Geezer

[Don Dulmage <big-d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To expect perfomance form 276 gears  in the car is like expecting a man to have a baby. 
373s or 391 minimum with that set up . for real good times 430s. 
Look at your short times . the whole story is right there. Engine is probably fine . You might not believe t it but mileage may not suffer with gears either. There is a common misconception that reducing RPM increases mileage but it isnt alwaysso. Mileage or fuel consumption is related to the amount of work being done.  (It takes a 1/2 lb of gasoline to make one HP for one Hour.  ) As long as Rpm is in the  zone or engines normal operating range or sweet spot it is relatively unimportant. For instance first generation Dodge 318 trucks will gain as much as 2 mpg driving them in ovedrive delete mode rather than overdrive. 
Why ,? Becuase engine vaccum (which is a direct indication of engine load ) is too low in Od and at 60 mph is 0 . In Od delete it rises to 9 inches of mercury.indicating the load the engine sees is less (or the engine can handle the load better with a bit more RPM) so the power crcuit or MAp sensor (carb or EFi , still the same circuit and function) limits fuel delivery in that circuit at 9 inches of vaccum but gives it full unrestricted fuel delivery or max fuel delivery from that circuit at 0 inches. . for you purists. i know I should be talking about man pressure but vacuum is much easier for most to understad when explaining a point. 
Anway. Low RPM and mileage are not as related as we think. 
My 90 dodge 318 got 22 mpg (can gal highway) It was a 3 speed no overddrive. The new trucks with the 318 od (1994 style with OD ) couldnt pull off 22 mpg for a million bucks.  
Don 
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