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DISCUSSION => General Topics => Topic started by: ///m42 sport on August 23, 2008, 10:44:01 PM

Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: ///m42 sport on August 23, 2008, 10:44:01 PM
Just completed 1051mile trip w/o any problems.  I'd say thats pretty good for 250K + motor/chassis.  

I cruised at 70-75mph.  Tires were 195-60.  Pressure was 33front, 35rear.  Recent change to mobile 1 synthetic 15w-50.  Just passed emissions, also replace all coolant, air hoses.  

I read on bp eastclear's site he was getting 45mpg hwy!

Anything else I could change that would provide significant increase in mpg?  I did draft a semi for about 200miles but did not notice any major increase in economy.  I was about 30ft behind it the whole time.  Maybe I'm not doing it right?
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: 318kid on August 23, 2008, 11:48:29 PM
Thats hyper-mileage right there.... The window sticker said 28 or 27 for highway... although they could have tested it differently back in 91? To me it seams that 45mpg is really hard to reach unless your going 50 on the highway.... Downhill.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: AcSchnitzer318is on August 24, 2008, 10:55:19 AM
Only way to get that kind of mileage is to do 55-60mph AND draft a semi :)
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: christophbmw on August 24, 2008, 11:52:37 AM
Quote from: ///m42 sport;55370
Just completed 1051mile trip w/o any problems.  I'd say thats pretty good for 250K + motor/chassis.  

I cruised at 70-75mph.  Tires were 195-60.  Pressure was 33front, 35rear.  Recent change to mobile 1 synthetic 15w-50.  Just passed emissions, also replace all coolant, air hoses.  

I read on bp eastclear's site he was getting 45mpg hwy!

Anything else I could change that would provide significant increase in mpg?  I did draft a semi for about 200miles but did not notice any major increase in economy.  I was about 30ft behind it the whole time.  Maybe I'm not doing it right?


semis drive 70-75mph where you live?! holy sh#t! thats scary.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: batsbats on August 24, 2008, 12:57:30 PM
I wish my car had cruise control, probably one of the only reasons I don't drive far with my 318is
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: tjts1 on August 24, 2008, 01:46:55 PM
Quote from: ///m42 sport;55370
Just completed 1051mile trip w/o any problems.  I'd say thats pretty good for 250K + motor/chassis.  

I cruised at 70-75mph.  Tires were 195-60.  Pressure was 33front, 35rear.  Recent change to mobile 1 synthetic 15w-50.  Just passed emissions, also replace all coolant, air hoses.  
Thats excellent mileage for a stock car at 250k miles.
Quote from: ///m42 sport;55370
I read on bp eastclear's site he was getting 45mpg hwy!
I think you can safely file that claim in the bull **** folder.
Quote from: ///m42 sport;55370
Anything else I could change that would provide significant increase in mpg?  I did draft a semi for about 200miles but did not notice any major increase in economy.  I was about 30ft behind it the whole time.  Maybe I'm not doing it right?

Try San Francisco to Irvine, CA (420 miles) on 12 gallons at 70mph, no drafting on 87 octane.
3.64 differential
4 hole 22# bosch injectors from a volvo
electric cooling fan
no power steering pump
forward facing intake
volvo airdam

Quote from: batsbats;55399
I wish my car had cruise control, probably one of the only reasons I don't drive far with my 318is
+1
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Bunta on August 25, 2008, 07:08:23 PM
Put 600 miles on my car this weekend going to E30 M3 SIG Fest.

32mpg.  Mileage went down once I got on the higway trying to hang with 15 e30 M3s.

I need BOOST.




Hunter
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Danny707 on August 25, 2008, 09:05:29 PM
Keep in mind your motor is old, and tired.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: bmwman91 on August 26, 2008, 09:44:25 AM
33mpg is pretty damn good.  A 45mpg claim sounds pretty suspicious.

Hey tjts1, what model did you pull the injectors from?  The stockers are 20.4# IIRC, so I guess the ECU was able to cope with the bigger ones without issue.  I might look into some for the 4-pintle action.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: tjts1 on August 26, 2008, 11:29:25 AM
95-98 Volvo 960. Bosch number 0280155702
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: TheDutch on March 07, 2009, 04:09:58 AM
Quote from: ///m42 sport;55370
I read on bp eastclear's site he was getting 45mpg hwy!

