Average MPG?

[Curly]

In town driving I get 15 to 16 mpg. On the highway I get 19 to 20, seldom over 20 lately. I have hit 24 mpg a few years back but I can’t get over 20 this summer. No overdrive.
Marvel carb.

[Mike V. Florida]

About the same here.

[Johnnymo]

Your in the ballpark. I get the same mpg.

[Mitch]

We used to adjust carbureted cars on the gas emissions analyzer to get the AFR as close as we could to 14:7:1.
Or a real good tail wind helps mileage.



A 'Stoichiometric' AFR has the correct amount of air and fuel to produce a chemically complete combustion event. For gasoline engines, the stoichiometric, A/F ratio is 14.7:1, which means 14.7 parts of air to one part of fuel. The stoichiometric AFR depends on fuel type-- for alcohol it is 6.4:1 and 14.5:1 for diesel.

[Kevin in NJ]

If you can get my brother to talk about this, but I do not know if he is on this board yet.
Ford expected something higher then 20 MPG when the car was made. From long term experience and correcting for errors my brother 31 coupe with a fairly standard driveline (B cam) was gets in the low twenties consistantly. This included the trip from NJ to WI for the world meet. We kept accurate track of fuel and distance driven. Keep in mind the car is regularly driven over 55 MPH. The car was run 55 to 65 MPH during the trip to WI and included passing cars going over steep up grades on the PA turnpike.

As always, I point out that a properly restored to factory tolerances driveline is required to attain these stats. Properly restoring is not easy, cheap or quick. It really is like building a race car engine.

Keep in mind this is what is possible. I realize that many do not have the resources to attain this. I just ask you take more time to understand what it means to build the A engine based on how it was designed.

[WMWS]

My last long trip I got 19.8 on flat ground but bucking a strong head wind. I do have OD. I figure without the head wind it would have been low to mid 20's.

[Mitch]

Personally i NEVER check fuel mileage
If she runs perfect, and has a good spark plug burn i am getting the best i can

Make sure ya brakes aren't dragging either

[DaWizard]

I simply drive mine til the gauge reads close to empty and start looking for a station, refill it and repeat.

[EarlyBert]

Drive, refill, repeat! I like it!

[TOBKOB]

That's how I do it...

[Curly]

I’m heading out today on a drive that will be a bit over 150 miles. I will see what I can get today. Struggling to break the elusive 20 mpg mark.

[Ray Horton]

I get better mileage with pure gas than with corn gas, and I get better mileage from corn gas in Utah, AZ, and Nevada. I've been told Oregon gets inferior gas. I believe it. We also get screwed on pricing. Pure gas in Portland is $4.99/gal. VS $2.89 for corn. The last time I was in Montana I paid only a few pennies more for pure gas, not almost double what corn gas costs. I know state and local taxes are a factor, but $5/gal is outrageous.

[BNCHIEF]

Ray I feel for you folks in ca and oregon it seems lib nutjobs run both states and they are beautiful places for sure.

[Ray Horton]

Chief, I am a liberal nut job and the reason our state is beautiful is because we liberal nut jobs are dedicated to protecting it from corporate rape.

[Tom Wesenberg]

When I bought my A new off the show floor, the window sticker claimed 44 MPG Highway, and 32 MPG City, but I only get about half that while driving 42 to 45 MPH.

[Mitch]

Can you post a pic of your window sticker

[CarlG]

This was on mine when I bought it new in 1931:

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

In our bustling CITY, Minerva knocked around 20, with a Zenith. NEVER checked it on the road.
Dad Happy

[old31]

When I bought my A new off the show floor, the window sticker claimed 44 MPG Highway, and 32 MPG City, but I only get about half that while driving 42 to 45 MPH.

Wow, even back then manufacturers were stretching the truth about gas mileage. Who would have thunk.

[Denis4x4]

I've been able to get ethanol free gas delivered to the house. Mileage is much better on all of my cars including the A's. The real plus is using ethanol free on small motors and outboards. From an environmental stand point, ethanol is a shuck and jive.

[Bobm90]

LOL, got the pun !! "SHUCK and jive" !!!

[DaWizard]

I would like to relate a short story of the other day.....

While on my way back from somewhere, as I drive my A everywhere, this guy in a Tesla electric pulled up next to me with his window rolled down and a cigar in his mouth and upon looking up at me scrunched up his face and nose at the raw pollutants Wheezer was putting out into the atmosphere and rolled up his window!

