Poor gas mileage!

I have a 73 with a 2bbl 302. How big is my tank? I drove 100 miles on 3/4 tank at 60mph average at 2500rpm...if it's 18 gal then I am getting 7 MPG!!! That is WORSE than my F150 with the 351! That is worse than the 69 HEMI CHARGER I used to drive. WTF?

I know my carb needs to be rebuilt but could it really be so bad that it gulps gas like that and still runs? My car will sort of bog down and will stall if you stomp it so I'm sure it's something to do with the carb. That can't be good for the engine.

 

http://www.webwinder.com/wwhtmbin/java_mpg.html

 

'73 has a 15 gallon tank..... but it still sounds like it's using too much fuel. check your plugs, timing, and points (if applicable)

 

My carb stalls out when you punch it and the accelerator pump leaks.I seem to remember it getting decent mileage and I thought it got better mileage than the wifes Windstar with the 3.6.

 

Ethanol in todays gasoline has probably ate the rubber on the accelartor pump inside the carburetor.

 

The rebuild kit for a Motorcraft 2100 is like $15. If I rebuilt and cleaned out the carb it should help with the mileage right?

 

I'm sure it will. Make sure your tune up is good too. (timing, points etc)

 

Okay. This will be the first tune up I have ever done. It idles at around 600 or so, under 1000 for sure.
I have a timing light what should the stock timing be? How do I check the points?

 

I'd sure think so. Definitely can't hurt, especially since you need it anyway. The stumble when you hit the pedal sounds like an accelerator pump problem, (although that happens when the timing isn't right also) and keep this in mind... Don't rely on the fuel gauge to be accurate for determining gas mileage. They're not even designed to be accurate when they were new, and they sure won't be now. The only good way (assuming your speedometer is right) is top off your tank, write down your odometer reading, then drive around and top it off again. The gallons dispensed to bring it back to the top will be a more exact amount you can use to figure it out.

 

7mpg seems a little wrong for a stock 302 from 1973. These cars were supposed to be thrifty and economical even the V8 was supposed to be good on gas. There is no way it can be getting that bad of mileage.

 

factory timing should be set at 10* BTDC

 

The timing light strobe isn't steady. It sort of skips every so often...when I hook it up to my pickup the strobe is steady and seems "better". Granted the idle on the F150 is around 1000rpm and the Comet is around 650-700rpm. Not that I could see where the timing marks were anyway. The balancer is underneath the belts and pulleys and brackets and hard to see.
Sparkplugs might be screwy?
Great, those doodads are expensive.

 

if it's a little "strobe-y" then i would go ahead and check the wires, cap, rotor and points right off. these are also cheap parts so if they havent been changed in awhile, i'd go ahead and just buy it all. you can buy plugs, wires, cap, rotor, point & the carb kit for under $75 i bet

 

The strobe from the light gun isn't steady. The trucks strobe is steady as a rock.
As soon as I can afford such luxuries I will most definitely buy them, thanks!

 

If it makes you feel any better I can only go 200 miles on a full tank in mine...and its a 6 cylinder...lol

Not sure how to fix it either...the timing is set way up at like 18(I think...its wayyy past the timing plate)...if I drop it down to where its supposed to be the car wont run at all.