I'm about ready to get rid of this 1972 comet. Its sitting on the side of the road and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it got stolen (which it won't since our town is so small) But anyway it seems like something goes wrong with it everyday. We didn't get this as a project car. It was in good condition as far as interior and exterior but the motor could be use some work but it runs decent. I don't know jack crap about cars and my husband knows very little besides the basics and we refuse to dish out any more money to the mechanic for stupid little (expensive) crap. Ok here is my problem now! My son has ran out of gas twice in 7 days (which it doesn't help that the stupid gas gauge doesn't work!). I did some calculating and it is showing the car to be getting about 4 to 5 miles per gallon!!! This is freaking nuts. Its a small motor so its not like we have a hot rod car muscle car that drains the gas tank. Its all city miles so I know it will be lower but we don't even have stop lights in our town so its not like hes stopping and going constantly. So here's my question: Does anyone know why we are getting such crappy gas mileage??? Or does anyone want to buy a comet????? haha
what has been done so far? did anyone tell you what is wrong with the gas gauge? what engine/transmission? how did you calculate fuel economy?
We really haven't done much too it but we had the carburetor redone put in points and condensor, replaced the spark plugs, new ignition coil...just little things like that because it was having trouble staying running and now its made the gas mileage crappy. My husband tested the wires to the tanks?? (I'm not really sure what all he tested) But he assumes its the fuel sending unit that is messed up with it because when he did it tests it would start moving to FULL with whatever he was doing to it haha. I really don't know how to explain it. Right now we don't want to put $100 into it and that not be the problem. We live 60 miles out in the boonies so going to a salvage yard to find one will end up costing about the same as a new one shipped to us. Well....I just estimated the amount of gas we put in it this week since it was bone dry when we put it in...took the amount of miles he has drove in the last 7 days and did my calculations from there. They may not be on the dot but its gonna be pretty close. We have been watching it close because he asks for gas money soooo much!
You can't expect a 40 year old car to be a reliable daily driver while investing minimal effort into setting it up. Right off the bat, I'm thinking the kid isn't putting all of the money in the tank either. How old is the kid and why isn't he on here asking questions? I would recommend driving the car for a week or two yourself so you can see what your son is faced with. But I still think a 40 year old car is for an enthusiast who understands that on a car this old, everything is about to break. So how many times do you suppose the odometer has been turned over?
there is definitively some thing wrong with that gas mileage. if there isnt any foul play like the the kid keeping the money or some one siphoning the gas out you need to figure out where the gas is going. i would check the oil level. if its really high on the dip stick the gas is getting into the crank case through the fuel pump. it will need a new fuel pump put on to fix this. if the motor runs well and your eyes dont burn and tear up when your behind the car then chances are the gas is leaking out of the car. you should see a wet puddle on the ground if its leaking.
Rebuild the carb or adjust the floats. This happened to me when I was a kid driving a 53 Opera window GMC Pick up. My uncle set me straight. (Dumb Kid). But if everything that is aforementioned doesnt work thats where Id go. 40 year old cars are not daily drivers unless you have the skills to keep them working. A 40 year old car that has not been babied or given a full resto needs a full resto or a good home. I could use a comet to go with my mav, if you feel like selling it, Im sure one of us would give you a fair price.
ITs pretty tough to buy a 40 year old car without having to fix it or pay someone to fix it. Thats kind of part of owning a very old car. As far as the fuel mileage...to get what you calculated it would be pooring a ton of unburned fuel out of the tail pipe. You would know if it was running that bad, trust me. IF you dont have the skills or interest in fixing it then you have no choice but to pay someone or sell the car. Maybe an old car isnt your thing??
Where are you located in Texas and how much do you want for it ? The poor fuel mileage could be due to almost anything, including your son's right foot. Actually, that's probably the main cause, and usually is with teenagers. If you're concerned with fuel economy, buy him a toyota, honda, or any other small car.
It could be as simple as a dry-rotted or defective hose between the fuel pump and carburetor.With the hood up and engine idling it may go unnoticed,but rev it up and get it under pressure and move that hose around, it might be a different story.This happened on my son's jeep.It was after losing 2 tanks of gas(His gas guage not working ,either)before the pinhole was discovered. Good luck !
I don't know how old your son is, but if he's a teenager I may know of the reason for the poor fuel mileage! I'm not picking on him, but when I was that age, my fuel mileage was in gallons per mile! Your method of checking the mileage should be right on if the odometer is correct. That's the way I did my mine when my gas gauge didn't work. Ok, now for a different approach. Try to make sure you don't have a " running " leak. You may not even smell this! Check the entire length of the fuel line and hoses. You will most likely see a stain or clean spot if fuel has leaked. I would replace all of the fuel hoses. This doesn't cost much. There is a little short one just about where the front of the drivers door is. Don't overlook that one. It leaked on my car and I didn't know it for a long time! Check the metal line carefully for rust too. If it's really rusty, I'd replace it. It's not expensive either. I'd hate to see you sell your car over some simple problem! Look at it this way also, what you spend on the car per month is way less than a car payment, right!
And if you are concerned with RELIABLITLY...do the same. P.S. And here I thought I was the ONLY one who didn't think teenagers should be driving 40 year old cars for daily drivers. After reading all the responses, it is nice to know I am not alone.
I'm right there with you guys. I guess I come from a different school of thought too. My 1st vehicle was a 65 pickup that I had to pay for the parts to fix it and the gas to drive it. Dad helped me do the repairs but the financial end was my responsibility. My 2nd car was a 72 Comet with the same program. I thought those cars were relilable but come to think of it, I just did all of the repairs. If you can't or don't want to pay a mechanic for the repairs for a 40 year old car, then maybe you don't need a 40 year old car. Reliability then is not the same as reliability now. Major services were done yearly then and now they are nearing 100k miles before major repairs are necessary in most cases.
I absolutely agree 100% with both above. First of all, the Mavericks and Comets are good cars. I had a 1974 Dodge Charger and eventually a 1969 Chevelle SS with no mother or father to help me purchase either, let alone give me any gas or insurance money as I was on my own at 17 and in the military. I became well-acquainted with Chilton's Manuals, (there was no internet then), local salvage yards and busted knuckles as the cars nickel and dimed me until I was able to bring each back to life, respectively. Once I had stabilized each, (it took a couple thousand dollars and it would have been a LOT more had I not done the work myself), I realized the benefits of the education, no car payments and insurance costs were very manageable. The Charger had gone from hassle to challenge to fully repaired and what I'd learned from it developed confidence, and inspired me to apply that knowledge to the Chevelle. Yes, there were times of frustration. But tenacity pays dues. Your expectations are too high with a car nearly a half century old and not knowing its history. Although cosmetically it appears fine, mechanically it is evident it's been neglected. Yes, it has an an ailment, but it CAN be remedied to run fine! An assumption; get your son away from the video games. Have him research the internet and ask the questions that you are on this site. Many sharp individuals here who can help you. Your son needs to be engaged in "Shade Tree Mechanic 101" action if he hopes to reach a resolution. The advantage is; he will totally benefit from the experience. That, or plan to spend more money on a newer car, payments, insurance - work the calculator...
Turned out to be something simple and never even ran out of gas!! I would sell it but its such a cool car and I doubt I could get my money back out of it.
