Motor Home Mileage

[kmpro]

TRs had a better starter and shorter battery cables. They would start in cold weather where the MG had to be hand cranked in cold weather in Amarillo, Tx.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by kmpro

TRs had a better starter and shorter battery cables. They would start in cold weather where the MG had to be hand cranked in cold weather in Amarillo, Tx.

I forgot the MGs had their batteries back in the boot (if I'm remembering correctly!) My 64 Sptifire never did have problems starting in cold weather, even in the winters in Nebraska.

Brad

[kmpro]

Yep, the batteries were just in front of the differential on either side of the driveshaft which meant battery cables long as a wellrope.

[Keyair]

Oh, you guys.....
I am a Brit and look what I have in my Garage....


Che Bella Machina!

[kmpro]

Nice Ride! Wish it was in my garage.
Mike

[Keyair]

Drive from Dodge City, Kansas to California.
Tank was reading a half full, so not reading for first leg.
Second leg which was from the texas border to West of Albuqueque, which we had a good headwind and lots of climbs on I54 to 7200' gave me 7.3mpg.
The next tankfull took us to Kingman, AZ, and that leg took us over the Continental Divide, at almost 9000', to El Morro National Monument. Then onto the Painted Desert and Petrified forest. That tank gave 7.85mpg.

Last leg was so easy, no headwind and less climbs than the rest, but a lot of stopstart traffic into Orange County, and genset use while I am stored, so I dont think the next reading will be better even tho the road use to that point would have probably broken thru the 8mpg.

The motor is a Jasper rebuild with 5500 miles on it, and the Banks power kit. The Banks intake is not on the engine as the PO says something is missing from it, so the engine was breathing thru a Edelbrock Pancake filter, so nothing but warm air! Also the fan is a fixed flexfan.

[choctawmel]

Boy, and I thought I did good coming back north from New Orleans to Oklahoma with a 30mph tail wind, running about 63mph, no toad and for the first time in 55,000 miles the Silver Bullet got 8mpg (7.6, 8.0, 7.4)
mel

[Mike Leary]

Bess gets 14.9 mpg, burns no oil. What a classy engine that Izuzu is!

[choctawmel]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

Bess gets 14.9 mpg, burns no oil. What a classy engine that Izuzu is!

I have this lustful desire to find a late model N-series Isuzu with a Turbo/Intercooled Diesel 4HK1-TC and the 6-Speed Automatic AISIN Double Overdrive Lock-Up, 2nd-6th.
I think it would pull my 16,234 pound Silver Bullet and 2300 pound toad right down the road. Just bet I'd be getting twice the mileage and with 441 lbs/ft torque, I'd have more power too.
But then, my bucket list is leaking.
mel

[cooperhawk]

My mileage had dropped off a bit, so last month we adjusted the valves and gave her a good going over.

I used to get 16 mpg regularly, but it had dropped to around 12. Now I expect it to go back up.

Valves on an Isuzu diesel should be adjusted every hundred thousand miles or so. Some were too tight and some were loose.

[gloran]

I wonder why such a difference in gas mileage on the older style gas MH, than the fiberglas style? Most of newer body style owners claim they get 10 mpg. I personally get that on my 1993 when not towing anything. On my last trip from Michigan to Flordia I averaged just over 9 mpg and that wasn't always driving in overdrive pulling a ranger pickup. I am surprised to read so many older style Airstreams getting so low of mileage.

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by cooperhawk

Valves on an Isuzu diesel should be adjusted every hundred thousand miles or so. Some were too tight and some were loose.

Good point, I had Bess adjusted a few years ago and was amazed at the difference in the tolerences.

[choctawmel]

Originally Posted by gloran

I wonder why such a difference in gas mileage on the older style gas MH, than the fiberglas style? Most of newer body style owners claim they get 10 mpg. I personally get that on my 1993 when not towing anything. On my last trip from Michigan to Flordia I averaged just over 9 mpg and that wasn't always driving in overdrive pulling a ranger pickup. I am surprised to read so many older style Airstreams getting so low of mileage.

