Slow acceleration

[Jerry Winchester]

Where was Ken when I was parked next to all the mini Mooney's?

One of the guys that flew in with us told me yesterday before we left that he was going to rethink his whole camping strategy. He said, "Hey, I look like a Mooney guy camping; little bitty tent, SpongeBob folding chairs, and a beach towel for an awning." He had been down to Camp JW where we had the 10' tall tent, full sized awning, generator, chairs, table, Go-PED, ice chest, fan, etc. Of course, you couldn't haul that in a Mooney cuz you couldn't get it in there and still have room to fly it, so density altitude for them was no issue.

Yep, I have to do a MangoMike and work for a couple of days, but when I get caught up, the crap will fly. The photos from OSH will add enough color to keep us whacking Jon until Santa Fe.

And there were exactly two P-210's there. And he pointed them out at every opportunity.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

There were only 2 P210s there because their owners usually don't go back-packing. If we can't do it first class we don't do it.

Hence, Casa del Liberty.

[win42]

7.82, 8.3 mpg. If I ever got that kind of mileage I would shoot up a flare. More like 5 or less towing, 6 not towing. Where I mostly run in CA and OR it is hilly but?
Maybe I need a crash course in accelerator operation. The coach gets serviced on a regular basis. When parked It is started and ran for thirty minutes minimum every month between trips, I'm sure that has some bearing on avg. mileage. Secrets please I need secrets. Maybe I need big tires on the back and little bitty ones on the front so I can travel down hill all the time. Only thing saving my bacon is my Chevron and Exon stock increases.

[mike kerley]

Win42, I'm with you . I get excited when I check in "close" to 6 mpg.

That only happens when I catch a good tail wind for an extended period.

With an 8V92, I think we should learn to expect 5 to 6 (speed makes a very small difference on mine) and accept it. Keep the filters clean, shop for the fuel on line and enjoy the moment.

Mike

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Apples and oranges guys. I recorded every gallon of fuel every put into my 8V92 (I do it for my current bus too) and I averaged 5.6 for the 15 years I ran the coach. That is not a number based on one or two tankfulls, but on annual totals for fuel and miles. It is not as accurate as the figures for the current coach which comes from the Detroit Diesel Pro Driver because the old coach totals include generator operation. I had no way to isolate that fuel use.

The Series 60 by design is a more efficient engine, hence the ability to deliver better mileage (not skewed by generator usage) with a 4000 pound heavier coach. The fuel savings alone is not a sufficient justification to get a newer coach, but it is a major consideration.

[win42]

Mike
Thanks I guess I'm not alone. A friend of mine told me he drove a truck with a 8V92 in it and he was unhappy with it's performance as he was trying to finess his driving. The truck owner told him the only way to drive an 8V92 is to go out in the morning put your hand in the door jamb, slam the door hard on it, get in and drive it pissed off the rest of the day. He said it worked.
I wonder if there isn't a little creative mileage calculating going on. Well I can't imagine !!

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Look at the brite side, this makes for easy fuel calculations, 6mpg divided by 3 dollars a gallon and wala 50cents a mile! You also will be pleased to know that when your only getting 5.5 nursing it down the road at 62 or 63 that gives you the luxury of just going ahead and stepping it up to 70 or 75 with reletivly little difference, so hammer down! Our 86 has 3.31 rear end ratio and it doesnt hit the big hole til 61 mph, you gotta run 65 to keep it from downshifting the grades and I think it loves 72,73.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Listen up folks. Joe is a real driver and he speaks volumes.

My old 8V92 was geared low and although Jerry breaks my chops about 62 MPH that was the sweet spot. It was 1800 RPM and I still had a few MPH available if needed. If I drove 70 I was screwed because my top speed was about 72. You get hung out to dry if you can't go faster than you are running sometimes.

I drive slow now because I never have to kick off the cruise control, my MPG is good, and despite the ball breaking I have to endure from Jealous Jerry, on long runs I will often see the same guys go smoking by me.....about three or four times a day. I don't have a job so I don't have to hurry.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Let only the wind and the weather be our governer!

[Ray Davis]

Given this thread was about acceleration, I wonder if we're going to have that issuse going to SF. According my research here, SF sits at 7000 feet, which means we're going to do some climbing.

Anyone know if there are any steep grades (downgrades) on the road to/from CA to Santa Fe? I'm not sure that my jake brake is working (it might with the temporary mod suggested by Country Coach until I get the logic board fixed), but I just don't know. So, I'm always a bit hesitant in mountain driving.

Hopefully things will be all fixed before October. Fingers crossed.