With gasoline prices starting to reach realistic levels (they really should be the same as Europe's= $1/liter shortly), what can one do to improve our Brick's gas milage?
Experts suggest that American's will change driving habits,etc at $3.20 per gallon.
What say you, O Brick Gurus?
el Raidman

"Grant me faith to believe in high gas mileage. The courage to refuel rarely. And the wisdom to know when I've pumped enough."


-from some ad from the new BMW mini

All I have to add:

Cruise control
44 PSI in tires
Calibrated vacuum / boost gauge (try to keep it above 10" HG)
My outside air intake*

*Not for the purists; a 245 rear outside vent cover, cut out a hole in the right front fender attach the cover. This is similar to air intakes of the class 8 Volvo highway tractors.

Pulled 29 mpg carrying 2 bikes / rack- 2 people- tools-hiking gear-spare parts not too shabby!

B230FT '87 745 M46

Hello All,

We are paying approximately $1.16 9/10 to $1.25 9/10 for Mobil Vortex, Premium 98 Octane PER LITER!!!

Many cars, trucks, campers are equipped with cleaner burning LPG. Much cheaper.

Also, all valid points: Reducing Weight, Reducing Aerodynamic Drag, Well Tuned engine, Increased Tire Pressures checked more frequently (36psi works), and drive your tank like a big rig truck, that is keep 'er rolling, so you don't have to come to a complete dead stop, at a traffic light, anticipate your rate of closure to the last rear bumper and how long it will take for the morons in front of you to recognize the light has changed from red to green, and for the signal to travel from their brains to their feet to begin accelerating. Beyond that advice, consider the following.

And, before you make stupid remarks about Australia, travel outside the USA first, see what the rest of the world IS really like and has to offer (pretty wonderful, scenic, and full of truly special people) AND appreciate that I am one of hundreds of Americans living Down Under, permanently, AND I served my country honorably in military service for 13 years. Nuff said.

THANK GEORGE W. BUSHIT! YOU RE-ELECTED THAT MORON. Has anyone asked, lately, where the WMDs are and what was his real justification for going to war with Iraq, especially when Nuke trigger-happy North Korea is busting to get their asses deservedly kicked. Oh, I forgot, quashing Communism isn't as big a gig for the US, since its embarrassment in Viet Nam.

The US foregn policy makers surely kissed Moa Tse-tung's ass leading up to the 1949 Cultural Revolution and branded pro-demcracy Cheng Kai-shek and his band of merry men "thieves" for hoarding materials and supplies meant to fight the Japs for the anticipated fight against the Communist Mao Army. General Stillwell and his ilk backed the wrong man. But, what do I know, I wasn't there.

I have had little luck increasing the fuel economy of my 88 760T--I get a consistent 24 mpg highway whether the car has just been fully peaked and tuned or not, synthetic oil or dyno, winter or summer. I just spent the day dragging my 1958 VW out of ten years' of storage. That car gets a consistent 40 mpg, and while it doesn't have quite the creature comforts of a Volvo (the fuel gauge was an option), and the safety angle isn't as well developed (hard, undished steering wheel with a shaft just waiting to puncture my heart in an accident), it may pay for its insurance if fuel prices get any more, ah, realistic.

I have not tried synthetic tranny fluid, but will once the weather is more conducive to that messy job. From what I have heard, that's one of the most productive things one can do to improve fuel economy.

Why is Europe the benchmark for the right price of gas? Tell that to any place that does not have the wealth of Europe!

Clean the TB even if it looks clean its dirty and will improve performance hence mileage

Well I can tell you what I did. Base was 1987 745 Turbo with a AW71 all stock.
Best I could pull was 26.5 mpg at 65 mph and at 70 mph I got in the 24.5 range in fuel mileage. I lowered it and removed the roof rack to cut down on the air turbulence over and under the car. I then swapped out the AW71 for a M46 manual and swapped out the 3.91 rear for a 3.31 geared unit. I also swapped out the 15 inch Draco's for a set of 16 inch Hydra's. The car also has a Saab APC Boost control unit installed that gives me 14 psi at the touch of the throttle. The air box was opened up at the inlet where I removed a restrictive horn or cone in the tube going into the fender intake. I also went under the car and made sure the exhaust system was tucked up nice and tight. Finally I filled the Engine with Mobil 1, the transmission with Redline D4ATF, and the rear with Redline 75W90 synthetic oils.
The result is I can cruise at 70 mph at the old 65 mph rpms. The car runs about 2450 rpms at 70 mph. At 65 mph it is running in the 2300 rpm range.
The bonus is I now get 28 mpg at 70 mph and at 65 mph I run in the high 29's to low 30's. I added about 1 to 1.5 mpg to my around town mileage.
Due to the problem of the existing exhaust scrapping on driveways and speed bumps I decided not to go to a 2.5 inch system. A 2.5 would help add 1/2 to maybe one more mpg to my highway mileage.
To add, weight is a major factor in decreasing mpg. So go through the car and pull out everything you don't need from the interior and trunk. Also if you need to lose a few pounds it may be a good time to start a diet for you and the car. Also make sure you have a clean airfilter, fuel filter, and new plugs.
Make sure you keep your car aligned because it will save your tires as well as fuel.

The old standby's:
-higher tire pressure (34 psi)
-slower speeds (65)
-synthetic oil
-as noted, the egg on the gas pedal

Tape an egg to your gas pedal; don't break it.

take the seats out of the back and the door trim and panels and the spare tire in the trunk. remove the tools and tool kit. Remove the passenger seat and anything in the glove box that you don't need. Take off the roof rack(if supplied)
add just enough gas to get you where you want to go(less weight equalls better gas mileage)

remove the cat as this is weight and run a straight pipe for exhaust.

Run Volans or something light in the 17" catagory.

thats what you have to do.