8mpg on 82 LD December 26, 2008, 01:06:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98149Hello all, I have put in over a thousand mile on my 82 LD, 350 Chevy engine. I get 8.05mpg. I drive with a very light foot, never over 55mph. Mostly 45mph on back roads. I have no generator, but carry full water. 2 people (250#), light belongings (100#). The engine is very smooth, burns no oil, and appears to have plenty of power. I notice a small frayed vacumm line going into the big canister on the driver side in the engine compartment. Not sure what its function is. I will replace it soon. The air filter is clean, the carburetor looks clean. Shouldn't I be getting better gas mileage, considering the low speed and light load? What should I be looking for?Thanks,Sam
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #1 – December 26, 2008, 01:35:18 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98151"Shouldn't I be getting better gas mileage [than 8 mpg], considering the low speed and light load?"Your gas mileage with you '82 LD is consistent with what most of us have seen from the old Chevy 350 engine. If you look in this website's Database section (see text links at left on every page), there's a gas mileage survey that'll give you an idea of what to expect. From my own experience over the four years I owned my 1985 LD, 8 mpg is just about right: I sometimes saw less, but rarely more. Like you, I drive with a light foot.The newer Ford-based LDs with V10 engines average about 10 mpg, despite the more powerful engine and heavier coach. This is one case where all those modern electronic doodads really have made an improvement in both performance and fuel economy.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #2 – December 26, 2008, 01:39:57 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98152Thanks, Andy. I did look at the database, but I assume that most people drive at a higher speed (around 55), thus my concern.Sam
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #3 – December 26, 2008, 04:45:29 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98154QuoteShouldn't I be getting better gas mileage, considering the low speed and light load? What should I be looking for? It sounds as though your average should be higher. If you are at or above 5000', mileage will take a hit. If you are in the hills, it will also be reduced.With our '83, we get between 7.5 and 10 mpg, depending on the above criteria. In general, keeping a feather throttle on level ground below 5000', we get about 9 mpg, averaging about 55 mph on the open road.The 4bbl Rochester carb will get reduced efficiency from a porous float enriching the mixture, and leaky gaskets allowing vacuum leaks. In addition, the auto choke can be mis-calibrated.Steve
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #4 – December 27, 2008, 08:28:53 am Yahoo Message Number: 98166Steve, that's what I thought too. I have been traveling from Houston to Florida. Currently about 100 miles from Tampa, so sea level altitude all the way. I will look at the items you mentioned.Thanks,Sam
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #5 – December 27, 2008, 06:30:34 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98186One would assume your tires are properly inflated and you sail with the wind?Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #6 – December 27, 2008, 07:15:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98187Quote One would assume your tires are properly inflated and you sail with the wind? Michelle, Yes my tires are properly inflated, in fact slightly over inflated. 55 psi front and 50 rear. Not sure what you mean by sailing with the wind. I'm only getting 8mpg driving at 45mph.Sam
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #7 – December 27, 2008, 09:09:03 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98193Hi Sam, I mean you travel with the wind coming from behind you. A head wind will destroy your gas mileage. iirc my tires are more like 65, where did you get 55 to inflate them to?Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #8 – December 28, 2008, 02:23:21 am Yahoo Message Number: 98198QuoteYes my tires are properly inflated, in fact slightly over inflated. 55 psi front and 50 rear. Sam, even though LD specifies only 45 psi rear and 55psi front, I keep ours at 56 psi rear and 60 psi front, min. This allows adequate load carrying for the tires, and lower rolling resistance, given we take long trips at likely full capacity. Also, if you are running the original bias-ply tires, radials will tend to increase your mileage. I use 4-season 8.75R16.5 tires, which is what most here using the G-30 chassis have switched to. If you rarely encounter snow/ice and don't plan to head off-pavement, then highway tires will do even better.Steve
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #9 – December 28, 2008, 04:27:53 am Yahoo Message Number: 98201Quote Hi Sam,I mean you travel with the wind coming from behind you. A head wind will destroy Quoteyour gas mileage. iirc my tires are more like 65, where did you get 55 to inflate themQuoteto?Michelle Michelle, I travel eastward along the Gulf of Mexico, so the wind is always coming from the side. LD recommend 50 for the front and 40 for the rear tires.BTW, what is your gas mileage?Sam
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #10 – December 28, 2008, 04:30:54 am Yahoo Message Number: 98202Quote Sam, even though LD specifies only 45 psi rear and 55psi front, I keep ours at 56 psi rear and 60 psi front, min. This allows adequate load carrying for the tires, and lower rolling resistance, given we take long trips at likely full capacity. Also, if you are running the original bias-ply tires, radials will tend to increase your mileage. I use 4-season 8.75R16.5 tires, which is what most here using the G-30 chassis have switched to. If you rarely encounter snow/ice and don't plan to head off-pavement, then highway tires will do even better.Steve Steve, for 1982, LD only recommends 40 rear and 50 front. My tires are radial belted, 8.75R16.5LT, load range D. They look brand new. There are no "4 season" or "winter" marking, so I assume they are for the highway.Sam
