Determining Model A Gas Mileage

I've tracked my '28 Phaeton with double venturi carb and I get about 14 MPG, but that's all city driving, start, stop, start, stop all short trips. I'm sure those of you who do tours would have a better number probably closer to 20-25 is my guess.
 
TerryH said:
I have a Town Sedan, HC head, stock tires, and a Mitchell od. Freeway driving on tours, at 60 mph, yields about 21 mpg. It town, with lots of stop and go, it drops down to around 14. I’ve found it makes a significant difference how the GAV is set. I had been leaving it 1/4 turn open, found it runs just fine at 1/8, with noticeably better mileage.
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I agree. Closing up the GAV some will yield better mileage than leaving it mostly open. It reduces carbon on the plugs as well.


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My car drives fine with the GAV closed. In the heat of summer, you barely need it open at all, in colder temps like the 40s it wants a 1/4 turn open for the first 5 minutes.
 
Mister Moose said:
My car drives fine with the GAV closed. In the heat of summer, you barely need it open at all, in colder temps like the 40s it wants a 1/4 turn open for the first 5 minutes.
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Yup. Pretty much the same for my car after the first few minutes.


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I downloaded a speedometer app on my iPhone that tracks current speed and keeps an odometer. Needed this when my Speedo did not work on my 60s car, I would prop my cell phone against the windshield right in front of my face. The app did all the work for me, fill up the tank full, drive for any period of time or distance, then do the simple math when I filled the tank back to fuel again. Good luck, J
 
Our club runs a regular economy run. The best I have done is 30.7 miles per (imperial gallon. That's 25.6 miles per US gallon over a 100 miles test.
On my current engine (6:1 head, modified B cam and Webber carburettor), I get 27 (22.5) mpg at 53 mph. Happy with that but my Tudor has been as low as 16 mpg (13.3). Not happy with that!
While towing a 1 (US) ton camper over an average 7,000 miles tour at 50 mph, I regularly turn in about 19 (15.8) mpg. It is what it is.
 
The "eye test" which is eyeballing your gas gauge between fills is simply inaccurate. I have done 3 accurate tests for gas mileage by filling the tank, driving on trips of 100 to175 miles plus, then filing the tank to the exact pump "automatic shut-off spot", then doing the math. Results: 20.5-21.7 MPG. My car has the standard four cylinder, 3.74 rear end, 6.1 Snyder head, and a Borg/Warner 5 speed transmission. If the test is done correctly the results will be accurate. Do not be fooled by the"eye test" or a small sample size.
 
The only way to measure your mileage accurately is to keep a log. Fill it to the same level each time. An easy way to do that is to insert the nozzle into the tank the same way each time and fill until it clicks off. If you are worried about spills do not fill to the top. Keep notes of how you were driving and the ignition a GAV setting, for instance on level roads at 55. After 6 months you can say with some accuracy what your mileage is and under what conditions it was the best and the worse.
 
nkaminar said:
The only way to measure your mileage accurately is to keep a log. Fill it to the same level each time. An easy way to do that is to insert the nozzle into the tank the same way each time and fill until it clicks off. If you are worried about spills do not fill to the top. Keep notes of how you were driving and the ignition a GAV setting, for instance on level roads at 55. After 6 months you can say with some accuracy what your mileage is and under what conditions it was the best and the worse.
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Yup and the more miles the better.
 
You will get terrible mileage with straight nitro methane. You have to drill out the jets to 1/4 inch. But the car will run like a scared rabbit, for about 1/4 mile.
 
I get about 15 mpg around town and 20-21 on the backroad “highways” with a Tremec T170 four spread transmission and overdrive.


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I am averaging almost 15 MPG, mostly in town and back country roads. I plan on a highway trip soon and see what happens. I keep a log, using a "clue book" and log every trip, conditions, performance, etc. Also use the Speedbot App, which shows my route, max speed, ave speed, distance, etc.

I recently read where when Ford did MPG test on Model A's at dealers the best mileage came at under 35 MPH. But few of us now can drive that slow and not get killed.
 
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