I own a 69 dart with a 1980 318 with a 4b with a 904 trans and I get about 12mpg I was wondering if that's seemed a little bad or what? Also I have a 1968 383 motor with a 727 trans that I will be putting a 4b on as well what would be reasonable mpg for that in the dart? On the other hand I just bought a 1958 jeep Willy's pickup 2 wheel drive with 3.55:1 gears would a 318 work good or is the 383 a better choice for it. And what gas mileage do you think the willy's would get in that. Any advice on any of these projects would be great. If available to further answer some questions please leave some contact info like an email or ext. Thanks.
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Dodge has been making some version of the 318 since the mid 1960s, so they are a proven workhorse of the brand, and pretty much bullet-proof if well cared for. Of course the 383 has more horse power, so with both engines running properly, the 318 should get better gas mileage. However, driving style has more to do with mpg than the engine size.
I was watching a show where they compared a little 4 cylinder econo-box car to a big 12 cylinder jaguar. They had the driver of the little car drive as fast as he could around a road course, for many laps, and they had the driver of the jaguar keep pace right behind him. Even though the jaguar had three times the engine, and weighed three times as much, the jag actually got much better gas mileage. I know that is hard to believe, but it's true. It's because the little car was going flat out, and the jag was just barely cruising.
I tell this story because, with a 383 in your little '69 dart, you will have so much fun, you wont be able to keep your foot out of it, and you wont really care how bad your gas mileage is.
So if good mileage is still your thing, keep your car well maintained, and focus on how you drive it.
I would go for the horsepower . . . . .Enjoy. . . . .
Mopar 318
Dodge Dart Gas Mileage
I think your 12 mpg is terrible for a dart. I'd stick with the 318 over the 383, but you have to keep it in tune and stay out of inner city traffic for better mpg.
Back in the good old days of the 60 mph speed limit on interstates, my '77 Dodge D150 2 wheel drive pickup with 318, 2 barrel carb, 3.21 axle and 727 automatic at 60 mph would get 17 mpg in the summer and 16 mpg in the winter. On the other band, my '74 D300 Dodge truck with 12' flat bed, 318, 2 barrel and, 2 WD, tandem 4.88 rear axle will get 10 mpg at 60 mph. With a 10,000 lb load one way, it will average 6 mpg. Our old '74 Chrysler with 400ci 2 barrel and 2.7 axle would get 17-18 mpg at 60 mph.