Hi all,

I have complained that my 90 Carat 4spd only gets 14 mpg around town with
ac, and about 15 mixed driving w/ac, and about 16 mixed driving without ac.
I have gotten 17 on the highway with ac, and I am looking forward to my
camping trip this weekend for a check on the highway mileage with no ac, now
that it is finally cool.  Anyway, it has about 6000 miles on a VW
remanufactured longblock.  The water temperature sensors have been replaced,
along with all of the tune-up stuff and filters.  If there is a Temp 2
sensor on the block itself, it hasn't been changed.  The O2 sensors, AFM,
and fuel injectors have not been replace.  My mechanic who installed the new
engine, checked the gasses and said all the sensors are fine.

I have been saving some of the posts relating to gas mileage and what to
check, because I would really like to see 19 and 20 mpg, like I have heard
about.  The only sympton that I have is that it is a little sluggish when
cold, and I smell a little gas in the oil.  I was preparing for the worst,
thinking about leaky injectors, until I had my annual inspection Monday.  On
the no-load 2500 rpm emissions test, I got a 10 ppm on the hydrocarbons out
of a limit of 220.  The CO2 was 0.05% out of a limit of 1.2%, and the CO was
15, with no limit.  (I may have CO and CO2 reversed here).  Anyway, they
said it is the cleanest Vanagon they had ever "sniffed."  So maybe my
problem is a lead foot and those big, wide Michelin MXT 205's, and a severe
case of Vanagon Paranoia.

Thanks for you advice,
Michael Townsend
Durham, NC

P.S. -- The white vinegar and distilled water "wash out the headlights"
trick worked great.  The high beams look brand new, and the low beams are
going to have to be done again only because I put them back together on a
humid / rainy day, and there was still moisture in there that I didn't see.