Quote from: tjts1;55407
I think you can safely file that claim in the bull **** folder.

You might like to check how big those gallons are before throwing up about it. It works out to about 38 (US) mpg, which is both mighty fine, and plausible.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: 1991 E30 M42 on March 07, 2009, 12:49:39 PM
Driving 350 miles from my house to Virginia Tech, I average 31-32 mpd at 80mph, and it would be higher if I didnt have to go through the mountains.

PS. semi's on that route drive between 75-80 mph
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Voluted on March 11, 2009, 10:05:18 PM
(http://www.fuelly.com/smallsig-metric/15602.png) (http://www.fuelly.com/driver/voluted/318is)
roughly 22mpg

I really drive the shit out of my car. That figure is mostly highway driving BTW at an average speed of 160km/h (100mph). I'll baby it for the next tank of gas and see what figure i pull.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: 318isfolife on March 20, 2009, 01:51:36 PM
Quote from: christophbmw;55395
semis drive 70-75mph where you live?! holy sh#t! thats scary.

if you go out into the mountains of west Virgina the truck drivers that haul chickens go around 95 miles an hour on a two lane road now that is scary! when they pass you going the opposite direction it about blows your car off the road.  crazy chicken driving shits.

sorry to hijack the thread with this comment!
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: B318M42W on March 20, 2009, 04:28:19 PM
if you draft, you need to be really close... like under 10-15 feet from the semi... tried it and had about an increase in economy of about 8mpg. but it is hard to keep it there...
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: renfield90 on March 23, 2009, 09:53:10 AM
Quote from: B318M42W;68634
if you draft, you need to be really close... like under 10-15 feet from the semi... tried it and had about an increase in economy of about 8mpg. but it is hard to keep it there...

You can still get a decent savings at a reasonable distance back.

I've noticed this even with SUVs and sometimes regular sedans while in the Celica. The wind noise with the windows down gets considerably louder if I'm following them but then change lanes to an empty lane with clean air. It's also just barely harder to accelerate. I don't have to be super close to notice this effect, which strongly suggests that following anyone at most any distance will decrease wind resistance for you.

As for my M42's mileage...I dunno. Gas light came on after roughly 240 miles from topping it off. If I don't have the foot down on that thing, I'm thinking of the next chance I'll get to! :D
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Cobra Jet on March 23, 2009, 10:42:52 AM
My 91 318ic gets on average 31mpg - not bad for being 18 years old w/ 122k clocked on it.  I could probably even get more mpg if my driving was not a combined 25% city/ 75% highway route...  On multiple occasions I have easily seen 400+ miles out of a tank, with 1-2 gallons of fuel remaining...  I ran it only once until the "R" lit up one time, and the trip odometer was reading 442 miles...

The fuel gauge & consumption is like clock work.  On every single fuel fill, I reset the trip odometer and can tell exactly how many miles I will have within the gauge marks.  The below represents my accumulated miles in between the fuel marks on the gas gauge - and this is what I see EVERY time like clockwork (R = empty, F = Full) :

R 400 \ 300 ][ 200 / 100 F
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: 318isfolife on March 23, 2009, 11:05:37 AM
Quote from: Cobra Jet;68791
My 91 318ic gets on average 31mpg - not bad for being 18 years old w/ 122k clocked on it.  I could probably even get more mpg if my driving was not a combined 25% city/ 75% highway route...  On multiple occasions I have easily seen 400+ miles out of a tank, with 1-2 gallons of fuel remaining...  I ran it only once until the "R" lit up one time, and the trip odometer was reading 442 miles...

