Caprice Wagon engine swap--worth it?

[Sporty Modder]

A friend of mine has a 92 Chevy Caprice sedan, claims 36 mpg, 305 v8, all original. He is a grandpa so he drives like one lol.
I see low 30's possible with some aero mods.

[101Volts]

Some 1994 Chevy Caprice Wagons came with that 4.3 Litre motor stock but only for that model year. They are the most fuel-efficient full-size whale-type station wagon I could find specs for, They do get higher FE than the 5.7 Litre and 5.0 Litre models at least not loaded (Though the 5.0 Motor wasn't an option for 1994 Caprice wagons) according to Automobile.Catalog.com, But my Father knows a man who had a 1994 Caprice Wagon with the 4.3 motor and the motor blew last year or this year, The man was planning to keep the wagon until he died too but YMMV; I don't know how he treated the car.

The link below is to a website that has performance data and fuel economy data for the 1991-1996 Caprice wagons.

Chevrolet (USA) Full-Size 10gen data index

Originally Posted by XYZ

I agree with that opinion.

You won't and you never will, no matter how hard you try or how you attempt to mod it. I too own an old Chevy wagon, older than yours. You might get 14 City and 18 Hwy at best - so don't expect much more from it in fuel economy. It's a big, heavy beast. But you can move heavy or large loads with that old wagon, as no modern SUV can, and it would be best if you reserve using it only for that purpose alone. Other than using it for such things, leave it parked. That's what I do. I only drive it a few hundred miles per year. As long as it runs when it's needed, that's all that matters.

Everything has it's purpose. Use your pony as a pony and your workhorse as a workhorse, as needed.

I like that underlined quote, But higher FE than that is possible if a person swaps a Diesel in, I think; The 1984 and 1985 GM Diesel Wagons (The Boxy ones with a CD of 0.5 or so) were rated to get 26 MPG HWY, But I can't vouch for the durability of the engine. The 1991-1996 Whale wagons have a CD of 0.35 according to what I read, So they aren't as draggy.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by 99ParkAvenue

If you are nice with it, you can get 17 in town and 24 on the highway like I do with no mods.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

But no matter how "nice" you may be... it doesn't matter whether Barack Obama or Jesus Christ or Mahatma Gandhi were to sit behind the wheel of an old Chevy wagon and drive it - the MPG numbers you cite ain't ever gonna happen. Maybe in heaven, or in utopia, or nirvana - but not in the real world. No matter how "nice" you may be to your old station wagon.

I don't believe your stats without there being hard, provable evidence of it. Anyone can make a claim and say they get this or that incredibly high MPG. But saying it is just talk. Without actual proof, it's just puffing smoke.

"Puff the Magic Dragon" belongs in the Unicorn Corral, IMHO.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by 101Volts

Some 1994 Chevy Caprice Wagons came with that 4.3 Litre motor stock but only for that model year. They are the most fuel-efficient full-size whale-type station wagon I could find specs for, They do get higher FE than the 5.7 Litre and 5.0 Litre models at least not loaded (Though the 5.0 Motor wasn't an option for 1994 Caprice wagons) according to Automobile.Catalog.com, But my Father knows a man who had a 1994 Caprice Wagon with the 4.3 motor and the motor blew last year or this year, The man was planning to keep the wagon until he died too but YMMV; I don't know how he treated the car.

The link below is to a website that has performance data and fuel economy data for the 1991-1996 Caprice wagons.

Chevrolet (USA) Full-Size 10gen data index



I like that underlined quote, But higher FE than that is possible if a person swaps a Diesel in, I think; The 1984 and 1985 GM Diesel Wagons (The Boxy ones with a CD of 0.5 or so) were rated to get 26 MPG HWY, But I can't vouch for the durability of the engine. The 1991-1996 Whale wagons have a CD of 0.35 according to what I read, So they aren't as draggy.

What will it cost you to do the engine swap?

How much fuel will you save by doing it?

Will you re-coup the expense of the engine swap?

Or is this proposal more ideological than economic?

These are things to consider.

[Sporty Modder]

That is believable, I got 17/23 out of my loaded Lincoln Town car, similar size/weight/horsepower, and 0mods. these big american cars tend to idle down the highway, 1500rpms is considered normal 1300 is a comfortable cruise, 2.56 rear end gears is pretty common esp in the older cars w/o overdrive.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by Sporty Modder

That is believable, I got 17/23 out of my loaded Lincoln Town car, similar size/weight/horsepower, and 0mods. these big american cars tend to idle down the highway, 1500rpms is considered normal 1300 is a comfortable cruise, 2.56 rear end gears is pretty common esp in the older cars w/o overdrive.

What year vehicle?

Driven at what speeds?

Maybe in Montana, driving at a sustained 50 MPH for several hours, with no traffic?

[101Volts]

Originally Posted by XYZ

What will it cost you to do the engine swap?

How much fuel will you save by doing it?

Will you re-coup the expense of the engine swap?

Or is this proposal more ideological than economic?

These are things to consider.

Yes they are things to consider.

I don't actually need such a car now even though it's possible to have one, Though such a car could be useful in some circumstances.

Thanks, You pointed me in the direction to realize I really don't need a station wagon like that now; I have other things to do.

Although I could do it, It's not necessary.

Eh, I'll let someone else read what I posted and if they need such a car, Let them work on it. Nostalgia's a wasteful empire (Correct me if it's not so) even though I did ride in a wagon as a kid.

I'll leave this here:



^ I've had dreams of junkyard station wagons like the one I used to ride in and a huge price sticker of "$5,000" On a running Caprice that passed by me in a dream. Enough, It's not necessary, Let's go away and let them rust, Huzzah.

(And I'm not condemning swapping another engine into a wagon, I just don't see it as a necessity in my life.)

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by 99ParkAvenue

If you are nice with it, you can get 17 in town and 24 on the highway like I do with no mods.

2000 Lincon Town car Gas Mileage (Towncab) - EcoModder.com

[funkhoss]

Originally Posted by XYZ

You might get 14 City and 18 Hwy at best - so don't expect much more from it in fuel economy.

So far, our first three tanks have been right at 22 MPG, with mixed driving and no modifications. And yes, the speedometer is very accurate. After all, these cars were used as cop cars in the 90's...

According to my MPG gauge (which has been calibrated and also seems to be accurate) some of the longer trips that I have done with it have been in the 25-28 MPG range--again, with hypermiling techniques and no modifications to the car.

I seriously believe that with proper tuning and aero mods, 30 MPG on road trips will be possible.

We'll see, anyways...

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by 101Volts

Some 1994 Chevy Caprice Wagons came with that 4.3 Litre motor stock but only for that model year. They are the most fuel-efficient full-size whale-type station wagon I could find specs for, They do get higher FE than the 5.7 Litre and 5.0 Litre models at least not loaded (Though the 5.0 Motor wasn't an option for 1994 Caprice wagons) according to Automobile.Catalog.com, But my Father knows a man who had a 1994 Caprice Wagon with the 4.3 motor and the motor blew last year or this year, The man was planning to keep the wagon until he died too but YMMV; I don't know how he treated the car.

The link below is to a website that has performance data and fuel economy data for the 1991-1996 Caprice wagons.

Chevrolet (USA) Full-Size 10gen data index

With those made before 1990 this is more typical of the MPG realized in typical use: 1988 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Wagon 5.0L V-8 automatic fuel economy analysis (since October 1987 for North America U.S.)

Note that no data is given for speeds below 50 MPH. In city driving in the lower gears actual MPG is more like 12-14 MPG.