[T3] great weekend drive

[Bryon Garvin]

Ok, just returned from a 30-45 minute drive running errands.  I pulled a
spark plug and here's photos of it's condition.  I'm not too good at knowing
what it should look like normally or what it would look like if it was
running lean.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/W9DATbMjFMdymPmLT060TIf_qYKoZb-Wp8u9KAAaYRU?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n_v7t4RD0L8UeJGl1-eL7of_qYKoZb-Wp8u9KAAaYRU?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qpi-1wktQpKLTdQQI70ny4f_qYKoZb-Wp8u9KAAaYRU?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/89bjJJ0vBYWYjPAldbEswIf_qYKoZb-Wp8u9KAAaYRU?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sXXsdTH5XS_II8wcQOIakYf_qYKoZb-Wp8u9KAAaYRU?feat=directlink

Dave said to look for a straw color instead of white....I assume that means
the body of the spark plug?  If so, looks pretty white to me.

The black on the spark plug is more like dust and comes off easiliy, it's
not oily or hard to remove.

Can anyone take a second to look at these pics and let me know if I'm
looking good on the plugs or not?  I'm still running on my 2nd tank of gas
after the really good mileage so I don't have new numbers to look at yet
regarding mileage.

Thanks all :)

 - Bryon, '71 Fastback

On Tue, Sep 6, 2011 at 3:33 AM, Dave Hall <dave at hallvw.clara.co.uk> wrote:

> It is surprisingly high - I get about the same number but our gallons are
> about 25% bigger (it's the only thing I can think of that's bigger in the
> UK
> than the USA !).
>
> Your tyres are stock size.  Tyre pressure can improve mpg, but reduce grip.
> I use 20/30 front/rear, but a few psi either side wouldn't change the mpg
> much.
>
> Probably a good idea to take a look at the plugs after a drive and see if
> they look straw colour rather than white, to check you're not running too
> lean.
>
> Calculating mpg on 200 miles of driving gives an idea, but you've done more
> than that on other driving.  We puzzled at how Brian Fye got better than
> normal mpg, but never worked out the reason.
>
> Lucky you.  At the equivalent here of $8 for one US gallon, it would be
> good
> to get such mpg!
>
> Dave.
> UK VW Type 3&4 Club
> ===================
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
> [mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of Bryon
> Garvin
> Sent: 06 September 2011 07:13
> To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> Subject: Re: [T3] great weekend drive
>
> >
> >  One thing to be careful about is that you actually torque the CV
> > joint bolts when everything's back together.
> > They've been known to come loose on you while driving if you don't
> > have the correct spline driver and a torque wrench.
>
>
> I did have the 12 point star driver and a torque wrench and did them to 25
> ft-lbs.  I think I read that right in the Bentley.  If did that wrong,
> please tell me.
>
> > I went back to the ethanol-free station and filled again to check the
> > > mileage.  34 mpg !  I was very pleased :)  I got 200 miles in before
> > > the gauge hit 1/2 a tank.  That sender was recently fixed by Jim so
> > > I feel it's fairly accurate.  By the time I filled up, it was
> > > slightly under 1/2 a tank and I got 6.35 gallons in it.
> >
> > Unless this was downhill or downwind both ways, or you were driving 40
> > mi/hr the whole way, your mileage was pretty astonishing for a FI
> > '71 and US gallons. I've never done nearly that well without a strong
> > tailwind.
> >
>
> I felt that it was tremendous mileage and much better than I expected.  But
> I guess if it matters, remember that it was ethanol-free, 92, and I was
> driving no more than 60 mph because of the roads that I take to get there
> and probably 1/3 of it was around 50 mph.  There was a somewhat of a
> tail-wind on the way, but really, I was fighting some buffeting from the
> side most of the way there.  I'd basically say "no" to having a tailwind.
>
> >
> > You don't have smaller than stock tires on the front, do you? That
> > would skew the odometer reading. I can't think of anything else that
> > would give you mileage that good.
> >
>
>  The tires are 165R15 -- not sure if that's stock or not.  Around town, in
> normal use, I average about 21 and that's mostly city.  I've been keeping
> track for 2200 miles and that's the average.
>
> I'm interested to hear your response Jim because currently, this would be
> the best mileage I get out of any of my cars on the highway and that
> includes my 96 Jetta.
>
> I'm going to keep driving to this station and running 92 ethanol-free just
> to see what the around-the-town mileage is.  I don't mind paying that money
> at this point if I'm getting that kind of return on the investment.
>
>  - Bryon, '71 Fastback
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