So, I guess I'm back in a VW..

[ORCoaster]

A "Sport ride" comes at a cost,  20-25 mpg versus what I think the normal Rabbits with the gas engine pulled mid thirtys.  The diesel is the ticket on MPGs.  Absoulute King of the Castle there.  What other mid 80's car got 50 mpg.  Granted you have to drive at 50 mph to get that but that is the definition of 50/50 driving isn't it mgh/mph?   

[8v-of-fury]

I can get 42-45 driving 75-80mph so I call that good enough

[ORCoaster]

Yeah, I was only kidding on the 50 mph speed.  I think most of us can hit mid 40's to high 40's doing 65-70 with our 5 speeds with the .71 fifth gear.  Not sure what the .76 gets if it is all that much lower.  It it only a few hundred rpms less with the taller gear.

[8v-of-fury]

I have the 3.94 and .75 in that car. Can do 50+, if I do the speed limit.

[maxfax]

Crawled under the thing tonight..   Has an AUG  3.67 Final 0.89 5th.. Which isn't too terrible 2nd gear syncro is crap on it, so I was gonna use the ACH (3.94 final, 0.75 5th) from the old Crackbunny.. Which equates to 299 RPM more on the Cabby..

  I remember getting 29 to 35 outta the original gasser that was in one of the bunnies.... Of course this thing is much peppier than that thing ever was.. After talking the the PO indeed he never saw better than 28 outta the thing..  How sad.. Even sadder that General Motors (King of screw-ups) could manage a solid mid 20's from an early 90's v8 underpowered full sized wagon.. Now I remember why I have no time for petro VW's..  


The crack bunny never EVER saw less than 46mpg..  Hammering it up mountains, loaded with tools, and a crap engine..

[theman53]

Never got more than 32 out of my GTI. Best was that 32mpg, average was probably 28 but it routinely saw 26-27mpg most of the time. I have heard of VW gasser 1.8s getting mid 30's but never met someone in person that actually did it.

[maxfax]

I have heard of VW gasser 1.8s getting mid 30's but never met someone in person that actually did it.

Same here it seems..  Asked a few others that had 1.8 Jettas and 24 - 28 seems to be the magic numbers..

 

[8v-of-fury]

whatever 650km to a 55l tank is what my 90 1.8 digi does. and a 3 speed too.

[maxfax]

whatever 650km to a 55l tank is what my 90 1.8 digi does. and a 3 speed too.

That'd be 27.8 mpg..    So let me throw this out there, since I really don't pay attention to anything made after '95, what's the new crap getting?

[8v-of-fury]

Similar?

[bbob203]

I have a .75 5th gear for sale if your interested..

[maxfax]

Is there an issue with cabby temp gauges that I'm not finding in my searches??  I've checked the wiring, and the grounds before anyone asks..  The gas ( ) gauge works so I'm ruling out the voltage regulator in the cluster..  I cleaned the contacts on the the back of the cluster and it's still dead most of the time.. Once every blue moon the thing does work for a while..

[homerj1]

Is there an issue with cabby temp gauges that I'm not finding in my searches??  I've checked the wiring, and the grounds before anyone asks..  The gas ( ) gauge works so I'm ruling out the voltage regulator in the cluster..  I cleaned the contacts on the the back of the cluster and it's still dead most of the time.. Once every blue moon the thing does work for a while..

Did you clean the grounds on the back of the cluster itself?

Also,  sometimes the long plug that connects into the cluster can be loose. If you put a small piece of tape on the backside of the female part of contacts that are on the cluster, then connect the plug - it will press the contacts on the male part of the plug and the female contacts of the cluster together tighter.

I hope this make sense - as I'm only 1 espresso into the morning. 

[RabbitJockey]

the membrane that has the circuits going through it on the back of the cluster will often break and lose connection so you may have to jumper the signal straight to the back of the temp sensor(stud and nut).  this is a really common problem on all vw clusters.

[maxfax]

Back on this darn temp gauge..  I addressed all that was mentioned above, some of it a second time..  I have it hardwired now, gauge works when it wants.. It almost has to be the gauge at this point..  Oddly enough in these super cold temps when I have the misfortune of having to drive the cabby (heat sucks!) the darn thing works every time..  Anyone done any surgery on the gauge itself?