7.5 MPG

[Paul G]

I have owned my Charger for three summers now. I knew the mileage was not good but this is awful. 7.5 MPG calculated over 2 tanks of gas. The 440 runs like a scalded dog but 7.5 MPG is just terrible. When I am in the Charger economy is not the priority. The sound of the big block is, so keeping my foot off the gas isn't going to happen. Back in the day my 318's only got around 10 MPG. I would still rather have the 440 anyday.

[MOPARHOUND!]

Cool 73 Rallye.

The 496 went from 6 mpg to 9 mpg in town when the cam was changed to the next size smaller, Comp 292H versus the 305H.

Haven't checked highway yet, was around 11 mpg with the 305H.

[Big Lebowski]

I had a '69 with a tunnel rammed 440, you could see the gas gauge go down at full throttle

[Dave22443]

You only got 10 MPG with a 318?  When I had a 318 in my '68, I regularly got 19 MPG.  Even with the big block, I figured I'm getting about 9 MPG average. 

Me thinks maybe you got a little lead in that foot? 

[whitehatspecial]

I don't want to be disrespectful but it really is funny hearing people with muscle cars complaining about mpg's. I grew up driving these cars. I had several big blocks that got as much as 4 mpg and had to be filled up twice a day. I know gas is now 10x the price it was back in the day, but the cars are the same.
Bottom line is you have to pay the price to drive a classic muscle car. If not you can just park it and look at it (which is not much fun imho).

[Todd Wilson]

I don't want to be disrespectful but it really is funny hearing people with muscle cars complaining about mpg's. I grew up driving these cars. I had several big blocks that got as much as 4 mpg and had to be filled up twice a day. I know gas is now 10x the price it was back in the day, but the cars are the same.
Bottom line is you have to pay the price to drive a classic muscle car. If not you can just park it and look at it (which is not much fun imho).

I wonder if we will see big block muscle cars on used car lots again for 500$?   


Todd

[Todd Wilson]

I have owned my Charger for three summers now. I knew the mileage was not good but this is awful. 7.5 MPG calculated over 2 tanks of gas. The 440 runs like a scalded dog but 7.5 MPG is just terrible. When I am in the Charger economy is not the priority. The sound of the big block is, so keeping my foot off the gas isn't going to happen. Back in the day my 318's only got around 10 MPG. I would still rather have the 440 anyday.

My 318's get a lot better then that. My one 440 gets 5.5 mpg.


Todd

[ITSA426]

My 3 speed 318 gives a consistent 19 on the highway on regular.  The 426 gets 6.5 on 110 leaded.  I didn't buy either of them for the good gas mileage.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Last year, driving down to Carlisle, I averaged almost 15mpg!

Coming back UP was a different story

This year, it seems that the quality of gas is terrible.   I had to jet up 2 sizes to help with detonation.....there goes the 15mpg....

[Paul G]

You only got 10 MPG with a 318?  When I had a 318 in my '68, I regularly got 19 MPG.  Even with the big block, I figured I'm getting about 9 MPG average. 

Me thinks maybe you got a little lead in that foot? 

I think so too. 

[RallyeMike]

I dont know your driving habits, but I would think you could tune better mpg. I got 8-9 mpg averaging 120mph over a course with the 440. When I had the float level off, I got 4 mpg.

[Charger Aficionado]

  You know...  People spend 200k plus for damn Bentleys...  Those bastards get 9mpg...  What's the difference...  First years registration on a Bentley and tax on 200k would be 20k (apox 10% >7.75 state sales and other fees) plus the extra luxury tax...  Next year the tags would cost you probably 12-14k here in Ca...  I usually pay $36 bucks, and am really happy in one of my Chargers...  VERY CONTENT.

Here are some stats I found through EPA:

MPG
Rank Manufacturer/Model city/highway

1. Lamborghini L-147/148 Murcielago (manual) 9/13

2. Lamborghini L-140/141 Gallardo 9/15

3. Midsize Car Bentley Arnage 10/14

4. Large Car Bentley Arnage LWB 10/14

Now lemme tell you something...  When I took the '70 500 FC7 to Vegas people flipped over it...  When there were Lambos and Ferraris driving right by me...  I could have a fleet of these for what one of those cost...

[BigBlockSam]

buy a hugo or a civic. my cars run out of gas in my driveway, really

[Paul G]

My driving is all stop and go (with lots of GO) in town to all the cruise nights etc. No highway at all. Today I am taking it to a car show. I am going to check the odometer against the mile markers on the interstate to see if it was calibrated correctly. I had it re-calibrated last year by Auto Instruments.

[73dodge]

Please don't take this the wrong way and I am not flaming you. BUT

you drive a 4000lb car with a 440 and a four barrel and you complain about gas mileage?


I think that's hilarious, good gas mileage is NOWHERE on the radar screen when you own an old car with a big V-8. I mean sheesh those ole engines were the least efficient when it comes to gas mileage.

