960 Wagon
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be sredwine
on
Mon Aug 2 02:56 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
|
|
RB,you WILL get better mileage and even more power with 91 octane gas.I believe the 96 960,like our V90 wants 91 octane.I mix 87 and 93 to get the right level-really makes a difference in ping under load-and mileage.We get 19-20 around town,26 on highway. sredwine V90 has 83K,944T has 148K
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be tjts1
on
Mon Aug 2 13:05 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
|
|
Your engine should not ping at all even on 87 octane. ECM will automaticly retard timing to a point where there is no ping. If it did ping and the engine could not not retard timing any further, a check engine light would be set and a code would stored. If you have problems using 87 octane I would check the air flap mechanism in your air box. Your engine is designed to run on 87 with no problems. If the flap is stuck on the hot air side, your engine is ingesting super heated air (160 degrees +) increasing octane requirement.
|
|
-
|
|
|
Speaking of 960's and cruising range, did the 1995 models only come with a 12 gallon tank? And, actually, I generally can't get more than about 10 gallons without going seriously into the red. I would love to do some serious roadtripping with my 960, but the 250-mile cruising range sorta bothers me. My dad's 1990 760 has a 20-gallon tank which sucks to fill up, but he only does it half as often as I do. Is my tank screwed up somehow?
Thanks!
Keegan
1995 964 B6304S 201,825
1985 745 D24T 205,500
|
|
-
|
|
Even the 92 960 had a 15+ gallon tank. I've never heard of a 10 tank in most any car in recent memory.
--
John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 110K
|
|
-
|
|
The 95 960 has a 20.7 or 21.7 gallon tank. Can't remember the exact number now. Strictly highway, easily a 500+ mile cruising range.
DEWFPO
--
1998 S90 070,050 and 1995 964 153,010
|
|
-
|
|
|
Hi Guys & Girls, If you travel up and down the east coast like I do you will hit the mountains in PA and OH. The 960 with 93 octane will deliver excelent performance with decent gas mileage. I should know I am the guy on the highway with a Volvo wagon pulling another Volvo wagon or sedan with a tow dolly. I have tried all different cam gear placements and my Moms 92, 960 still gets the best mileage 28.6 on her trip to Maine with a full load. I do like the bigger fuel capacity of the 97, 960 sedan but, the best mileage I have been able to squeeze from that was 26.7 from Athens, TN to Ithica, NY. This is all on 93 octane. When you look at the amount of weight, safety, and how the car drives on the highway is when the 960 will always shine. I'll take it over the turbo's anyday, beat you off the line and get better gas mileage to boot. Stay on top of the electrical gremlins and the poor plastic trim and the car will last a long time. JMHO. Pauli
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be tjts1
on
Fri Jul 30 20:18 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
|
|
Good to hear that your 960 is working out. 23-26 is great mileage in this car. The 960 loves the highway. It feels like it could do triple digit speeds all day. My engine works very well and delivers similar mileage on 87 octane. But I would also be interested to see if you notice any difference on 91 octane. Some have reported problems with 87 octane. My owners manual specifies minimum recomended octane is 87. Im sure you lose some power at the top end VS 91, but who cares if you are just cruising on the highway. I also noticed easier starting with 87.
I am experimenting with higher tire pressure. The door post specifies 30 front 36 rear. This is more for comfort than anything. Always sounded a little low for me. My Dunlop A2s have a MAX rating of 44psi. First I tried 36/36, then 38/38 psi. Now I maintain both front and rear at 42psi cold. I think the ride has actually improved, taking slopiness out of my well worn suspension. Tire wear is normal expect for the ouside of the front tires due to my agressive driving. I average about 23 in mixed driving. My all time best was 28 mpg. But that was just a freak incident. My all time worst was 17 mpg.
Justin
94 965
|
|
-
|
|
|
Next chance you get, try 91 octane. I don't know what Volvo recommends for the 960 but my owner's manual says to use 91 octane in my 940. I did two 1000 mile trips from Oregon to the bay area in Cal. and back. The first trip I used 87 oct. and the second time I used 91 oct.. I don't have the figures in front of me now but The mileage improvement with 91 oct. more than made up for its higher cost. It seemed the car had a bit more power in the mountains which the B230 engine really needed.
I can only imagine how nice it must have been to cruise with the 960 engine. Sounds great. Be sure to maintain that timing belt!
|
|
-
|
|
|
Yes, cruising with the 6 is great. Effortless. I clearly don't push the car enough, as I don't think I had really appreciated the useable power on tap until a moment in the Adirondacks mountains following a slow-moving car pulling a trailer. I had been waiting for a safe moment to pass, hanging back a bit so I could rush up for the pass when it presented itself. Kicking it down a gear I literally rocketed past the other fellow and was past him in an instant. Timing belt was last replaced by previous owner at 82,000. Included front seals, tensioner, roller. I'm at 125,000, planning on doing it again at 150,000.
Richard
--
86 740T/87 745GLE/96 960 Wagon
|
|
|
|
|
