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Posted by: SpecialK May 30 2004, 12:34 PM

Okay, I picked up the '74 from the owner in Downers Grove, IL (also the hometown of Denise Richards [hottie!! ]). We got a room at the Holiday Inn down the road, dropped off the 914, and took the wifes Cherokee to Chicago to check out the sites. All I can say is downtown Chicago is pictured in the dictionary under the word "ClusterF*ck" !!

The car fired right up, farted, burped and smoothed out with its stock FI . It pulls hard, handles fantastic, sounds great and with the exception of a crack in the dash, the interior is perfect!!
The fuel gauge wasn't working so I topped off the tank prior to hitting the highway because I had no idea what kind of mpg to expect, and didn't want any surprises. Got on at exit #267, I-55 south and ended up refueling a exit #154. The little bastard wouldn't take more than 2.4 gal. , stuck my head in the trunk to get a visual on the fuel level, and sure enough it was full . 47 MPG!! NFW!! Didn't put much faith in that estimate, but figured with a full tank I should easily make it home without a refill. Back on the road, drove it straight home 35 miles SW of St. Louis...154 + 35 = 189 miles...filled it up again when I got into Pacific (home) and had only used 3.75 gal 50.4 MPG!! again, NFW!!...stuck my head back in the trunk, and sure enough, tank was full!!

I shit you NOT...

Posted by: Toast May 30 2004, 12:49 PM

You Suck!

Just kidding. If that is really the case, you are a lucky man.
I'll be damned if I dont have to refill at $2.50+ a gallon every time I go to the store and back. (Ok, that may be a bit extreme, but seems like it sometimes.)

Posted by: SpecialK May 30 2004, 01:04 PM

I still need to do the once over on the engine (points, plugs, filters, oil etc.), clean up some corrosion on the lightbulb sockets, and figure out what's up with the fuel gauge. Other than that I think it's ready for the safety inspection and plates

I definitely want to take a look at the plugs to make sure it's not running so lean it's going to have a meltdown.

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover May 30 2004, 01:17 PM

If I were you I wouldn't touchg a thing. You may destroy the delicate balance that is working to deliver your phenomenal gas mileage

Posted by: Toast May 30 2004, 01:20 PM

My thoughts exactly!

Posted by: Gint May 30 2004, 01:28 PM

Congrats on the new 914.

I got 44 MPG in a stock 1.7 with 166k miles on it driving from CA. to CO.

Posted by: SpecialK May 30 2004, 01:54 PM

You may have a point there

Posted by: anthony May 30 2004, 02:43 PM

Don't dare have your odometer calibrated either.

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover May 30 2004, 05:08 PM

LOL

Posted by: ChrisReale May 30 2004, 06:17 PM

I would get the a'f checked, you might be lean

Posted by: SpecialK May 30 2004, 06:24 PM

I agree Chris, the a/f could be way lean. I'm pulling the plugs tomorrow and see what they can tell me. I also have a spare EGT (Westach) and 10 brand new probes. I'm thinking of placing one per cyl. and putting in a 4-way switch just to keep an eye on things. If the weather's better tomorrow I'll take some pics with my POS digi.

Posted by: vsg914 May 30 2004, 07:38 PM

I would normally be inclined to say ,but my 73 1.7 did get 41mpg when it was new. The speed limit was 55 mph then. You have a serious lean running condition, which could be hazardous to your engines health. I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but 50 mpg is just not possible from a properly tuned type 4, 2.0L with stock d-jet. If it is, then someone shut me up, prove it, and tell me how!Please!!!!!!

Posted by: SpecialK May 31 2004, 01:40 AM

It's going to be the daily driver until the '73 is finished, so there'll be plenty of trips back and forth to work to get an accurate mpg. I was also very concerned about running too lean so an A/F gauge and EGT sensors are on the top of the list to install. Gotta make it last

Posted by: rhodyguy May 31 2004, 08:37 AM

it's the tires. subtract 10% for speedo error. lol

kevin

Posted by: davep May 31 2004, 10:16 AM

Years ago I had a '73 1.7 that would average about 40 Canadian MPG in my daily commute. I took a trip on a half tank and got over 50 MPG average. At the time I figured that on the second half of the tank I had to have averaged almost 70 MPG. Phenominal milage! Stock tires though. When I went from the 165 to the 185/70 I lost a fair bit of milage but gained in cornering.

Posted by: SpecialK May 31 2004, 10:26 AM

I was going by the mile markers on the highway because the "odo" don't, but the "speedo" do (work that is), running between 65 and 75 mph, and it is sporting Dunlop 165's. And don't forget if you look at a map, it's all downhill from Chicago to St. Louis

Well, time to go screw up the "delicate balance", and make sure I'm not melting it.

Posted by: carr914 May 31 2004, 11:10 AM

Doesn't sound that unusual. I've run my 2.0 liter with short gears to Sebring, done the DE, driven home and wondered what I had been running on, since there is always gas left. And I'm always checking due to have a fuel cell. The mileage is one thing I will miss after I put the 2.5 twin plug six in.

Posted by: Mueller May 31 2004, 09:44 PM

too many variables to be accurate, you need to fill up using the same pump and nozzel, each gas pump is going to be different, also the angle that you held the nozzel could affect the amount of gas put in....I'm guessing you filled up the tank more the first time than you think you did....of course I could just be bent out shape since I had to pay 2.39 for regular today ;(

Posted by: SpecialK May 31 2004, 11:58 PM

Well, changed the plugs and they did seem to look a little lean (whiteish, some deposits, but electrodes were fine). I seem to remember some popping on deceleration, and it stumbled a bit in the lower rpm (1000-2000), then smoothed out. I "get" carbed cars , but this is the first FI (D-Jet?) I've seen intact. The Haynes mentioned something about an adjustment on the CU to enrichen/lean the system by adjusting a potentiometer, is this accessible from the outside of the CU?

Is there a good source (other than the Haynes manual) for troubleshooting/maintaining these FI setups, or should I just do the 'search' game here and PP's BBS?


Glad I'm home, only $1.83 a gal. here

Posted by: SpecialK Jun 1 2004, 12:39 AM

Oh yeah!

pbanders has one THOROUGH site about FI ....time to read.

http://members.rennlist.com/pbanders/

I'd be doing this if it weren't for sites like this, rennlist and PP!!

Posted by: TROJANMAN Jun 1 2004, 10:28 AM

i always thought there was something different about canadians. now i know. it's your mileage, eh .

Posted by: ninefourteener Jun 1 2004, 01:56 PM

Hey Kevin,

I KNEW IT! I knew you couldn't wait to get your teener back on the road... so you ended up buying another one huh? Cool!!

So I guess you'll be rollin' to the next 914 meet huh?

Maybe next time I won't be the only one there--LMFAO

So when is the next STL area meeting anyway??

Matt

Posted by: SpecialK Jun 1 2004, 03:51 PM

ninefourteener, you've been PM'ed