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Slant sixes don't get good enough mileage to justify their existence. I did a five tank log on my Dart and the best was 21.29 while the worst was 17.40. The average was 19.13. In my opinion, that isn't good enough to live with the total lack of power.

I had an '84 Celica GT-S that got about 29 on a cross country trip at about 75 mph with the AC on full blast and it was faster than my Dart, too. I've gotta have either better mileage or more power than the Toyota with my Mopar. That's why I'm putting a 318 in it. With a small cam and an A-500, I'm betting it will do better than the /6.

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And what condition is your slant in? How many miles? Sure, a new or freshened 318 can get better mileage than a tired old slant, but the same overdrive and a rebuilt slant with a few cheap, basic mods like a Super Six 2bbl and good exhaust will get mileage in the 20-25 mpg range.

If the car is a weekend toy, then sure, why not drop in a V-8. Heck, why stop there? Go big block.

But if you're using a car for a daily driver, with gas prices rising AGAIN, then 2-4 mpg makes a big difference to MY wallet.

I realize this is a hot rodder forum, but I don't like my job well enough to need more than 200hp to get there. I drive my toys on the weekend.

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I don't mind only haveing 200 hp to get to work, gettin off work is a different story though

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Good luck getting 200 hp out of a slant six!

Yeah, you can do it but the mileage will probably go out the window at that point. Then you'll have bad mileage and only 200 hp!

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Mine is around 240 on motor and 375 on the hose. It still got almost 20 on the highway with 3.91 gears and a 3500 stall converter.

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I think most of us here are the kind of guys who can enjoy just standing behind our cars and listening to the rumble of the dual exhaust. To watch the car sink a little bit on the right when we stab the gas in neutral. To feel the vibrations of the engine through the whole car.

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My mildly-modified slant has true duals (and a nice rumble), the torque rotates the engine nicely in neutral, and makes plenty of nice vibrations through the car. On top of that, it makes a roar on the highway akin to a WWII fighter plane, rather than the V-8 noises that come from every Tom, Dick and Harry's Camaro, Mustang, or pick-up.

Sure, apples to apples, with the same mods a V-8 will always make more power. But my slant responds well to modifications (sometimes better than a V-8 — the 2bbl and Dutra Dual exhaust made a night and day difference in power, and got BETTER mileage!), it's easy to work on, and gets a different kind of interest when I pop the hood. Finding slant parts is more challenging than finding V-8 parts, but the same applies to finding Mopar small block parts compared to Chebbie parts. For example, my "long rod" slant has longer 198 rods and 2.2 4-banger pistons, giving it the same displacement but a better rod ratio and lighter pistons. Slanters like Doug Dutra have to get "creative" to make up for the lack of hot parts. I LIKE that challenge. But, to each his own.

I'm not knocking V-8's, I've owned plenty over the years, and I have a wonderful little V-8 Dart GT now. I love 'em for what they are and what they can do. But my slant is UNIQUE, and uniqueness is what lured me to Mopars and away from Fords and Chebbies in the first place.

I happen to think there's room enough for hot slants, small blocks, AND big blocks in the Mopar world (not to mention V-6's and inline 4's) without knocking the other engines. They can ALL be fun and cool in their own way.

(But yes, Dave, there's not an engine out there that will get me HOME from work fast enough. )

vm

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some one mentioned a turbo. i used to run a shelby Z daytona with turbo it got 31 MPG on the interstate and was fun to drive....until i wraped it around a tree when i was 19. but i still have the car and thought it would be cool to put the turbo or another turbo on my slant 6 dart.
I know the /6 is strong and at least when its stock its indestructible! how complicated would it be to put a turbo on one? i know how it works and i know i could fabricate everything to hook it up but what about over boosting or selecting the right turbo? I would like to keep it cheap , like junk yard stuff. would you just plumb in the turbo from a daytona and see what happens? would the compression in a /6 be low enough to work? how many punnds boost would be safe with a stocker?

i am just thinking out loud here, thanks for any advice, the blue one
is my $400 beater /6 the other one is my 70 340 that i restored 15 years ago.

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Turbo from a 3.8L GM is perfect for this, as displacement is almost identical... Turbo Regal, etc...and I happen to have one...

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my bone stock '76 with a 225 1bbl, A833OD, 3.21 gears and 25" tall tires knocks down 19-22mpg city, 25-28mpg highway with a best of 32. a lot of people actually report marginally BETTER mileage after retrofitting the super 6 2bbl setup...

your combo I'd expect about 18-20 city and 22-24 highway.

I'd look at maybe a carb rebuild.

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