gas mileage on 69 Bug

[dandcp]

My first post here:

I have owned my 69 Bug since 1993. A little history. It ran great until it blew a spark plug out in and it had to be rethreaded a few times and now has largest heli coil (sp) insert.

Anyway, after a number of other incidents, (blew fan belt on a long trip and had to drive it quite hot.) I ended up getting another car but never got rid of the old bug. It was sitting up from 1997-2004.

In 2004 I got back on the road and besides doing a tuneup, it runs ok but not great.

A few things... I don't usually drive it more than say 10-15 miles away from home as I am afraid of it breaking down. Once I went out and it seemed to get pretty hot and had a difficult time restarting it, had to let it cool down a bit. What is happening there?

Also in my little running around nearby the house it gets terrible gas mileage. like maybe 9 mpg. What can I do to get better gas mileage. As I was hoping to keep this car as my second car and run around car to save money so that I don't have to use the wife's SUV. But the SUV is getting better gas mileage than the bug now! I am almost thinking of not insuring the bug anymore and letting it sit again as I think getting insurance is costing me more than I was trying to save.

Any advice?

[stevethefolkie]

overheating - pull the engine - pull off the fan shrould and check for stuff clogging the cover (which directs the air flow over the heads) - critters could have built nests in there while you had it parked.

Gas mileage - check the float level in the carb - and check for gas in the oil (the membrane in the fuel pump could have a tear - which would dump some gas into the crankcase) -

Best of luck -

Steve