1994 Four Winds w/ 93 Ford E 350 What Gas Mileage should I be seeing??

[clown9644]

I recently bought this 1994 Four Winds w/ 93 Ford E 350 Class C.  Loving my almost antique Motor Home, it really fits every need I have.  Yes it has some issues that I will fix over time but it is a really solid unit.  Not nearly as many surprises as that Class A I bought first and I am happy to say I sold to a guy looking for a project for this winter.  I did give full disclosure and did a big show and tell, but priced it accordingly.  Yep I took a beating.

My question is what kind of Gas mileage should I be getting?  My math came up with about 3.7 mpg.  I drive posted speeds, highway is 55 and some 65 and go through a few small towns at 25, use cruise control whenever possible, try to do coasting stops and even had the tires checked for proper pressure before this short trip, about 90 miles round trip.  I will be under the unit some time this week in search of a possible leak in tank or line as I really expected to be about twice this, I figured if I behaved myself I would get nearer to 8 or 9.

I will be checking all the visual things, such as leaks, air filter, bad wires and similar items and am open to suggestions or confirmation that about 4 mpg is good for this type Class C

 

[Back2PA]

Yes should be 8-10. That's a fairly short trip to use to calculate mileage, I would top the tank and then burn down to 1/4 and check your math again.

 

[Larry N.]

Note that a lot of starts and stops (or even slow way downs, then speed way ups) cut badly into the mileage -- that 8-10 (if that's what it should get)  is when it is mostly highway driving, perhaps with an occasional small town, and on one that old, you'll have a better chance of that mileage at 55 than at 65. The further you drive (up to a point) the better the average, for highway usage. Don't forget how headwinds and hills affect your mileage,  too. As Sun says, that's not much distance for calculating mileage, and differences in the slope of the gas station apron can account for a gallon or more difference in fill capacity.

Sorry if you're already aware of all this, but not everyone is.

 

[SeilerBird]

You cannot reliably calculate gas mileage from one tank. Not all pump shut off at the exact same point so it is possible that a full tank from one gas station is radically different than a full tank from another. Along with the points that have been made above you need more data.

 

[clown9644]

Yes I am familiar with the variances you all mentioned but in my past experience we are talking about maybe a 1/2-1 mpg differences.  I was really expecting to be nearer to the 8 mark than the 4 mark.  I was a tad surprised to a $1.75 gas bill per mile.  Oddly enough since it was a round trip I did fill up on my way out and again when I got back not only at the same station but I used the same pump, etc. so that one variable was eliminated.

For what I use it for it will be mostly 90 to 100 mile trips.  I a Sprint Car race fan of many years and follow a racing group when they are in that range.  I go to 2 tracks each week that will have that mileage.  I drive past one to get to the other for first night and then pull in for the second night.  I know, weird, but fun for me.  I got the C as the really nice TT was becoming too much for me to hook up with Weight Dist. Hitch and all.  I really needed the get in and turn the key type RV and I do really like my old guy.

I am taking a couple of days off to rest up (after race parties go into the mornings and can be loud too) but will be doing all the due diligence to make sure I am getting the best that I can.  Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

4 mpg seems very low, but it wouldn't surprise me to see 6 mpg on that vintage of rig in local highway use.  1993 wasn't a great year for fuel economy on a heavily loaded E350 van (every van carrying a Class C coach body is "heavily loaded", right from the factory).

I'll echo what the others said, though. A single 90 mile trip is not a solid basis for any conclusions at all. I would consider it a warning to watch closely and measure carefully in the near future and see what happens.

 

[Lou Schneider]

If you run the generator while you're camped at the track, that will significantly reduce your apparent MPG on a short trip as it draws fuel from the same tank.

90 miles at 9 MPG is 10 gallons.  If the generator is in proper tune, figure on it using 1/2 to 3/4 gallon per hour, depending on the load.  8 hours of generator run time  will use another 4-6 gallons.

14 gallons over 90 miles will make your apparent mileage  6.4 MPG.  16 gallons will make it 5.6 MPG.