Post your MPG!

[Mikel]

I'm always puzzled when I hear people getting fuel economy numbers in first generation Toronados in the high teens and low twenties.

I've had several engines and transmissions in my '66 and I've never gotten past 15MPG, more commonly in the 12MPG range. I wonder what everyone else is getting.

Please don't post your best numbers or what you get when hypermiling doing 45MPH on the highway... What is the average fuel economy you are getting when driving normally?

[Otto Skorzeny]

1966 Toro, all stock.

My last fill up showed 11.15 mpg. That's pretty typical for me and includes a mixture of city and highway driving.

The best I've achieved is 13.xx on a steady 50mph or so drive.

This seems to be in line with what the car got brand new according to the literature. I have a Road & Track article from 1966 and those guys drove from Detroit to LA or something like that and their best mileage was 14.xx I think. Their average was 12.xx.

My mileage is with the horrible deathanol available here in Atlanta. I imagine a steady diet of real fuel would improve my numbers by one or two mpg which would be a 10-20% increase. Ethanol contains 20% less stored energy than oil.

My '56 Cadillac regularly gets 15 -18 mpg on the freeway at average speeds of 75mph. That car was made for high speed cruising and the sweet spot for fuel economy is between 70 and 80 mph.

[Mikel]

Does the poll work for anyone? I can't enter my vote.

[Otto Skorzeny]

I did it but I couldn't tell if it registered. Are we supposed to be able to see the results?

Just noticed that it said the submitted form was invalid. Whatever that means.

[Mikel]

Same here. Just post your numbers here.

I want to see if I am the only one who gets MPG in the low teens.

[Otto Skorzeny]

Do you think your numbers are too low or do you think they're higher than average?

Low teens, like 13mpg, sounds about right. Any more than that on a regular basis would make me suspicious that the person's odometer is not recording properly - like using larger diameter tires than stock.

Do you use ethanol tainted fuel or pure gasoline?

[rosscampbell]

I drove a 1966 as my primary car for a number of years, and I think my MPG ranged from about 9 to 13. If I had to guess at an average MPG, I'd say 11.5 sounds about right.

Also, I was a teenager, gas was relatively cheap, and I liked going fast. I never drove it like I was trying to maximize my fuel economy

[Mikel]

Do you think your numbers are too low or do you think they're higher than average?

I think my 10-13MPG numbers are average, we just don't hear from the "silent majority" as often

Every single magazine review I have from that era shows average MPG in the low teens for 1st generation Toronados.

Only ethanol crap in CT

[xgecko]

I recently went from around 11 mpg while sucking mass quantities of oil from my PCV back to what I recall from when I was a kid with a highly tuned motor. I now must be exceeding 15 MPG given the cruises I do and how often I fill it up. I plan to do a proper test once I get the Water Injection installed.

Keep in mind I have EFI which probably contributes to my MPG. If I keep the throttle on only the first blade pair that are in effect the primaries I suspect I get amazing mileage given the circumstances. I have done a few 40+ mile drives and used something on the order of 1/8th of a tank or so. That suggests my mileage is approaching 20 mpg when driving in a relaxed cruise mode on back roads which average around 45 -55 mph typically. I can do this on the primaries, and if I stay away from the secondaries mileage is just amazing these days.

I have a pretty aggressive roller cam and a 12" SWP Torque Converter on the 3:08 gearing so this is very good mileage indeed. In some respects I am not that surprised as I always managed good mileage on Olds motors when I was a kid as long as they were well tuned and had a Q-jet with the tiny primaries. This is not that different a setup when you get right down to it with respect to staying away from the secondaries.

All I know is that I can cruise a lot farther with a lot fewer trips to the pump since I installed the PCV catch can. I plan to see if I can manage to baffle the Offenhauser valve covers to help reduce the outflow.