How low can you lug a carbureted motor?

I'm looking for a 4 door Maverick. I'm looking for decent highway mpg as well as decent city mpg. I'm not looking for a new car. I'm not looking to get 40 mpg. I'm not looking to put a turbo 2.3 in it. Please stop.

paulie

 

Umm you asked for any thoughts on the most efficency possible, several people have thrown out several different options. If you just wanted some reinforcement on what you think you want then phrase it that way dont ask for an opinion .

Also instead of just blowing me off you might just take into account what I have said you might find I am right with the C4 and it might be a better option if all you are doing 90% city driving. My brothers 74 4 door with a 302 and a 3 speed gets alot better mileage in the city then my 5.0 with an AOD and we have a similar gear ratio the same intake and carb. I built my car to run on the highway because that is what I use it for 95% of the time, just me driving back and forth to work. I am running a 5.0 HO with an E303 cam mild port on the heads, edelbrock performer intake, accell ignition, carter 625 cfm carb. I am running an AOD with the 3.0 gear ratio in the rear end right now and I hate to say it my car has no get up and go unless I want to kick the 4V in and then it kills gas.
Now I drive 25 miles to work one way and 20 of that is freeway travel. I run 80-85 because I am on freeway travel and the motor maintains a decent rpm but it starts to kick the 4v in or downshift if I let it fall too much lower then 75, which kills gas. So all in all with me doing the little running around town that I do and the freeway travel I do I average 18-21 mpg. If I do strictly freeway travel I average about 25, if I do strictly city travel like taking my car to salt lake city for the day I average 13-14, the biggest way to corret that for me is to change gear ratio like I plan to this summer to a 3.54 or a 3.73(I have not decided yet).

Now I will say this outright my wife refuses to drive my car. My wife acts like the typical woman and just pulls out in traffic, with the poor acceleration factor from the high gears she has about gotten in several wrecks after watching a 10 wheel and pup lock up his breaks not to run her over then she decided she was not going to drive my car at all untill I got the acceleration fixed. If you even take the time to read this then maybe it is some food for thought, I just hope for your sake you dont go and put a whole lot of work into a car that your wife will refuse to drive, but honestly instead of asking what you want out of this car why dont you ask what she wants out of this car........ You might find you are happily married longer (thats why my wife drives an 05 explorer that gets 20 mpg and I drive a 72 maverick)

 

No it's not that at all. I got lots of good advice on this thread. It's just that my original question had some stipulations which you ignored. And don't worry about my wife. I know her very well.

Thanks everybody. If and when I get this project together I will share the results.

paulie

 

Plovett,

Would you consider a I-6 200? I ran one of those in a bigger car ('66 comet) and it was great. I got 28 mpg on the highway, no kidding. It had great acceleration. Plus the motor was rock-solid. Didn't have any problems with it at all. I know it's not in your original specs but you might check it out? My 2c from experience.

 

26 mpg

I did drive this tank in drive insted of overdrive most of the way only used overdrive over 65 mph cruise rpm around 2,100 in drive (55-60mph) about 90% highway 10%city (30-35 mph lugging cruise)


Still got an o2 sensor code to deal with will update on the next tank

 

Wow! that's really good mpg. Did your 200 I6 have a 3 speed manual?

A 200 would be great but as I understand it, hooking up an overdrive would be more difficult. Not impossible, but more difficult and expensive.

I'm afraid a 200 six in a 4 door full of kids of junk is going to be slug. What do you think?

paulie

 

Thanks! That is really good info. Sounds like you could cruise at 85 mph if you wanted to.

Do you think it'd work better with a 3.25, 3.40, or 3.55 rear gear?


paulie

 

3.55 would be good imo for a driver

 

Thanks! Looking foward to the next mpg update.

paulie

 

Well I'm buying a 250 I6 to build up as a fun project, to eventually replace the stock 200 I6 I have now. I have a foor door 72 Comet. I want to build the 200, but might as well do it to a 250 for a bit more power. I'm getting the 250 with tranny for 250.00.... rare engine in California.
My 2.79 rear gear w/ 200 I6 gets 21 mpg average.
Nuns in wheelchairs are faster....

I have an AOD available to me, been thinking of a high (for a Comet)MPG highway cruiser too.
If I had known about flat top pistons, cam options etc. for more power when I last had the engine rebuilt, I might be happy with the 200's power.
But I'm not. Ok in the city, but going up a long grade sucks.

I went and saw the 2-fitty run in a 68 Falcon from which it will be pulled. I'm getting the tranny too.
The guy is pulling the engine tranny this afternoon..
The engine is D2DE-6015-AA so I know it is a 1972 combo (not a 68)...

 

Awesome! I would love to hear how it turns out. Please let us know how it goes.

I think a 250 with and AOD and maybe some lower gears in the rear end would be a great combo.

paulie

 

I had a 250 C-4 in a second gen Granada, can't remember what year model it was. It got around 20-22 MPG IIRC. No idea what rear it had, but it was all stock. Had plenty of pick up, too. Would do a one wheel peel in a heartbeat! I think it was maybe an 82. I know it was one of the Fairmont/Fox bodied Granadas. Great driving little car, wish I had never traded it, but the wife needed a mini van, or so she thought....

 

It was an automatic. It probably wasn't the best car for passing, if you know what I mean. But, then, I drive a 4-cyl Camry that also isn't real great for passing. Full of kids and junk and going up a long grade. . . you might want the 250.

 

We get around 20 city and 24 highway out of the 72' with a 200 though it does have a msd ignition, header and high flow carb, most of the time its fighting the air current at highway speeds lowering the gas mileage though it doesn't do bad considering the fact that mavericks are aerodynamic bricks. really fuel economy is more about the gearing and the aerodynamics of the vehicle than raw engine power.

 

That 200 is one good engine. I drove one in a Comet for many years, and I was not easy on it either. Can't remember the mpg, but it was pretty good. That engine seemed to have more torque than some 250 inlines.

Aah, Mavericks and Comets, what would we do without them? Mileage? Who cares. Car is too much fun to drive to worry about it. Just tune em up and drive em. Life is good.

Jack