Model A gas mileage

[oldredford]

My 1930 Model A coupe gets right at 20mpg doing 45-50 mph. The car is basically stock besides a few improvements like hc 5.9 head, electronic ignition, mitchel OD and 12 volts. The timing is perfect, no dragging brakes and tires properly inflated. Carb is a zenith and freshly rebuilt. Is 20 mpg about all what I can expect for a good running A? I believe it is because when I check the plugs all indicate a lean burn.

[Jim/GA]

I would say you are getting about what you should expect.

[Special Coupe Frank]

Sounds great !

[Kurt in NJ]

I have averaged 23 on a long trip, speeds of 55-62, stock except for used "B" cam, no overdrive, all ignition and carb parts stock (well tested used)

Using a state emission inspection tester under load (2500 rpm 2nd gear)I get CO levels of 0.5 %with GAV closed (too lean to have full power), 1/2 turn gives gives CO of 2.5%. --all testing done with full advance.

At 0.5% the plugs burn pure white

At 2.5% they are light brown

It was interesting to run it on the emission dyne, the database doesn't have A's listed so I had to choose a car with similar weight for the load, I chose a 91 Honda civic, the machine put enough of a load on that I had to start out in 1st, then go to 2nd, I could tell by sound and feel that the load was more than driving on level ground, changing the timing didn't affect the emissions much, just the power, the surprising thing is that I could make it pass ---the emissions were low enough to pass inspection as a 91 Honda!!

The best idle quality CO was 3%

[V4F]

LOL your doing great . i get maybe 15 mpg . ....................... steve

[Jim Brierley]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

That's pretty good. The high compression head and the OD help.

[msmaron]

Originally Posted by oldredford

My 1930 Model A coupe gets right at 20mpg doing 45-50 mph. The car is basically stock besides a few improvements like hc 5.9 head, electronic ignition, mitchel OD and 12 volts. The timing is perfect, no dragging brakes and tires properly inflated. Carb is a zenith and freshly rebuilt. Is 20 mpg about all what I can expect for a good running A? I believe it is because when I check the plugs all indicate a lean burn.

Thats pretty good mileage, I add MM oil and i see an improvement right away in each fill up, I add 4oz per 10 gal

[Tom Wesenberg]

My 28 Phaeton is all stock and gets about 16 in the metro area and 22 on the country roads on a long trip. With your H/C head and overdrive I would think you could get 23 on an open road on a long trip. Depends on how fast you drive. I like 42 to 45, but if I had overdrive I might drive 50 on a trip.

[Jerry in Shasta]

The best I every got in my coupe was 16 mpg on flat land and a slight tail wind. There was no gas station for 15 miles an 16 to home. Gas station would have done me any good, no wallet, no money. I was doing everything possible to get it leaned down and get the most out of it, for the last 50 miles!

Ran out in the driveway

[Mike V. Florida]

Mines gone down since they added ethenol.

[Christoph]

After restoration of the carb, fuel consumtion improved a lot

No more fuel clouds out of exhaust and
no more spark cleaning all 50 miles

As tacho still does not count the miles (and i dont care),
consumtion now is, as it should be:

100% fun per gallon

Best regards to all
Christoph

BTW
I never go faster than 50mph as my engine doesnt like to.....

[sturgis 39]

I never checked my mileage because I do not care. The gas gauge works kind of and when it gets low it starts missing a little. I always like to fill up and have people wonder what I am doing with the gas nozzle on the cowl.