The 454 in your MH is a newer generation than mine; Your trany has a lockup converter, mine don't; you have an overdrive, once again mine don't.
I need to upgrade! I see GovSales has a dodge 3500 w/Commins and AT on sale. The bid now (it I read this right) stands at $5300. Only problem is, it's in Whitmire, SC and I'm in Okla. Hard to look and see what it's like from here. Wonder if it's the 12 or 24 valve motor?
mel

[GlenCoombe]

Your mileage may vary, has never been truer than in motorhomes. The early AS moho on a P30 chassis had a 3 spd transmission with a final drive ratio of 4:56 or at best 4:10.

To compare this to the modern AS with fuel injection, 4 spd overdrive and the Workhorse chassis is like comparing apples to apple cider.

Terrain and driving habits count for a lot too.

The ROI of the diesel swap is all about mileage vs. fuel cost + conversion. I drive a lot of miles and can't make the $'s work.

Now with the addition of the GV I'm in the 11.5 - 12 mpg range and happy with the reduction in RPM's and cabin noise.

[masseyfarm]

I continue to see a lot of discussion re- mileage, and some of that with coffee shop napkin references. I also do a lot of strategy planning on the back of napkins, and then loose the info, when that pretty waitress comes and cleans the table.
If you are going to buy/own a motor home (any vehicle for that matter) and are keen to discuss the merits of your asset, then it is important that you develop a system to record all the details.
For those who don't want to be bothered making up an elaborate fuel record diary, just purchase a spiral bound note pad at the local store, and use it like a travelling diary. The spiral pad folds easy and stays together well, and when full, buy another, and store the old one for future reference.
I use one, and record everything, with mileage, date, so that it can be referred back to if desired. (eg. long story/short - going north, we hit a frost heave in the Yukon and went airborne in 2008. After gaining control, I recorded the odometer to watch for it on the return trip. Yep, it was still there unmarked, and I should have had the spouse and camera ready to take a picture of a pickup/trailer in the air, fishtailing toward us, as he headed north. The picture would have won any action contest. Because I missed that opportunity I have since installed a w/s mounted camera that I can operate via the brake light circuit.)

The point is that your memory will fade in time, but if you have it recorded, you can go back and relive each trip highlite/lowlite, with accurate information.

Professional drivers are required to record "Daily Pretrip" books that are available at any truck stop or service center. I also use these books to record the required info, + location AM/PM, and vehicle related info, updates, etc.

If you ever are involved in an accident, and have poor, or no records of your maintenance, you could be in trouble. Record everything, and in the long run it will pay dividends. Even on sale of a unit, the next buyer will be thrilled to have your maintenance records to refer to.

Dave

[John H.]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Your mileage may vary, has never been truer than in motorhomes. The early AS moho on a P30 chassis had a 3 spd transmission with a final drive ratio of 4:56 or at best 4:10.

To compare this to the modern AS with fuel injection, 4 spd overdrive and the Workhorse chassis is like comparing apples to apple cider.

Terrain and driving habits count for a lot too.

The ROI of the diesel swap is all about mileage vs. fuel cost + conversion. I drive a lot of miles and can't make the $'s work.

Now with the addition of the GV I'm in the 11.5 - 12 mpg range and happy with the reduction in RPM's and cabin noise.

Hello Glen, when did you install the GV. system ?
did you do the install Yourself ?
thank You and Merry Christmas

[Myrtle lynn]

Originally Posted by 87MH

.jpg file

To go back to $1.38 a gal. Lol.

[choctawmel]

Originally Posted by Myrtle lynn

To go back to $1.38 a gal. Lol.

I remember pulling the back seat out after someone rode in my car to find gas money. One thin dime would buy 1/2 gallon of gas. I'll still pickup a penny.

[Myrtle lynn]

Originally Posted by choctawmel

I remember pulling the back seat out after someone rode in my car to find gas money. One thin dime would buy 1/2 gallon of gas. I'll still pickup a penny.

Most I remember when I was 16 in 1989 and gas was .74 a gallon.

[John H.]

when I was 16 gas was a Quarter a gallon