how to improve milage on 87 polo

hi there,
am trying to improve my milage on my 1987 1050cc VW polo. from my
odometer calculations i have been getting around 20mpg for the last 2
years.i can remember doing better than 35mpg for urban
driving.observations so far:


-odometer: drove a bit behind a friends car.mine is 9% slower than his,
but this translates to a incr of 2mpg only (i want 35mpg!!)
-spark plugs: mine (compared to the haynes color page on plugs) they
are a nice tan brown, not black with carbon or oily.gapped ok
-air/oil filter: changed annually
-wheels: jacked car and spun each to see if they are binding.
-choke: rpm does actually go down from around 2000 to 900 after 1 minute
-ign timing: spot on with strobe
-distr cap & rotor: changd last year,no improvement.
-carb: cleaned out float bowl and jets this year.
-tyres:kept inflated correctly with my own pump
-boot: only spare tyre & jack. no junk


i am at loss of what to try before taking it to a garage.
i am contemplating polishing exterior and removing mirrors to gain a
few mpg !


also: i pulled each lead off one at a time with the engine running and
each cylinder appeared to be contributing well.
i have never had the ignition leads changed. do new leads give better
mileage or is it either it works or it doesnt part?


thanks for patiently reading my post

beerismygas wrote:
> hi there,
> am trying to improve my milage on my 1987 1050cc VW polo. from my
> odometer calculations i have been getting around 20mpg for the last 2
> years.i can remember doing better than 35mpg for urban
> driving.observations so far:
>
>
> -odometer: drove a bit behind a friends car.mine is 9% slower than
> his, but this translates to a incr of 2mpg only (i want 35mpg!!)
> -spark plugs: mine (compared to the haynes color page on plugs) they
> are a nice tan brown, not black with carbon or oily.gapped ok

When were they last changed? (# miles)

-Plug wires When were they last changed?

> -air/oil filter: changed annually

How many miles is that? What oil? Synthetic will help a little and
don't use heaver oil that recommended in your owner's manual

> -wheels: jacked car and spun each to see if they are binding.
> -choke: rpm does actually go down from around 2000 to 900 after 1
> minute
> -ign timing: spot on with strobe
> -distr cap & rotor: changd last year,no improvement.
> -carb: cleaned out float bowl and jets this year.
> -tyres:kept inflated correctly with my own pump
> -boot: only spare tyre & jack. no junk

Fuel filter?

How about a compression check?
>
>
> i am at loss of what to try before taking it to a garage.
> i am contemplating polishing exterior and removing mirrors to gain a
> few mpg !
>
>
> also: i pulled each lead off one at a time with the engine running and
> each cylinder appeared to be contributing well.
> i have never had the ignition leads changed. do new leads give better
> mileage or is it either it works or it doesnt part?
>
>
> thanks for patiently reading my post

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

have you tried being a bit more gentle on the gas pedal?


"beerismygas" > wrote in message
om...
> hi there,
> am trying to improve my milage on my 1987 1050cc VW polo. from my
> odometer calculations i have been getting around 20mpg for the last 2
> years.i can remember doing better than 35mpg for urban
> driving.observations so far:
>
>
> -odometer: drove a bit behind a friends car.mine is 9% slower than his,
> but this translates to a incr of 2mpg only (i want 35mpg!!)
> -spark plugs: mine (compared to the haynes color page on plugs) they
> are a nice tan brown, not black with carbon or oily.gapped ok
> -air/oil filter: changed annually
> -wheels: jacked car and spun each to see if they are binding.
> -choke: rpm does actually go down from around 2000 to 900 after 1 minute
> -ign timing: spot on with strobe
> -distr cap & rotor: changd last year,no improvement.
> -carb: cleaned out float bowl and jets this year.
> -tyres:kept inflated correctly with my own pump
> -boot: only spare tyre & jack. no junk
>
>
> i am at loss of what to try before taking it to a garage.
> i am contemplating polishing exterior and removing mirrors to gain a
> few mpg !
>
>
> also: i pulled each lead off one at a time with the engine running and
> each cylinder appeared to be contributing well.
> i have never had the ignition leads changed. do new leads give better
> mileage or is it either it works or it doesnt part?
>
>
> thanks for patiently reading my post

beerismygas wrote:
> hi there,
> am trying to improve my milage on my 1987 1050cc VW polo. from my
> odometer calculations i have been getting around 20mpg for the last 2
> years.i can remember doing better than 35mpg for urban
> driving.observations so far:
>
>
> -odometer: drove a bit behind a friends car.mine is 9% slower than his,
> but this translates to a incr of 2mpg only (i want 35mpg!!)
> -spark plugs: mine (compared to the haynes color page on plugs) they
> are a nice tan brown, not black with carbon or oily.gapped ok
> -air/oil filter: changed annually
> -wheels: jacked car and spun each to see if they are binding.
> -choke: rpm does actually go down from around 2000 to 900 after 1 minute
> -ign timing: spot on with strobe
> -distr cap & rotor: changd last year,no improvement.
> -carb: cleaned out float bowl and jets this year.
> -tyres:kept inflated correctly with my own pump
> -boot: only spare tyre & jack. no junk
>
>
> i am at loss of what to try before taking it to a garage.
> i am contemplating polishing exterior and removing mirrors to gain a
> few mpg !
>
>
> also: i pulled each lead off one at a time with the engine running and
> each cylinder appeared to be contributing well.
> i have never had the ignition leads changed. do new leads give better
> mileage or is it either it works or it doesnt part?
>
>
> thanks for patiently reading my post