I am building roughly the same car that you have 73Se with a 440 and I when I get around to building the engine good gas mileage is not even on the consideration list. I am looking to build an engine that will scare me when I jump on it. If I wanted gas mileage I would consider a slant 6 with a 2 barrel.

But seriously in these old cars you either have power and poor gas mileage or no power and decent gas mileage not even good. There is no gas mileage power trade off in these cars you either have one or the other IMO.

And since considering how little these cars get driven I would say power is #1 on the list.

And consider this

If you fill the tank once a week for 3.00 a gallon that's what 60.00 for a full tank roughly and you drive it say Friday and Saturday to the show and let it sit for the rest of the week and then park it during the winter months your gas costs are really minimal over the long run because you only drive it maybe what 1000 miles a year? Take the amount of miles you drive total for one year and the costs of gas total for one year and the spread is not too bad.

[cool440]

Well all I can say is welcome to the club!

Before my high performance rebuild on my 440 I was getting the same as you are now.  But after every concievable modification and 175 more horsepower with a new drivetraine and rear end I now get 4.5MPG.

Who cares though whene I have this much fun!

People spend more at amuzement parks for fewer thrills than we do.  I have an "E" ticket ride every day.

Michael

[Steve P.]

So all you guys are saying that you WOULD NOT LIKE TO GET BETTER MPG?? ?? ?? ??

[Paul G]

So all you guys are saying that you WOULD NOT LIKE TO GET BETTER MPG?? ?? ?? ??

That is correct. I would not sacrifice performance for MPG. If more MPG were available without losing power then for sure I would take it.

[greenpigs]

So all you guys are saying that you WOULD NOT LIKE TO GET BETTER MPG?? ?? ?? ??

That is correct. I would not sacrifice performance for MPG. If more MPG were available without losing power then for sure I would take it.

That is why NOS is popular.

[hemihead]

I don't want to be disrespectful but it really is funny hearing people with muscle cars complaining about mpg's. I grew up driving these cars. I had several big blocks that got as much as 4 mpg and had to be filled up twice a day. I know gas is now 10x the price it was back in the day, but the cars are the same.
Bottom line is you have to pay the price to drive a classic muscle car. If not you can just park it and look at it (which is not much fun imho).

I agree. But one other point is that yes gas was cheaper and so was everything else... including wages.Plus there were more jobs.
And let us not forget,less anal retentive yuppies.

[Steve P.]

I didn't say anything about sacrificing performance.....  I'm thinking more in line with adding an overdrive unit.

[Mike DC]

 
What's so crazy about talking about mileage? 
Yeah, I agree that it's nuts to buy a 440 and then constantly carp about the issue.  But I don't think that's what this thread is.

And 440 or not, there IS  such a thing as having a big block burning excess gas unnessecarily.  It's worth talking about. 

 

[BigBlockSam]

when i installed the msd ignition in my 68 r/t  the car ran so much more efficient. i never checked the gas mileage but i bet it went up. Rene

[mopar_madman]

My driving is all stop and go (with lots of GO) in town to all the cruise nights etc. No highway at all. Today I am taking it to a car show. I am going to check the odometer against the mile markers on the interstate to see if it was calibrated correctly. I had it re-calibrated last year by Auto Instruments.

Well if you were highway driving it would be all STOP with the damn road construction going on. LOL

[Paladin]

To All,

I don't think that talking about gas mileage in our older big cube vehicles is that crazy.  The better gas mileage you get, the more apt you are to drive it more.  That makes good sense to me.  So much good sense, in fact, that my two daily drivers are my '71 Charger R/T and my '66 Ford Thunderbird.  That's it, other than an occasional spin in my '78 Monaco A38/E86 or my wife's '87 Trans Am.

The Charger is a bored out 440 with a balanced lower assembly, a measured 9.3 compression ratio, headers, TF 727, 2.76 Sure Grip, custom dual exhausts, Accel 300+ ignition, MP 480/280 camshaft, Rhoads lifters, M1 single plane intake, a Quadrajet carb (don't laugh, those GM spreadbores help with mileage considerably and they are dirt cheap), and some other assorted bells and whistles.  It gets a hair over 15 MPG at 75 MPH with the wife and two teenaged sons in it with the AC blowing.  It will also still go sideways from a rolling start with P25560s on the rear end.

The Thunderbird is a bored out 390 (a "Ford 396"), balanced lower assembly, windage tray, a mild cam, Holley Intake, another Quadrajet, Petronix ignition, and the standard logs with dual exhausts and 3.00:1 gears.  The last trip I took, it got nearly 18 MPG.  Not bad for something that weighs 4600 pounds empty.

Some other old Mopes I had:

1973 'Cuda 340:  cam, aluminum intake, 2.76s  20 MPG highway.
1968 Coronet with a 318: duals, aluminum intake, Quadrajet carb, electronic ignition with 2.76s.  23 MPG @ a steady 75.

This is not bad, since the best my wife has ever gotten out of her Durango is 19 MPG.  I really want to play with the Monaco.  I think there is 20+ MPG hiding there with a properly built 440 with 3.21 gears and a Gear Vendors overdrive.

May God Bless America,

Paladin