[Vwpickups] hypermiling and light boost fan

[B & R Decker]

Hi Don;
	36 mpg in a Rabbit diesel pickup is horrible. I would expect that
you need to check your pump timing and idle adjustment. Get out your Bentley
and follow it closely. One of the very important things is to get your idle
speed set to spec's. I would expect that your electric fan is hurting more
than helping. Even a good exhaust turbo setup doesn't improve mileage just
power. A couple of things that help are improving the exhaust and getting a
tall transmission. 1.5 and 1.6 N/A diesels love tall 5 speed tranny's. Use
an FF or FN code 5 spd manufactured after mid 1981. The only time in the
last ten years that I have had a Rabbit diesel go under 40 mph was heading
up the Central Valley in California into a 40+ mph head wind with a 1981
Rabbit pickup that had a 1.6 turbo diesel. I had a 600 lb load and couldn't
pull 5th gear into that headwind so it was up the freeway into the headwind
in fourth gear at 60 mph. I got 38 mpg for that run. I have never had a
Rabbit Diesel pickup that got 50 mpg without playing games but 45 is normal
for me. I do have a 1.6 N/A in a 1981 Dasher station wagon that gets a
consistent 50 mpg unless I feel the need to run 70 with the big boys on the
freeway then it is good for about 48 mpg. I have a 1.5 N/A 1980 Rabbit 4
door that gets a pretty consistent 50 mpg running around in the country. It
has a tall FF tranny and a good 2 inch exhaust system.
Brian Decker
Western Washington

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Tran [mailto:trangen at gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 5:55 PM
To: vwpickups at neubayern.net
Subject: [Vwpickups] hypermiling and light boost fan

FYI,

I read an article about hypermiling, and just started logging my MPG's. I'm
getting only 36 MPG. or 520 miles range on my last tank, 1981.
What kind of mileage are others getting?

Hypermiling is where you coast when ever you can, (e.g. to red lights, down
hills, short shift it, turn off the engine at all red lights while waiting)

the guy at the site www.cleanmpg.com, gets 50 mpg using this technique
running a newer Honda Accord with and automatic.

Also, I've rigged my PU to have a light boost elec. fan glow air in the
intake manifold.

the fan is out of a computer CPU fan, about 300 CFM, (12 volt DC fan) which
is just under 1 lb Boost I'm told, it's rigged to come on when the engine
fires up.
and I'm using a long intake tube mounted just in front right side of the
radiator, to allow in lots of air, and force in lots of air at FWY speeds.

and I'm running a K&N air filter.

lets see if these tricks will get me better mileage.

some of the fold selling these trucks were claiming 50 MPG's.

Don
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