I laughed at him and pointed, knowing he didn't know why I was pointing, while I was thinking to myself, "it will take at least 10 of his cigar smelling electric cars to even come close to the pollutants me and Wheezer are dishing out", I leaned and farted.

If I needed to mind the fuel mileage I would have bought a hybrid or all electric car. Break down and buy a 2gal gas can, and if you find yourself running short of filling stations, use it and refill it when you next get gas!

[Terry, NJ]

I like your style!

[Tom Wesenberg]

That smelly cigar is more polluting than the Model A, and it's also going to shorten his life, where a Model A might add years to your life.

[Terry, NJ]

Nothin' like a Ceegar to foul the air!

[Ed Saniewski]

Driving to Branson MO this summer I was getting 17 mph in Pennsylvania with all the hills, but when we hit Ohio and Indiana it was flat I was up to 19.

[Big hammer]

Back when the speed limit was 55 mph, one time I filled up the tank, got on the interstate, drove 90 miles, filled up again, and to my surprise I got 64 mpg ! Not in an A That was with a tail wind better than 55 mph, I was sure glad that I wasn't driving the other way :-)

[George Miller]

With 10 percent corn in the gas you can reduce mileage about the same.

[Terry, NJ]

My mileage has improved since I rebuilt the rear as a 3.54!

[Mitch]

You bet it is better with that gear ratio change. Next time it's going to be a 3:27 for me, even better fuel mileage : )

[Curly]

We used to adjust carbureted cars on the gas emissions analyzer to get the AFR as close as we could to 14:7:1.
Or a real good tail wind helps mileage.



A 'Stoichiometric' AFR has the correct amount of air and fuel to produce a chemically complete combustion event. For gasoline engines, the stoichiometric, A/F ratio is 14.7:1, which means 14.7 parts of air to one part of fuel. The stoichiometric AFR depends on fuel type-- for alcohol it is 6.4:1 and 14.5:1 for diesel.

Great information

[Curly]

I took my last drive yesterday before washing and putting up on lift. 90 miles and about 22 mpg.

[Greynomad]

A few years ago, I and 4 other Model As were doing a 1,200 mile trip to our National Meet. I was the only one with an O/D but we all travelled at the same speed - about 45 mph. I gt to wondering about whether or not I would get better milage with or without the O/D. After a full tank without using O/D and then one where I used it, the economy was the same to within 1/4 mpg. Upon refection, that makes sense. A gallon of fuel contains a certain amount of energy and it takes a certain amount of energy to move the car at 45 mph over a mile, O/D or not - thus the same economy figure. Sure, the motor was quieter when I used the O/D and it seemed easier but the figures told a whole different story. Since then, I haven't believed people who claim that the O/D saves fuel.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The overdrive most likely moved the engine's best power curve to a higher speed, so if you tried the same fuel economy test at 55 MPH, I'd bet the overdrive would show a nice improvement.

[Greynomad]

Possibly, Tom but on our club's economy run, where the competition is to get the best economy, the winner always travels slow. The higher the speed, the more energy is wasted overcoming the air drag and that goes up exponentially with speed.
The Model A engine is noted for its ability to pull like a tractor at low revs. Maybe that doesn't mean its getting the best economy at that speed but they don't rev to very high revs either which is more likely to mean that they are not running efficiently at high revs, IMO. I am, of course talking about a standard motor.
I'm not arguing, just trying to undertand the results of my little test.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I would guess the Model A could get the best fuel economy at about 30 MPH, but people would start shooting the driver at that speed. They're driving like nuts these days. I liked when we had the 55 MPH national speed limit to save gas.

[Curly]

Greynomad-
When your club does the fuel mileage contest what are your winning numbers?
The reason I ask is our club is just starting the same thing. We had one win it with 23 mpg and another that was around 22 mpg if I recall.

[Greynomad]

Curly,
I have to convert my figures to US gallons! 24 is a good figure and I've done that a time or three. The club I was referring to caters for all sorts of cars, not just Model As. Apart from the best economy figure, we give everybody an equal chance at a win by asking the driver to nominate an economy figure for his car. The driver of even the thirstiest of cars has the same chance of winning that contest so long as he knows his car.
Model As win every time so long as there are no European cars running.

[Curly]

At 45 there’s no need for an OD. That’s a good speed for an A.

[CarlG]

Now you know why Curly is always the last to arrive on any of our club cruises.

[Mitch]

He seemed to be motoring along pretty fast in that calendar pic