The one mod that almost doubled my mileage - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

mach4 · 10-16-2014, 02:22 PM

I have an '85 Mercedes 380SL that gets 17-18 mpg in it's standard configuration.

By simply swapping in a diesel engine from a sedan of the same year, I now get 30 all day long, to up to 34 mpg on road trips with the same car.

No other mods were made.

Extremely reliable and fun to drive.

dirtydave · 10-16-2014, 02:40 PM

Sounds good! add some pictures and a fuel log. I would love to see it.

mach4 · 10-16-2014, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtydave

Sounds good! add some pictures and a fuel log. I would love to see it.

I can't post pictures yet because I haven't made the minimum number of posts... but I think this reply will actually put me over the minimum where I can finally do so. I guess we'll see.

mach4 · 10-16-2014, 03:15 PM

Here's a couple of pictures of the car

And here are road trip threads that have detailed fuel performance data near the end of each.

SL Diesel Road Trip - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

380SL Diesel Coast To Coast Road Trip - Page 5 - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

Diesel SL - Time for another Road Trip - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

spacemanspif · 10-16-2014, 07:41 PM

Time for a bio diesel conversion! Great looking MB

mach4 · 10-16-2014, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacemanspif

Time for a bio diesel conversion!

Up to about B20 nothing is needed to run biodiesel, in fact several stations were selling B10 and B20 on recent road trips - and this is a good thing as ULSD diesel needs some lubricity additive to restore the lubrication qualities of original diesel, and B5 biodiesel will provide this function. To run straight biodiesel on a regular basis rubber hoses need to be changed to Viton. If biodiesel were cheaper than dino diesel I'd make the mods, but until then dino diesel is the fuel of choice.