I have a 1969 el camino and i want to get better mpgs.?

Question

Does anyone know how to do this,and where to get the parts. Thanks

Answer 1

Carb down-size. or get a performance exhaust and a chip to program it for power or mileage

Answer 2

I had a 67, it had a 283 with three on the tree, got about 19 highway.  

If you got a bigger V8 and auto trans you are probably stuck with 15 mpg.

Answer 3

Ahhh .... I had a 69 Ford Ranchero....  Start with a bed cover, I think

it's spelled "Toneau Cover" (sp ?)... That's going to help with drag..

Big Time...  Good Tires with adequate tire pressure... A well tuned

engine (V-8 I take it). Reduce your drag and friction as much as

possible. Don't haul around a lot of extra "junk in the trunk".

These are just basics but your not going to change it dramatically because it just wasn't designed for fuel economy...That baby is solid

steel and very little plastic...

Enjoy your El Camino.... I miss my old Ranchero  Car/Pickup/Motorcycle carrying/Fun machine.....another good thing about the 80's....(when I owned it)...gas was much less expensive..

Answer 4

I suggest that you take the heat and power/MPG robbing constriction or backpressure out of your exhaust system, even if high performance, with an unbeatable Aero technologies exhaust kit, including resonator for quiet operation, while running virtual straight pipes.

And here's a biggie, I was waiting for someone to suggest it.  Your car has a low rear end.  Get higher gears and you will increase gas mileage incredibly, it is unreal what the standard Chevelle/Malibu/Beaumont coupe or sedan pinion set will do for your high torque 'handicap' that El Caminos and Station wagons had, all rubber burning power, and no economy, with less top end.  

Answer 5

If you have one of the bigger V8's as mentioned in one of the earlier answers I would change the intake manifold and go to a smaller 2 barrel carb. rather than using a 4 barrel.  

Answer 6

IF YOU THINK ITS GOING TO GET BETTER MILEAGE BY MAKING A FEW CHANGES, ITS NOT...  IF YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE IT ALOT, SWAP THE OLD MOTOR AND PUT AN LT1 OR LS VERSION IN IT AND USE THE COMPUTER TO CONTROL THE FUEL,TIMING AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF..

ITS NOT THAT EXPENSIVE WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE THINGS YOU'LL HAVE TO DO TO GET THE TIRED MOTOR IN THE CAR TO GET BETTER ECONOMY.  

THE LS AND LT1 ARE HIGHLY EFFICIENT MOTORS WITH MUCH MORE POWER . IN-TURN== LESS STRESS TO MOVE THE WEIGHT WITH MORE ECONOMY WITHOUT BECOMING A HOT ROD.. YET IT WILL BE MUCH FASTER.THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS SO TO SPEAK. THAT IS EXACTLY WHY THE LS MOTORS ARE BEING USED IN SO MANY CUSTOM BUILDS.. THEY WORK AND RUN...