318ti.org forum

Go Back   318ti.org forum > Garage > Lounge

Notices

Lounge Temporary forum until new sections are suggested.

.
» Recent Threads
1999 M-Sport For Sale
12-31-2023 05:10 PM
Last post by Coop540iT
03-23-2024 06:39 PM
1 Replies, 99,085 Views
Once again 318ti owner...
03-20-2024 12:39 PM
Last post by two30grain
03-22-2024 02:04 PM
1 Replies, 62,014 Views
What brakes do I...
03-20-2024 03:27 PM
Last post by huirtera
03-20-2024 03:27 PM
0 Replies, 59,286 Views
Reply Share/Bookmark
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-14-2011, 05:43 AM   #1
Zolf
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 44
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default What's your ti's fuel economy?

E36:er's,

Thought I could start a fuel economy thread. There are threads about this but this is what I thought we could do here. Please, just list the year of your ti, current mileage and odometer reading after the gas tank light comes on. The 318ti fuel tank will hold 52 liters (13.7 US gallons) including 8 liters (2.11 US gallons) in the reserve tank. This comes to 44 liters (11.6 US gallons). Please, do not post mpg stated in online reviews/other forums. Post your true "old school" reading: fill up your tank, reset odometer and when the gas tank light comes on...post your odometer reading.

If you are only doing highway, city or a combination, please state so.

A decent 318ti should make around 28-32 mpg. But this is not what I get. Anyways, here it goes:

Model: 318ti M-Sport
Year: '98
Transmission: Automatic
Tyres: Dunlop Winter Sport M3 225/50ZR16
Mileage: 162 000 km
Odometer Reading (on a full tank until gas tank light came on): 430km (267 miles)
Fuel used: Shell, Regular unleaded
Highway km only

My results translates into;
430 km/44 L = 9.77km/L
267 miles/11.6 gallons = 23.0 mpg

What's your reading?

Last edited by Zolf; 12-17-2011 at 07:04 AM.
Zolf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 05:55 AM   #2
RAiMA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 593
iTrader: (0)
Default

My understanding the fuel tank was 55L.

Model: Racing Technics 328ti Turbo
Year: 1996
Mileage: ??? km
Fuel used: Caltex 98 RON

I roughly get 100kms per quarter city driving, so it works out to be roughly 13.75L per 100kms. On the highway, I got roughly 150km per quarter, so that worked out to be 9.16L per 100kms.

New ECU just installed should be more efficient with sequential firing and closed loop, so I'll post my new findings after I drive my car around a bit.
__________________
RAiMA
Old RT E36 S/C'd 318ti Sports 13.318 @ 105.99mph
New RT E36 Turbo 328ti Sports 12.25 @ 123mph
BMW E39 528i Touring
Performance at its best

Last edited by RAiMA; 12-14-2011 at 06:01 AM.
RAiMA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 06:06 AM   #3
familytruckster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: MD/PA/DC
Posts: 1,629
Vehicles
iTrader: (3)
Default

1996 Active, Auto.

The OBC says 30-33 mpg depending on how much city driving I do.
__________________
No more ti.
familytruckster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 07:24 AM   #4
CirrusSR22
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 1,587
iTrader: (3)
Default

1996 Sport, Manual.

I keep track in the "Road Trip LE" app for iPhone. My average over the last 15,879 miles is 27.45 US MPG. That's probably about 50/50 - city/highway.
CirrusSR22 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 12:59 PM   #5
geetarspaz
Senior Member
 
geetarspaz's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Philly
Posts: 605
Vehicles
iTrader: (-1)
Default

mine varies quite a lot. i do a ton of city driving. i seem to average around 24mpg. i notice a big difference in consumption when i drive very soft to even a more lightly aggressive fun driving style
geetarspaz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 02:50 PM   #6
Mad-Machine
Senior Member
 
Mad-Machine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SOUTH Jersey
Posts: 1,085
iTrader: (0)
Default

I know you want hard numbers.. but I don't have them. I generally take the numbers on the pump and the numbers from the Odo and do some quick math to figure out my mpg.

In mixed city/highway driving.. I get 27 to 28 mpg. About a 50/50 mix of highway and city.. this has been consistant from 90,000 miles up to the cars current 145,000

Highway, I once saw 36mpg during the worst of the gas price spike when I drove from NJ to DC and back and kept it exactly at 65mph with the windows barely cracked, sunroof "popped" at the back and the rear windows propped open. About as close to hypermiling as I get.

Usually it gets around 32mpg on strict highway driving.. but I am not a fast driver. I set the cruise for 70mph and just go.
Mad-Machine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 08:42 PM   #7
spidertri
Senior Member
 
spidertri's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Elizabeth City, NC
Posts: 3,877
Vehicles
iTrader: (9)
Default

Mixed driving 70/30 (city/hwy) I usually get 26-28mpg. All hwy is around 32-33mpg. That's with a 5spd and 3.73 rear end. Those numbers are based on the OBC, I do keep track with a spread sheet too.