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #11 – December 28, 2008, 10:14:57 am Yahoo Message Number: 98210QuoteSteve, for 1982, LD only recommends 40 rear and 50 front. My tires are radial belted, 8.75R16.5LT, load range D. They look brand new. There are no "4 season" or "winter" marking, so I assume they are for the highway. Sam, what brand and model are they? Running at the higher pressures that I use will certainly increase gas mileage, improve handling, without reducing ride quality. That model originally used bias-ply tires which would have provided a stiffer sidewall, providing more directional stability at the lower pressures. With radials, you need more air to get that stability and prevent tire contact on the duallies.Note too, if you haven't already crossed this bridge, that this vintage G-30 will need to have the idler and pitman arms checked/replaced in the steering linkage. Checking is an easy 2-person task with engine off, you underneath looking for inappropriate movement of the linkage while another slowly turns the steering wheel cw then ccw just to the point of resistance.SteveSteve
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #12 – December 28, 2008, 01:53:58 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98220QuoteSam, what brand and model are they? Running at the higher pressures that I use will certainly increase gas mileage, improve handling, without reducing ride quality. That model originally used bias-ply tires which would have provided a stiffer sidewall, providing more directional stability at the lower pressures. With radials, you need more air to get that stability and prevent tire contact on the duallies.Quote Note too, if you haven't already crossed this bridge, that this vintage G-30 will need to have the idler and pitman arms checked/replaced in the steering linkage. Checking is an easy 2- person task with engine off, you underneath looking for inappropriate movement of the linkage while another slowly turns the steering wheel cw then ccw just to the point of resistance.Steve Steve, Pathfinder is written on the tires. Re: radial vs non-radial: That's why I over inflate the tires. Sounds like you're suggesting more. Will 60 front, 50 rear do? I will check the idler and pitman, although at this time the handling is quite solid.Sam
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #13 – December 28, 2008, 03:04:17 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98223The one time I measured my mileage it was 10. Here is a photo of the door plack clearing indicating 60 psi and since my tires say 65 psi I use 65: door plack: http://www.flickr.com/photos/safoocat/3145288158/tires: http://www.flickr.com/photos/safoocat/3145288086/in/photostream/sorry about that side wind, you could try for the hour or so morning and evening when the wind aint blowin' or does that happen back east?When I lived
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #14 – December 28, 2008, 03:53:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98226"since my tires say 65 psi I use 65"The pressure molded into the tire sidewall is the MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE pressure--not the recommended pressure! You should not use that number as a guideline for everyday inflation. Doing so is likely to result in an unnecessarily harsh ride, as well as premature wear of the tire tread's center portion. As we've said here before, the correct tire pressure for a motorhome is not the "MAX" number on the tire, nor is it some rule-of-thumb number on the door placard or in the owner's manual. There is no such thing as a "one size fits all" pressure.You need to weigh your rig axle by axle, consult the tire manufacturer's published weight/pressure tables for your tire, and BASED ON THE WEIGHT PER AXLE, look up the proper pressure for all tires on that axle. This is the only procedure that will give the correct pressures for *your* tires, carrying *your* rig's weight.I hate to keep harping on this, but there's a lot of misinformation about tire pressures out there, and using the "MAX" number on the tire as the normal pressure is an all-too-common mistake. For an authoritative discussion of tire issues, see Joan Taylor's article "ABOUT YOUR TIRES (2).doc" in our website's Files > Repairs & Maintenance folder.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #15 – December 28, 2008, 06:57:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98233QuoteThe one time I measured my mileage it was 10. Here is a photo of the door plack clearing indicating 60 psi and since my tires say 65 psi I use 65: door plack: http://www.flickr.com/photos/safoocat/3145288158/ Michelle, here is the story on that sticker: Your LD was originally equipped with 8.00X16.5 bias-ply tires with an '8-ply' rating. The maximum cold inflation pressure for these tires is 60 psi. The sticker simply reflects the maximum pressure for the tires as providing adequate load rating for the listed axle weights. Your current tires are radials with a 'D' load rating. The maximum cold pressure for these tires is 65 psi. The actual recommended inflation pressures are found in the LD owners manual, and reflect the bias-ply tires and sufficient pressure to provide adequate load-handling and still allow a decent ride. Per the manual, for the 22' size, it is 40 psi rear and 50 psi front. An asterisk leads to the statement that if heavily loaded, add 5 to 10 psi more, but never exceed 60 psi. Now, 8.75R16.5 radials have a higher load capacity at all pressures. This is what it is for the pressures I use:dualie, 55 psi: 1855lb/tire, i.e. 7420 lbs for the rear axle single, 60 psi: 2240lb/tire, i.e. 4480 lbs for the front axle At the max of 65 psi, you are capable of 8280 lbs rear axle, 4700 lbs up front. A nice reserve, but at the expense of ride quality, in my experience.Steve
