MPG / Miles to a tank

[zerot]

I've got a 1275 with a HIF38 carb and after 2 years of fixing the car up I've finally been able to drive it.

My first tank only returned 110 miles which comes out to around 21.4 mpg, 23 litres to fill.

This seems low to me as I was hoping to be in the 30mpg+ range.  As said this is the first time its been on the road in 2 yrs, I did a mini service (Oil, oil filter, air filter) on it 2/3rds of the way through the tank, and I was constantly fiddling with the kickdown rod adjustment as I'm convinsed it's changing up to early.

Now on my second tank I'm not going to change or adjust anything and see what I get.  What sort of figures are other owners getting?

[limby2000]

Wow, sounds much too low, on a standard engine i would expect 30-35. Surely changing too early should give better economy.

[zerot]

Changing too early can also cause poor economy, think of it like changing too early on a pedal bike, you have to exert more energy to get up to a comfortable speed than if you had left it and changed a bit later.  Having said that I dont think my mini was changing badly enough to cause a drop in 10mpg to what I was expecting.  I think I have the kickdown rod dialled in now so I wont be touching it for this tank of fuel.

[richard1]

I've only gone through two tanks, mostly mountains, running about 21 mpg so far (US gallons).

[notamini]

I have a larger car with the same 1275 engine and automatic. Prior to installing the electronic points, I could achieve between 40 and 51 MPG (Imp) Now, with the electronic points, I have not officially checked but I expect it is around 33 to 36 MPG. I have mad a round trip of 310 miles and had gas left over. My tank is 35.2 l or 9.0 US gal or 8.0 Imp gal. The first Austin America auto I owned in 1974 to 78, I was able to get 49-51 Mi/Imp gal.

[g1drp]

Mine seems to be running in the mid 30s, which I don't consider to be bad for gown driving.