Miles Per Gallon of a 144 Automatic

[Mmenhenitt]

Anyone out there got any idea as to what my 144 S/L Auto should do to the gallon as arough guide. After 80 miles my fuel gauge is down to half!
My car is well serviced and set up properly so would hope to get early 20s
Any thoughts?

[ITSv40]

Not sure about an automatic: but back in the day when they were new my 145S manual used to give 27mpg on 'normal' mixed motoring

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by ITSv40

Not sure about an automatic: but back in the day when they were new my 145S manual used to give 27mpg on 'normal' mixed motoring

That chimes with our experience, too, 'ITSv40'. MPG varies greatly from driver to driver, use, terrain, etc., but our autos always managed around that figure. The most economical was a MOD 145DL that often topped 30.

Regards. John.

[mentepazza]

Autobox will give you 20-22 mpg.
That doesn’t explain half a tank for 80 miles.
I would check if any leak is undergoing.

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by mentepazza

Autobox will give you 20-22 mpg.
That doesn’t explain half a tank for 80 miles.
I would check if any leak is undergoing.

Again, 'mentepazza', depending upon how it is driven; we regularly achieved significantly more than the figure you quote.

I agree with you regarding the possibility of a leak, though. Either that, or some other fault such as a worn carburettor, for example. Fitting electronic ignition improved consumption a little too, as well as being more reliable than conventional points.

Regards. John.

[mentepazza]

Mpg figure with our old Volvo vary depending on many different situation.
That’s not the point. The point is half a tank for 80 miles is not right.
It’s quite common on the 240 fuel leaking out of the hose connected to the tank.
Guess the same on your 144. I would not wait a minute longer to check if that is the case.
Worn carb would warn you with lower engine performance, difficult to start the engine, black smoke out of the exhaust.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Mmenhenitt

Anyone out there got any idea as to what my 144 S/L Auto should do to the gallon as arough guide. After 80 miles my fuel gauge is down to half!
My car is well serviced and set up properly so would hope to get early 20s
Any thoughts?

you cant really hope for much more than 25 mpg , but you have not done any calculations regarding how much fuel has actually been used . It's guess work at the moment .

[mentepazza]

Or might be just the fuel gauge.

[classicswede]

Both my 144 auto and 145 both do around 30MPG on local driving a bit better on motorway runs. Our manual 140's all do a little bit better.

You should at by getting at least 25MPG

[Laird Scooby]

Long time ago since i had a 144 auto but i used to get 32mpg out of it, only mod from standard was a Sparkrite SX2000 electronic ignition and used ATF in the carb dashpot - that was Volvo recommended anyway but worked well.