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #16 – December 28, 2008, 08:38:56 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98245I suppose this seems a silly question, but how and where does one find a place to weigh a LD to figure the tire pressure out? I live in the San Francisco Bay area 20 minutes north of San Francisco.Karmen[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Weighing your LD Reply #17 – December 28, 2008, 09:30:44 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98247Most large moving company locations have scales -- try phone the local agent for United Van Lines or similar. Landfills also have scales you might be able to use. And truck stops. There are certified public scales listed on the web in S.F., but I didn't find any in marin county. /noel/
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #18 – December 28, 2008, 10:20:51 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98253Hi Steve,I have to weigh out and see where I stand at the moment. Thanks for the explanation on the door placard. My ride quality is fine however it's all we've ever known. I don't want a softer ride in exchange for less mileage. I've ridden hard riding vehicles for a long time and the Lazy Daze is way more comfortable than some of the things I've ridden in. One thing I wonder about is the shocks. I just don't know if my shocks are any good or not. How does one tell? I'll save your post for reference. We found a scale nearby at an old lumber yard that looks like you can just drive onto it and weigh up free.thanks and thanks to you Andy for your input. Since the tire shop inflated to 65 I figured it must be safe. I've never had a blowout except that one time on the Vespa and I've always inflated to the max. In fact many drivers on the Prius list inflate even higher as the harder the tires the better the mileage. We often have to re-air our tires after the tune ups as they sometimes deflate our tires and we notice the mileage drop since the Prius has an MPG gage.Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #19 – December 28, 2008, 11:18:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98254yellow pagesMichelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #20 – December 28, 2008, 11:41:26 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98255Quote I suppose this seems a silly question, but how and where does one find a place to weigh a LD to figure the tire pressure out? I live in the San Francisco Bay area 20 minutes north of San Francisco. Nearly all truck stops have scales.-Dave
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #21 – December 29, 2008, 12:11:28 am Yahoo Message Number: 98256QuoteOne thing I wonder about is the shocks. I just don't know if my shocks are any good or not. How does one tell? Unfortunately, there is no static test for m'home shocks - LD are just too heavy for that. Sloppy handling in bumpy turns is a scary but useful indication. Best way to test and avoid problems is to remove them and check. If your fronts are original, they are certainly shot. The rears should be replaced if they have any freeplay, which they likely will. Bilstein shocks are the best option on this chassis. They give a firm and compliant ride on most surfaces, will not overheat on rutted dirt roads, and will last about forever. You should be fine with the higher pressures, but my experience is no improvement in mileage will occur from using max inflation. Unlike the Prius, these tires are not a low-rolling-resistance formulation, typically. Uneven tread wear will accelerate, but unless you fulltime on the road, the tires will age faster than any tread issues can surface.Steve
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #22 – December 29, 2008, 01:08:30 am Yahoo Message Number: 98257"Shouldn't I be getting better gas mileage, considering the low speed and light load? What should I be looking for?"Sam Our 1983 LD got about the same MPG but at a 5-10 MPH higher cruise speed. I would check all the previous suggestions and add this one.The G-30's 350 V-8 suffered from distributor problems. Poor lubrication will cause the centrifical-advance shaft to seize. This limits or eliminates timing advance as RPMs rise. As the vacuum advance canisters age. they develop leaks and do not advance correctly during cruise conditions. Either of the above conditions will severely impact economy.Changing to dual exhaust, with a crossover pipe, will add power and economy. Many older LDs had this exhaust system installed immediately after purchase at a shop near the Mothership. Dyno-tuning was also a popular post-purchase enhancement. It mostly involved advancing the initial timing and changing the centrifugal advance springs, so the timing advances quicker. You can do the same with a $10 assortment of springs, a timing light, a lot of patience and dedication to the scientific method. Engine tuning is becoming an lost-art due to the lack of easy adjustability
Re: 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #23 – December 29, 2008, 10:10:06 am Yahoo Message Number: 98262Since the tire shop inflated to 65 I figured it must be safe. Just because a tire shop inflates tires to a certain pressure doesn't mean it's the correct one. That's just like an RV salesman telling you you can pull that 20,000# fifth wheel with your 1/2-ton pickup! In my experience, many of the people who work in tire stores are just employees there to earn a paycheck, they're not tire or tire safety experts. Go in knowing what your tire pressure *should* be and instruct them to inflate your tires to that pressure.Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
tire pressure was 8mpg on 82 LD Reply #24 – December 29, 2008, 02:09:23 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98272Hi Linda, This wasn't just a "tire shop" it's a family owned business that has been around for years and has a great reputation. Since I have 16.5" wheels it was a job to find tires. Of all the places I contacted the shop I chose was the best. I don't go to junk places normally.If anyone needs tires around Santa Cruz, CA here is the link: http://www.holserstires.com/Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
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