86 Chevy C10 fuel mileage?

[cooguyfish]

I just got this truck, it's a 305, 4 speed bulldog trans. I'm told it's original mileage at 69K.

I'm curious as to what fuel mileage this truck should get. I'm only on my first tank and I'm not sure it's doing very well, but the gauge moves around a lot so I'm not sure... It seems like it's going to be around 11-12 mixed/light city.

I'm used to 16-18 with the same driving, in a different truck, so dropping to 11 won't cut it.

I plan on putting in a 5 speed, which I'm sure will help since my 4 speed has no overdrive. O, and it seems like around a 3.08 rear end, it's definitely not high.

What would be things to do/try to get the mileage up (maintenance type stuff)?

One other thought, just because I have one, and I know it's good. I have a 94 caprice 4.3 V8 (yes, 4.3 V8, not v6) I have kicked around the idea of swapping it in since it has the same torque, but a little more HP. Mostly for fuel mileage being fuel injected and all. It's just a thought.

-Brandon

[Nati]

tornado air

[bestracing]

With a 305 motor that old (technology)and running a carb you won't get 16-18 combined milage. My cammed 86 T/A with A4, Holley carb, RPM intake, headers and 2.73 highway gears usually gets 16-18 combined if I go easy on the gas pedal and that car is lighter than the truck too. The more stop and go you have the worse your milage will be compaired to mine.

One thing to check is to see if that is a PCM controlled carb. This system was the first step to EFI. The computer controlled the metering rods in the carb and the timing advance in the distributor along with monitoring other things.

your best bet might be to install that "Baby LT1" into the truck. You have more options then and will achieve a better milage out of it