fishbowl fuel mileage???

GMC5303Wonder · September 19, 2011, 05:55:16 AM

Just a curiosity question...........
with my 1965 gm TDM 6505 6v71 4spd manual
What kind of fuel "economy" lol. Should I expect? Assuming everything is in good mechanical order of course
From what I understand this is a transit model not a suburban

Busted Knuckle · September 19, 2011, 06:31:41 AM

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Seriously did you just use bus, fuel & economy in the same question?

Not much that is for sure. I have no idea what kinda mileage transists get, but I can assure you it's not 10+

BK

buddydawg · September 19, 2011, 07:36:43 AM

I have a 6V71 and VH9 and I get a whopping 6 MPG

TomC · September 19, 2011, 09:34:15 AM

With my AMGeneral transit (very close to the GM fishbowl in design) I have a 8V-71TA and V730 Allison with 4.56 rears and 11R-24.5 tires. I generally run at 58mph which is 1850rpm and get 5-6mpg-have gotton almost 8mpg with a serious tail wind. If I'm running the generator alot, it will go down into the 4's.
With your setup, I'd think you'd be in the 7-8mpg range all the time. You won't get what a 4104 will get (10mpg)-transits are heavier then highway buses and have the big wart above the windshield that acts like a wind dam at freeway speeds. Hopefully you don't mind the 25mph you'll be going much of the time when climbing hills. Good Luck, TomC

qayqayt · September 19, 2011, 12:42:00 PM

Our ham radio club fish gets a bit over 6 mpg. Nice to see another GM Fishbowl saved. They were a classic design.

Bryan

GMC5303Wonder · September 19, 2011, 02:30:59 PM

Hana yea I wasn't thinking it'd b too great! Thank you everyone! Was assuming 5to6 was bout right....lol

Charles in SC · September 19, 2011, 04:28:10 PM

My S8M 5303 gets 7 at 70 mph if I am not towing anything. 8V-71 4 speed. 6.5 towing a 5000 lb trailer.

Mex-Busnut · September 19, 2011, 04:55:55 PM

Uhhhh.... Big Noah:

The others have not been honest with you. Going downhill, with a good tailwind, in neutral, with the engine barely idling, you can easily get over 20 miles per gallon as long as the down-grade continues.

lostagain · September 19, 2011, 06:08:38 PM

That's what we used to call "Mexican overdrive", LOL. Sorry, could not resist. Seriously, we used to put them in neutral going downhill to get more speed, when deadheading, not with passengers. The things we used to get away with...

JC

RJ · September 19, 2011, 11:27:20 PM

Noah -

You should get around 11 mpg with your Fishie.

That's 5 in town, and 6 on the freeway. 5 + 6 = 11

seaton@mta · September 20, 2011, 05:50:51 AM

With my SDM 5302,(fishbowl suburban) I get about nine on the highway. This coach is geared very high as it was ordered by Public Service of New Jersey for Turnpike service. Even though yours is a transit, if it was in Greyhound servive it should also be geared high. I am guessing that it is a TDM with the four-speed spicer. If it is a TDH (two-speed automatic), your mileage will be less

Seaton

GMC5303Wonder · September 21, 2011, 01:17:39 PM

Seaton,

That is correct, its a 4spd spicer manual transmission! id be happy with 7or so honestly lol...
But it is what it is, we didn't buy it for the economy!

RoyJ · September 21, 2011, 01:30:23 PM

All kidding aside are the transits really that bad on fuel?

I don't have a fishbowl, but my powertrain is similar - 6V71, 5spd spicer in 35' Prevost. I have 4.11 rears, and can get 9mpg on the flats at 55 mph. I even have a bunch of crap on my roof, like those Wanderlodges.