Jump to content
HybridZ

How much miles per gallon does your z give?


Recommended Posts

Just took a 4 tank average. 1976 280Z, Stock EFI, 205 65R 15 tires on 15x7 Konig Rewinds. 93 degree heat in S. Florida, A/C on the entire time. Car has factory 4-speed and the usual R200 diff with 3:54 ratio. Driving is about 60% city 40% highway. I drive it moderately hard... Plenty of down shifting and 80mph runs on the Florida TPK. No effort made to "keep my foot out of it". Mobile Gas 89 Octane with Summer Blend 10% ethanol (hurts MPGs) Results on 4 tanks---17mpg

 

Overall--never worse than 15.5 mpg---city/stop and go ONLY with a/c on.

 

Best ever is 23mpg at 75 to 80MPH with the a/c off in cooler weather, ONLY on the highway. A lighter foot might stretch this a little. But an overdrive would put the car into the mid to high 20s on the expressway.

 

A little MORE COMPRESSION would help a lot too. But the motor only has 159K on it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 43
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Just took a 4 tank average. 1976 280Z, Stock EFI, 205 65R 15 tires on 15x7 Konig Rewinds. 93 degree heat in S. Florida, A/C on the entire time. Car has factory 4-speed and the usual R200 diff with 3:54 ratio. Driving is about 60% city 40% highway. I drive it moderately hard... Plenty of down shifting and 80mph runs on the Florida TPK. No effort made to "keep my foot out of it". Mobile Gas 89 Octane with Summer Blend 10% ethanol (hurts MPGs) Results on 4 tanks---17mpg

 

Overall--never worse than 15.5 mpg---city/stop and go ONLY with a/c on.

 

Best ever is 23mpg at 75 to 80MPH with the a/c off in cooler weather, ONLY on the highway. A lighter foot might stretch this a little. But an overdrive would put the car into the mid to high 20s on the expressway.

 

A little MORE COMPRESSION would help a lot too. But the motor only has 159K on it...

 

So you're tellin me that there is a 76 280 on Konigs running around in Lake Worth??? How the heck have I never seen you? Granted, I usually stick around the north end of town (PBG thru Lantana == "Town" to me; I am an old skool West Palm baby.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

75 Fairlady Z Automatic, 4.11 Gears, stock L24 with triple 40 Mikuini PHH's & Trust/Greddy Exhaust: 28mpg steady at 65mph from Victorville to Phoenix.

 

74 260Z, Late 5 Speed, 3.7 Gears, Stock L26 with stock exhaust as low as 19mpg from Oglalla NE to Grand Rapids MI in about 10.5 hours (math skills). Same car running through Wisconsin later in the same trip cracked 27mpg when not exceeding 65mph through the entire state. Averaged 24mpg at highway cruise, and 17 in small cities and gravel roads playing WRC.

 

75 FairladyZ 2/2, 3.9 gears, early 5 Speed, 2.5" Crush Bent Exhaust, towing an 800# trailer at 3200 freeway rpms got consistent 22mpg. Gets roughly the same mileage when cruising at 3500 rpms on the highway with no trailer. Hard to break below 20 in town. Car dynoed at 147rwhp, turned consistent 15.50's in SanAntonio all day long.

 

73 240Z, 3.7 gears, late 5 speed, Blowthrough 44 Mikuini Triples combined commuter duty at 17mpg. Personal best (?) mileage: 5mpg...on a track, of course. One that winds through Hacienda Heights, it has since been removed I believe...yeah, track...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fill ups are really the easiest way to calculate it...

I figured as much since I've searched the forum on how to fix the fuel gauge needle moving around every minute to no avail. I guess the only way is to replace the fuel gauge and the fuel gauge float? (the thing inside the fuel tank)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With boost and a lead foot....I don't even want to talk about it.

 

But WE do!!

 

Not to pick on your post in particular, but the idea of being bashful about the MPG of your performance-built vehicle, or not wanting to talk about it has always struck me as odd...

 

It isn't like its something to be ashamed of... Fast cars burn gas, it goes without saying. There is a reason I don't even look at any boat larger than 25 feet... Even a 25 foot Mako with a 150-200 horse on it would drink too much gas for me to "just take it out whenever..." I would need to think about gas money. A 19 footer with a 90-125, on the other hand... HUGE difference. I make that decision when I buy the boat; you make the MPG decision when you build the car.

 

But it is a data point just like any other, and I think that the PURPOSE of this thread is to compare the fuel consumption of Z-cars in EVERY trim, from stock DD, to eco-modded DD, to full blown race. (John Coffey, Greg Ira, Tony, Braap, jmortensen, any other racers want to chime in?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright, I haven't really analyzed the numbers lately but with me always wanting to drive in boost, I say I am averaging about 14mpg driving around town. Not sure about highway yet, because I just got a sweet 81 5-speed in the car and I am using my stock 3.54 r180

 

14 mpg is not all that bad for a hi-po sports car at ALL, I was afraid you would say more like ten. My brother estimated that his ITS car is going to yield about 5-6 mpg, and that blew my mind even though I know it is likely true...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, after my recent carb re-tune, my wallet sure *feels* like it's getting better MPG, but I guess the real test will be when I drive out to visit my folks in a few weeks. My best ever on that trip (~130-150 miles, depending on the route) was 20mpg. My gut is saying I might be able to do 23ish this next one...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Rolling Parts
14 mpg is not all that bad for a hi-po sports car at ALL, I was afraid you would say more like ten. My brother estimated that his ITS car is going to yield about 5-6 mpg, and that blew my mind even though I know it is likely true...

 

 

Most cars get 5-10mpg when accelerating. Any car that's driven like a sports car SHOULD get lousy mileage. Fast acceleration requires high power and high power comes from high fuel flow.

 

The MAIN way to get better mileage is to drive very conservatively off the line with very little throttle. Anyone can get 17-20mpg in the city with a light 1st gen Z car with just about any engine under the hood or whatever gears are in back. The "trick" is not demanding power and that means driving like an old lady for the entire time between fill ups.

 

Personally; I did not buy a 1st gen Z car to drive like an old lady.

 

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 7 months later...

I actually keep track of this on every car i've owned.

 

1973Z with 280z engine= 22mpg city 26mpg hwy

1974Z stock 15mpgcity 22mpg hwy

 

Friends 1973Z? EFI [i think?] 26mpg city 32mpg hwy.

^^^stock?

 

He's been working on making light and idk what the heck he's done besides that. Car is gutted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You got better mileage in the city than on the highway?

 

 

yeah, when Im on the highways in montana the car is rarely under 95mph, unless im in a hotspot for highway patrol.

 

In the city, I dont even mess around with driving like an asshat, I save that for track days/auto-x or late night drifting sessions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...