What is the typical gas miles per gallon for a 1956 Fairlane with a 292 V-8 and fordomatic transmission? I have a 4 barrel Holley 4160 carb (not the original) and getting 9-10 miles per gallon. Should I have the carb looked at/rebuilt? Anything else I should get checked?

Which distributor do you have?



Lawrenceville, GA

I looks like a 1957 dist. with a straight lever with points and condenser.

14-17 mpg should be the norm assuming the engine is in decent mechanical condition and isn’t in need of a tuneup.  At this point, double check that the timing is set correctly and that both the mechanical and vacuum advance curves are working.  Those can be verified using the timing light.  The ball bearing plate advance curve distributors are notorious for that ball bearing plate to either lock up or act erractically and may require a disassembly to free it up.  The mechanical advance curve weights under it can also get in a position of not working freely depending upon the how the distributor has been stored or used.  The carburetor itself is highly suspect at this point but it may need more than a kit depending upon exactly which carb it is and what the original application for it was.  More information at this point would help.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

The carb is a classic Holley Model 4160 465 cfm, part no. 0-1848-1. From the Holley website, It has a hot air choke, vacuum secondaries and calibrated and intended for small V-8 engines. I do have a Cardone 30-2808 distributor and Pertronix III module that I can install in the near future.

Should I have the Holley rebuilt?

While the carburetor may not be physically flooding, air bleeds being dirty or the power valve leaking fuel past the threads, gasket, or diaphragm can still require the carburetor to be serviced.  If rebuilding the carb, then be sure that the metering gasket surfaces on the main body are not warped and that the power valve itself does not bottom out prematurely within the main body PV cavity.  That List #1848 Holley 4V is a good choice for most stock Y-Blocks when all is well and that particular carb has been noted for 20+ mpg when all is well.
 
Before getting too involved with the carburetor I’ll suggest that the basic tuneup be visited.  That means putting a timing light to the engine and verifying that both advance curves are working properly.  Running a compression test on the engine will also rule out a majority of mechanical issues that could be present.  Rebuilding the carb at this point may not come close to solving your problem without first checking some of the basics.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I have 4 1957 and  later distributors,old typ as well as newer,non have  vacume advance with strait arm  on vacume advance. sounds like you have a vacume only dist,i have 1 dit off 55 272 it has a strait lever on advance. why i have so maney ,mark and i have  bin playing with converting to ford dura spark. mine has worked well for 6 months,have a spare readey.

Cliff.   The Y and FE distributors with the ball bearing advance plate (1957-1959) will have the vacuum chambers using the straight arm.  The Y distributors with the pivot style vacuum plate (1960 & newer) used the crooked arm vacuum chambers.
Here’s a picture of each.
  

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

its to bad the old teapot in many cases has seen its day.nothing gives gas milage like them.the little 56  2 bbl would give the same.

The Vin on my says a 312 but I'm told that at some point the previous owner put in another engine and I'm not sure if  it was a 292 or 312. I have the orginal dist usually burn premiuim. It has the T-pot and out on the highway I pull 18 mpg at 65 mph. I've had time when it been as low as 14 but that was in lots of hills. I'm really happy with the way it runs so I'm NOT changing it. Hope this helps
Jim Dahk

Location:Washington,Ia