Advice on miserable fuel consumption

[ASC]

I've got a 4 speed rising roof 1985 Reimo converted 1.9 petrol running on gas that has about 30,000 miles on the current engine.

The best fuel consumption I'm getting on long motorway runs is around 15mpg cruising at around 55-60mph. On top of that it does feel somewhat underpowered. On the flat I can't get it above 65 flat out.

Steve @ Gasure has done the most recent service and did the LPG conversion a couple of thousand miles ago.

I know that the carb is a bit worn but can any forummers think of any method of improving the fuel economy? I can get about 50mpg out of my Honda Accord so I don't think it's the way I drive...

Obviously, if I had the money I'd stick a 2.1 5 speed in there but the engine feels sound and 'whistles' as it should. Would it be worth grafting a 5 speed gearbox on? New carb? Flintstones styles holes in the footwell?

Cheers guys.

[jamesc76]

I would take it along to a tuning place they will be able to tell you exactly whats up with it, mine was about as bad as that so fitted a 2.2 scooby engine I now get 30mpg!!!! and it will crusie lush up hill

[eatcustard]

I get about 18-20mpg on a 2.1i with a mix of motorway and normal roads with LPG (on a new recon engine, 700 miles ago)

You will lose out on power on gas as it is less calorific than petrol, so less power is produced, as well as being a 1.9 which on petrol is only just enough power.

A 5 speed box will not make any difference to economy

[albertramsbottom]

I've got a 4 speed rising roof 1985 Reimo converted 1.9 petrol running on gas that has about 30,000 miles on the current engine.

The best fuel consumption I'm getting on long motorway runs is around 15mpg cruising at around 55-60mph. On top of that it does feel somewhat underpowered. On the flat I can't get it above 65 flat out.

Steve @ Gasure has done the most recent service and did the LPG conversion a couple of thousand miles ago.

I know that the carb is a bit worn but can any forummers think of any method of improving the fuel economy? I can get about 50mpg out of my Honda Accord so I don't think it's the way I drive...

Obviously, if I had the money I'd stick a 2.1 5 speed in there but the engine feels sound and 'whistles' as it should. Would it be worth grafting a 5 speed gearbox on? New carb? Flintstones styles holes in the footwell?

Cheers guys.

Slow down. My van was around 16mpg, then a gassure carb rebuild and I only drive on a roads at 40mph and 50 on motorways and I now get 28mpg

Paul

[toomanytoys]

Speak to Steve... maybe it needs a "retune" now its settled down...

I used to get 17 ish around town and 23-25 on a run, motorways at 70mph ish........ though it is a caravelle...

[AngeloEvs]

I get around 23mpg on LPG (4 speed 1.9DG ), fully loaded, Karisma High top with avg indicated speed of 55-60mph. If consumption is heavy on both fuels and performance poor then might be worth re-checking usual suspects - auto choke, vacuum advance, ignition components, timing, filter, calipers seizing, etc, but probably best to get Steve to take a look if its only on LPG that is a problem. Mine recently dropped in terms of mpg and performance due to a sticking caliper piston.

[vdubstar]

Ok just to ask a stupid question! How do you actually work out MPG? i'm on lpg my tank takes about 50-55 litres to fill then the most i've got out of that i think is 170 miles i'm doing the test at the moment! mines a 2ltr hightop (half interior at present!) average top speed ( wind permitiing!) 55-60 can go faster just don't like thrashing her or risking wind feedback!

[AngeloEvs]

Every time you fill with LPG make a note of the number of litres purchased, the mileage covered since the last fill, and reset the odometer to zero. Eventually you will have enough data to average out how many miles you have covered and how many litres you have purchased.

4.5 ltrs is approx. 1 gallon

[horizontal kipper]

my lpg tanks fill to 61 ltrs before the pump cuts off i get around 300-320km at speeds of 50-60mph when on holiday in holland i filled up at a Q8 station and got 394km on the same amount of lpg i put it down to no hills only problem i got is keeping the oil in the engine Aircooled 2ltr westy joker poptop.

[stevewright76]

I've been getting 11mpg average recently!!! Took it to gasure and a retune means I now have a LOT less power but should have a lot more efficiency - it's a trade off, I couldn't tell the difference between petrol and LPG - can now but should save a packet...

[ghost123uk]

I've got a 4 speed rising roof 1985 Reimo converted 1.9 petrol running on gas that has about 30,000 miles on the current engine.

The best fuel consumption I'm getting on long motorway runs is around 15mpg cruising at around 55-60mph. On top of that it does feel somewhat underpowered. On the flat I can't get it above 65 flat out.

Are we talking about MPG on the gas here ?

Steve @ Gasure has done the most recent service and did the LPG conversion a couple of thousand miles ago.

I take it it was OK after the service ?

Steve may have told you the recent LPG conversion might need adjusting after it has settled down (mine did).
There is a "mixture" screw on the system, but best not to fiddle with it yourself though, esp as this is a new conversion.

Talk to Steve, he will know what you need to do.

I know that the carb is a bit worn

Which is why I ask are you concerned about LPG consumption or both petrol & LPG because the inner workings of the carb have very little to do with running on LPG. One of the few things that could screw up the LPG re the carb is a sticking choke flap.

For the record, mine does about the same on LPG as Petrol (I have it set that way, it is adjustable, as has been said, on gas you can trade performance for economy up to a point) = around 23 mpg normal urban use, and feels OK up to 70 mph but I generally stick to 65 on the M/Way to remain legal and prolong the life of my newish engine.

I once took it briefly to over 80 just "to see what it would do" but only for a minute, then back down to 65 !

[stevewright76]

Steve may have told you the recent LPG conversion might need adjusting after it has settled down (mine did).
There is a "mixture" screw on the system, but best not to fiddle with it yourself though, esp as this is a new conversion.

A quarter turn is soemtimes needed after bedding in but defiately not wild tweaking. There's also an idling speed brass nut which sometimes needs a tweak (again quarter turn) if she's running fine but not idling so well...

I once took it briefly to over 80 just "to see what it would do" but only for a minute, then back down to 65 !

Should have tried 88 mph - might have gone back in time!

[ghost123uk]

I once took it briefly to over 80 just "to see what it would do" but only for a minute, then back down to 65 !

Should have tried 88 mph - might have gone back in time!

Yeh, right back in time to the time when I blew my last DG by going at full throttle for 5 mins up a motorway hill at 70mph

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I never use full throttle or full revs since I got my "new" engine, an ex VW re-con with unknown mileage since the re-con, but I suspect not a lot, as it is good and quiet and uses virtually no oil (keeps fingers crossed) !!