After the checking that you have done, I would still wonder about the
air filter, fuel filter (if present), and valve adjustments. Also, is
the carb float properly adjusted (does it have a sight glass?).

What else? Tire alignment? Transmission oil to proper level? Do the hubs
or wheel rims feel hot after driving with no more than moderate
braking? -> drag from bearings or brakes...

Good luck, Rob in Calgary

In article >,
beerismygas > wrote:
>hi there,

Hey...

>am trying to improve my milage on my 1987 1050cc VW polo. from my
>odometer calculations i have been getting around 20mpg for the last 2
>years.i can remember doing better than 35mpg for urban
>driving.observations so far:

Wow 20MPG for two years. You drive dangerously.

>-odometer: drove a bit behind a friends car.mine is 9% slower than his,
>but this translates to a incr of 2mpg only (i want 35mpg!!)

This isn't it.

>-spark plugs: mine (compared to the haynes color page on plugs) they
>are a nice tan brown, not black with carbon or oily.gapped ok

Good but not the problem.

>-air/oil filter: changed annually

Good.

>-wheels: jacked car and spun each to see if they are binding.

Good.

>-choke: rpm does actually go down from around 2000 to 900 after 1 minute

Good.

>-ign timing: spot on with strobe

Good.

>-distr cap & rotor: changd last year,no improvement.

This isn't it.

>-carb: cleaned out float bowl and jets this year.

Hmmm a carb. Depending on how many miles you have, you should have this
rebuilt if you see leaking or have starting issues.

>-tyres:kept inflated correctly with my own pump

This isn't it.

>-boot: only spare tyre & jack. no junk
>
>
>i am at loss of what to try before taking it to a garage.

It could be lack of oil changes like another poster said. Hahaha
Just kidding since your engine is still running it must be getting
oil changes.

>i am contemplating polishing exterior and removing mirrors to gain a
>few mpg !

Hey, these are better ideas than the other responses.

>also: i pulled each lead off one at a time with the engine running and
>each cylinder appeared to be contributing well.
>i have never had the ignition leads changed. do new leads give better
>mileage or is it either it works or it doesnt part?

Changing the plug wires will help overall but not the main reason
you have MPG problems.

My WAGuesses are that you have to check your PCV if you have a carb.
Make sure that is clean and working. You also should have an O2 sensor
before the CAT. I think it should only be a 1 wire O2 sensor and this
is your problem. Change out the O2 sensor and your MPG should jump
up. O2 sensors are chemical reactionary devices just like your CAT and
they slowly break down and eventually go out of spec.

So my WAG is the O2 sensor. If you have one. If not do I get to guess
again? :-)

BTW, what year and tranny is your Polo?


>thanks for patiently reading my post


--
Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...

In article >, Peter Parker > wrote:
>
>So my WAG is the O2 sensor. If you have one. If not do I get to guess
>again? :-)
>
>BTW, what year and tranny is your Polo?

Ooops. The post was so long I forgot you mentioned the year 1987. That
should have an O2. See previous response.

>
>
>>thanks for patiently reading my post
>
>
>--
>Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...


--
Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...

Peter Parker > wrote:
> In article >, Peter Parker > wrote:
> >
> >So my WAG is the O2 sensor. If you have one. If not do I get to guess
> >again? :-)
> >
> >BTW, what year and tranny is your Polo?
>
> Ooops. The post was so long I forgot you mentioned the year 1987. That
> should have an O2. See previous response.

Sorry to butt in with off-topic question... does 1986 Jetta (automatic,
gas) have O2 sensor?

--
William Park >, Toronto, Canada
Slackware Linux -- because it works.

Peter Parker wrote:


> Ooops. The post was so long I forgot you mentioned the year 1987. That
> should have an O2. See previous response.

A 1.05 liter polo would not be US spec, I don't think catalytic
converters and O2 sensors were required in Europe in 1987.

beerismygas: I have a service manual that covers the 1.05 l car engine.
If you post a valid e-mail address I'll send the carb chapter to you
(it's only about 775 KB).

i think i found it. while pumping the throttle manually to test mixture
screw experiment i noticed some fuel collecting under the Pierburg 2E3
accellorator pump. i took it out and observed fuel leak stains on the
lower diaphram and on the carb casing (photos) which i couldnt even
wipe away with a cloth.

thanks for all advice and support

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