Well my stock '77 Z made it 140 miles going from Atlatna to Nashville before I had to fill up. Got a whopping 13 mpg. Later checked and am getting 11 mpg in the city.

If your '77 is truly stock, then you must have a problem. My '78 gets 17 in the city, and that's with a 3.9 diff instead of the 3.545 that is stock. I could get more in the 18-19 if/when I put the original diff back. And I have a pretty heavy foot...

Mark

Hey it's an old thread but I'll reply to it anyway. I've always been pretty OCD about checking mileage (always try to fill from the same pump so car is at same angle, and I always top it to the rim of the filler - easy to do in an early Z).

Like the Johnny Cash song, "I've been everywhere, man" - and so has my Z.

When I lived in Germany I typically used:

Around 8 to 9 liters per 100km on pure Landstrasse driving (rural highway, approximately 90-100km/h or 55-60mph). This works out to about 28mpg US.

Around 12 to 14 liters per 100km pure city driving (about 17 - 20 mpg US)

On the Autobahn at slower speeds (120 km/h to 140km/h or 75mph to 87mph) about 10 liters per 100km which is about 24mpg US

On the Autobahn balls-to-the-wall (200km/h to 220km/h or 125mph to 137mph) about 18 liters per 100km (about 13mpg US). This was the most fun mileage check of all - I'd fill up at one Tankstelle on the Autobahn in the middle of the night with little or no traffic, and drive it floored to the next fill-up several hundred kilometers down the road. Whoooo--EEEEEEEEE!!! :laugh:

My usual mix of driving in Europe usually resulted in an average of 11 liters per 100km (about 21 mpg).

Moved back to the US in 2004 and since then I've been averaging around 23 mpg (I tend to take the car out less in city situations, plus out on the interstate I don't get the chance to drive all that fast anymore). Best tankful in the past few years was 30.1 mpg and that was at a steady 65mph gas station to gas station on an interstate. Worst was 14.5 mpg, all city driving in traffic jams.

Three things that kill mpg in these older tech cars: short trips, traffic jams and cold weather, especially in combination.

My Z's setup: 2.8 Liter (not high compression), 5-Speed, ZX electronic ignition, K&N Filters, Z-Therapy Carbs, MSA Cam (fairly mild), 6 into 1 Headers, 2-1/2" Exhaust System with a FlowMaster muffler, Tokico Shocks, Lowering Springs and Antiroll Bars, all suspension and steering rubber replaced with urethane, and 16" Wheels with 225/50-VR16 tires. It's hibernating right now (that reminds me, I've got to go put the trickle charger back on it - had to charge up my Jeep's battery pending installation of a new Alternator yesterday).

Best wishes,

John

Edited February 13, 201213 yr by ZAutobahn

Saw some mention here about gas prices. We are paying $2-7 to $2-12 a litre for the lowest octane fuel here, which is 91. If you want the higher octane which is 96, we pay another 10 cents litre.

Lots of smaller cars on the roads now.

Price here in Edmonton is $1.06/litre,wish I could test the fuel consumption but probably another month and a half before she comes out of storage!

We are being screwed here in NZ.:disappoin

Well, you do live on an island! I imagine shipping costs are a big reason you pay more. We produce the stuff right here, the oilsands are only 150 miles from here!

Yea I guess thats the reason. We also pay huge taxes on it for roading and such. When the Govt. is short they whack a bit more on to gas.

We are being screwed here in NZ.:disappoin

Try here.. 1 litre euro95 for 1.73 in town, and 1.83 highway prices

to fill up the Z will cost me about 90 euro...and that's gone very fast

I know the feeling bro... i know the feeling... Not that easy just hit the road and go for a road trip, got to save a few hundred first to be able to fill tank...

75% of fuel price here is goverment taxes.. If I fill up in Germany saves me 18 euro cents a litre.

Fuel prices are even higher up there right?

sorry double post

About the same.. :/ Depends on octane used. 98 is closer to 2 € per litre