MPG HELP!

[Meano]

I purchased my first car about 2 months ago and its a 1987 El Camino, 262 4.3L V6, I realized it was drinking alot of gas and I decided to fill it up and do the math, in no time the tank was empty and I found out I was getting 9-10 MPG! Something has to be wrong but I have no idea what. Any help or suggestions of the problem would be greatly appreciated, its really hurting my pockets because i'm driving quite a ways for school and work.

 

[Nozer]

buy a toyota?? lol give it a tune up and check your timing along with all the gas filters an stuff.. running some seafaom through it might help too, you didnt mention what trans it is, that makes a difference too

 

[Meano]

buy a toyota?? lol give it a tune up and check your timing along with all the gas filters an stuff.. running some seafaom through it might help too, you didnt mention what trans it is, that makes a difference too

It was tuned the day I got it, new plugs, fuel pump, etc. I was advised to rebuild the carburetor, do you think that would constitute change?

 

[-83MONTESS-]

If you were told it needed the carb rebuilt and its getting shitty mileage I would bet on that being the problem. What does the exhaust look and smell like? Any noticeable smell or smoke? Pull your spark plugs out and check them to see how your air/fuel mixture is also.

 

[DRIVEN]

I always thought the '87 4.3s were TBI. Has this been swapped out or was I just wrong?

 

[RITTER]

It should be a TBI engine. And if somebody put a carburetor on it, they need to be smack :|

 

[DRIVEN]

A TBI distributor will also be computer controlled. I hope this is all a matching set. Any under hood pics we can use to help you out?

 

[Nozer]

A TBI distributor will also be computer controlled. I hope this is all a matching set. Any under hood pics we can use to help you out?

yeah this would help alot.. is it a 4 barrel or 2? i have a clean rebuilt 2 barrel off my 3.3l v6 ill sell you cheap, ran perfect when i pulled it

 

[Meano]

Sorry for the late response but I just got it back from my uncle who replaced the u-joints and rebuilt the TBI, I apologize for calling it a carb, but the car is TBI. The mpg seems to have increased but only by 2-3 miles per gallon. I recently checked and found that the fluid in the rear diff is dirty and sometimes it slips while driving. I plan on replacing this fluid next week during Turkey break. Are there any other small things here and there I could try to see if the mpg improves?

 

[clean8485]

Could you give us some idea of transmission and rear axle ratio? Is the transmission a 3 or 4 speed? Does the car have a cap on the cargo bed? I have a friend with an S10 pickup, and he gets better gas mileage without a cap than with the cap on. A little bit more info would be helpful.