gas mileage from a 318?

[thallium]

I'm thinking of putting a 318 in my 68 charger and using it as a commuter car for my long drive to work and make the drive more fun driving my 68 charger. What type of gas mileage can I expect from a 318  2 barrel with 2.76 gearing?  Anyone have real world experience with their 318 charger? Any help would be appreciated.

[Old Moparz]

That's the same combination that was in my Scamp when it was my daily driver before the timing chain let go. The best I managed was about 17 or 18 MPG with most of the driving on the highway. Soon after, I had it rebuilt with 10.5 to 1 pistons, bigger cam, 4V Holley & an Edelbrock Performer, dual exhaust & kept the 2.76 rear & got the best of 15 to 16 MPG. It's a little lighter than a Charger, but not by much.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I had a 72 Charger with that set-up a few years ago, I drove it all over the place, I would average 18-20 mpg on the highway...man I miss that car

[JimShine]

I get around 15 MPG with mine locally, 17 when I can cruise.

[NHCharger]

My 72 has a 318/2.71, 4bbl. eddy. I generally get 15 MPG city, 18 MPG highway.

[hotrod98]

I put a 5.9 liter fi motor with the A518 o/d tranny in my wife's barracuda. It now gets 25 mpg. I bought a wrecked 95 dodge truck, removed the driveline, computer harness, cruise setup and o/h console. I altered the harness and integrated it into the b'cuda harness. Starts, runs and drives like a new car. I sold the rest of the truck and ended up with less in the setup than what it would have cost to rebuild the 318 and tranny that was in the car. The car runs great and is surprisingly fast.

[Charger Aficionado]

  Solid 18 MPG on a '68 Satellite I had.  Great crusiser, and would TEAR them loose!

[Brock Samson]

 here in S.F. with the hills and traffic i got 14-17 when my R/T had a mildly built 318...

[Todd Wilson]

My 69 318 car will get around 20-23mpg on the flat highways in Kansas here. Got 25mpg one time on a trip.  The 69 has always done better MPG wise then my 71 did when it had the 318 2b in it. Never could get more then 15mpg out of it years ago.  A lot is going to depend on your driving habits and the conditions you are driving in. Hills will hurt. The longer the drive the better the MPG will get for you. Be ready for battle scars, commutes are hard on vehicles body and paint and windshield.


Todd

[Chryco Psycho]

didn`t help that I tuned it !!!  / \
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[69_500]

Well the 69 Sunroof Charger I had was a 318 2bbl, car with 3.55 sure grip rear end and I was averaging 17.5 mpg on the interstate.

[chrisII]

Well the 69 Sunroof Charger I had was a 318 2bbl, car with 3.55 sure grip rear end and I was averaging 17.5 mpg on the interstate.

     im starting to think that if you dont drive on the hwy most of the time a 3.23 might give almost as good of mpg as a 2.76. especialy if you have alot of hills..that lil engine can take the rpm if its not junk and will have much less trouble gettting the big charger moving, and up hills. im planning to give it a shot next summer.

[thallium]

From what I'm seeing it looks like I can average 15 to 20 mpg.  If that is the case, I'm going to drop a 318 into the charger.  I would love to be able to drive the charger everyday to work. It would actually make me want to go to work everyday and not dread the long trip.

I have a worn out 318 already. In your guys opinion, what's the best way to rebuild this engine to get the best gas milage? Go with stock pistons? or bump up the compression a bit? stock cam? etc...  I'm thinking of building everything to stock specs, but if there is a combo or trick to get better gas mileage, please let me know.

[694spdRT]

I am going to build the '72 Challenger up for an ecomonical summer use car. The plan is to use the original 318 with a 600 or 650 4bbl, 833OD 4 spd trans, and 3.55 gears. I am hoping this combo will give me 20mpg hwy with the final drive in the 2.50's in OD. 

[chrisII]

for a low hp build like this a 999 would be great if you dont want to go to the cost of the od trans..lock up converter drops rpm about 200 in high gear. not a ton but its helpful and they are everywhere. if i remember right i think i heard ya nead to modify the trans tunnel for the od. anyone know for sure?

[Charger71]

My 71 has the same set-up.   I get around 16-17 in the city.   (Can't keep the iron shoe off the gas... )

On the highway, I get around 20-23.   On a 3900 mile trip,  the car averaged 21.7 mpg.

Charger71

[The Mad Scientist]

17.87 mpg in a lead sled 74 charger and 2.71 gears.  Stone stock 318 except for a few ign. tweaks and mods.  Fresh rebuilt bbd.  Combo of a lot of highway driving and a lot of traffic lights.