Re: [Amc-list] Gas mileage

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 2007-06-19 at 20:18 -0500, Clarence Milstead wrote:
> I think most AMC cars came from the factory with restrictive exhaust
> systems. Opening up the exhaust system is one of the best things you can do
> to increase mileage. My 1971 Gremlin picked up two miles to the gallon when
> I installed Clifford headers. 

We'll probably never really know what the reasons were, but I bet there
was many of them and few of them were "obvious". Fleet mileage?
Emissions? Probably if you strangle the sh*t out of the little six smog
drops or something. Or detuned/underpowered, they got fewer warranty
claims, and CONSUMER REPORTS rated them higher. 

You're spot-on -- fatter exhaust, more spark advance, manifold vs.
ported vacuum advance, not much else -- all free horsepower, and at the
level where 10hp makes a noticable driver difference. But emissions
change, maintenance-requirement goes up (pinging, plugs, etc). Factory
wouldd need to spend 99 seconds more per car on the assembly line, maybe
that was why. I'll never know!

AMC was in the business of making money A dash #1, or at least grasping
at it after 1970.


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