Edit - Oil is usually Mobil 1 10w-40 on 205/60-15 all seasons.
__________________
~Dave~

98 328ti Morea Grun slicktop
11 128i space gray slicktop
13 JGC WK2 Deep Cherry

Search | RealOEM

Last edited by spidertri; 12-14-2011 at 09:43 PM.
spidertri is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 08:50 PM   #8
todd230
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: gilbert arizona
Posts: 32
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default

would be interesting to know what oil and weight each user has in their car as oil weight can have an affect on MPG. Tires/wheels too..
todd230 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2011, 08:57 PM   #9
bullmand
Senior Member
 
bullmand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Halethorpe, MD
Posts: 1,028
iTrader: (0)
Default

My "lifetime" average over the last several years of recording the mileage at each fill-up is right at 30 mpg. That's a mix of highway, city, autocross, AC, wide summer tires, narrower winter tires, etc. About the only constant has been oil weight at 5w30, but that's been several different brands of synthetic. For the OP, if you're not seeing at least high 20s on the highway then something's wrong.
__________________
'98 Alaska Blue Sport
www.baltimorecitypipeband.com
bullmand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2011, 01:17 AM   #10
Mad-Machine
Senior Member
 
Mad-Machine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SOUTH Jersey
Posts: 1,085
iTrader: (0)
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zolf View Post
Man...those are some solid digits!!! You get 27-28 mpg combined and you say you get 32 mpg highway only. I...ehh....I, umm ehhh dont get it HOW? Please, do share. That's exactly how it should be!! Share share share.

I just bought new spark plugs (switching from Bosch to NGK), oil change, new oil filter and replacing air filter with K&N. I'll report back on fuel economy asap.
I am just not a fast driver, never have been. My thing was cornering. If I do not have to slow down, I do not have to accelerate
Mad-Machine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2011, 05:33 PM   #11
Chip
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lexington, VA, USA
Posts: 20
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default

Diclaimer:
Non hatchback content within, sorry.

Zolf, those numbers are really low.
My 93 325IS with 250,000 miles (origional M50TUB25 engine and Getrag 5 speed) consistently gets 27-28 MPG on the interstate (mixed between the mountains in VA / WV and the boring flat mid west) with mid grade (89 octane) fuel, cruising between 65 and 75 depending on traffic. I use Mobil 1 10W40 oil, and 225-45-R17 Bridgestone potenza Pole Position tires.

I'll report back when I have a ti.
Chip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2011, 06:07 PM   #12
SSpeedracer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 107
iTrader: (0)
Default

1998
342,000mi (550,000km)
10W-30
Manual

31-32mpg highway (@ 75mph)

To save fuel stick with the OEM rims and tire size. Don't accelerate fast. No AC, keep windows up. Also, consider tire diameter will alter odometer reading. Check your speedo against GPS and determine mileage offset.

Last edited by SSpeedracer; 12-15-2011 at 06:09 PM.
SSpeedracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2011, 06:24 PM   #13
Chip
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lexington, VA, USA
Posts: 20
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default

I would check things like vacuum lines and maybe even the ICV, I've seen/ heard of those doing really weird unexpected things to performance when they wear out.
Chip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2011, 08:23 PM   #14
bullmand
Senior Member
 
bullmand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Halethorpe, MD
Posts: 1,028
iTrader: (0)
Default

That write up does not apply to you. The idle control valve on the M44 is right on the front of the throttle body. You only need to remove a couple of Torx bolts and unplug the harness connector to remove it. This is the thread you want for that:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27697

How old are your o2 sensors? They can be worn out enough to cause mpg problems without turning on the check engine light. You can also change the oils in the transmission and differential to some nice synthetics and see gains, depending on what's in there.
__________________
'98 Alaska Blue Sport
www.baltimorecitypipeband.com
bullmand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2011, 08:54 PM   #15
mohaughn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 2,525
iTrader: (1)
Default

Yeah, general tune-up, fluid changes, and O2 are the first things to go after to improve your mileage.

Also, what kind of fuel do you get? Does it have a high ethanol content? Fuels are mixed considerably different between different countries and even different parts of the same country. I'm surprised people in the US are still seeing over 30mpg with almost all of our fuel being E10 now.
mohaughn is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fuel economy L84THSKY Maintenance 22 10-08-2020 03:06 PM
How the FUEL pump relay gets signal from DME?? goyal99 Engine 12 04-06-2020 03:21 PM
Aircon - impact on fuel economy? vsonix HVAC 13 09-01-2013 09:21 PM
Lower Intake Mess dhong089 Lounge 17 08-06-2011 05:48 PM
Fuel pump help...I just don't understand tbake504 Maintenance 10 11-11-2009 09:08 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:28 PM.


.
Powered by site supporters
vBulletin Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©1999 - 2024, 318ti.org
© vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.2
[page compression: 125.49 k/149.41 k (16.01%)]

318ti.org does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information or products discussed.