The fuel gauge & consumption is like clock work.  On every single fuel fill, I reset the trip odometer and can tell exactly how many miles I will have within the gauge marks.  The below represents my accumulated miles in between the fuel marks on the gas gauge - and this is what I see EVERY time like clockwork (R = empty, F = Full) :

R 400 \ 300 ][ 200 / 100 F


that is amazing :eek:
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: txleadfoot on March 23, 2009, 01:47:49 PM
What are y'all getting in the city?  I'm averaging 22 mpg.  62k on the clock.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: xwill112x on March 23, 2009, 02:25:08 PM
i typicly get around 17 city.

but i drive the shit out of my car aswell.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: 318isfolife on March 23, 2009, 02:48:13 PM
i get around 275 to 300 miles to a tank in the city.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: AcSchnitzer318is on March 23, 2009, 02:54:21 PM
I manage about 26mpg city... 23 if I'm having alot of fun with the car.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: 3seriesNut on March 23, 2009, 02:58:01 PM
i filled up friday,ive drove 235 miles as of today when i parked the car. im a hair below the half way point.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Cloud on March 29, 2009, 06:40:35 PM
Quote from: 318isfolife;68814
i get around 275 to 300 miles to a tank in the city.


I managed to make a full tank last nearly 90 miles before it was off the bottom of the gauge, when I ran out of courage and filled it again. If I go nuts, I can probably cut that down by about 30% but for general every day driving I can reasonably expect a tankful to last about 80 miles.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: tjts1 on March 29, 2009, 07:10:26 PM
Quote from: TheDutch;67850
You might like to check how big those gallons are before throwing up about it. It works out to about 38 (US) mpg, which is both mighty fine, and plausible.
Yup. Still bull ****.

My FE efforts when out the window when gas hit $2/gallon about 4 months ago.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Hodge on March 29, 2009, 07:41:57 PM
Last weekend I drove my car 550 miles to Sebring from my house (backroads) to my brothers house from Sebring (backroads), then the next morning went way out of the way to pick up one of my brother's friends, then headed back to Sebring (backroads a little interstate getting to friend's house), got gas upon entering Sebring (had roughly 260 miles on the car and slightly less than 1/2 tank left), and that night headed back to my bros house (backroads). The next morning, drove home on the interstate for about an hour and a half.

I never hit the trip gauge so it came to 550 miles total. So on 85-90% non-interstate driving, lots of high rpm runs, and basically not being conservative, I manged roughly 27.5mpg with the DASC M42. Not too shabby I'd say. :D
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: renfield90 on March 29, 2009, 09:30:19 PM
Quote from: tjts1;69127
My FE efforts when out the window when gas hit $2/gallon about 4 months ago.

Glad I'm not the only one. :D
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: 3seriesNut on March 29, 2009, 09:38:20 PM
im getting about a weeks worth of driving from a tank. gas here just shot up to $2.09 a gallon for low grade. im getting about 500-550 from a tank. more if i just stick to my drive to and from work. but i usualy dont lol i take the back roads home thats twisty.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: dude8383 on March 30, 2009, 10:34:08 AM
I'm averaging 20 mpg with my i6 without a tune.

When I had my m42 I could easily get like 250 miles out of the tank city driving.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Hodge on March 30, 2009, 08:31:54 PM
Quote from: dude8383;69142
I'm averaging 20 mpg with my i6 without a tune.

When I had my m42 I could easily get like 250 miles out of the tank city driving.



That's it?

I used to daily my E30 with stock M20 and get to about 250 miles and still be at 1/4. That was stop and go mostly traffic too.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: AcSchnitzer318is on March 30, 2009, 11:11:28 PM
You know... I never drive my m20.  The m42 is so much more fun and gets way better gas mileage doing it.  Am I the only one who thinks this?  My buddy thinks I'm nuts (he's an m20 lover) because of the lack of torque on the m42.  Personally my m42, with the mods I've done, feels every bit as fast as the stocker m20 in my 325i coupe.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: dude8383 on March 31, 2009, 08:07:39 AM
i live in nyc dude.

Quote from: Hodge;69181
That's it?

I used to daily my E30 with stock M20 and get to about 250 miles and still be at 1/4. That was stop and go mostly traffic too.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: xwill112x on March 31, 2009, 08:46:25 AM
lol i hate m20's, they always break on me.


back to m42 FE, i seemed to have gotten better since i installed a dinan chip, even with multiple 7000rpm runs.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: TheDutch on April 01, 2009, 07:11:56 AM
Quote from: tjts1;69127
Yup. Still bull ****.

My FE efforts when out the window when gas hit $2/gallon about 4 months ago.

Perhaps paying over $6/gallon helps focus the mind that much better, or perhaps US cars are set up differently to those over here, either way I find it eminently believable having experienced such figures myself.

When feeling especially tight-fisted I've made journeys where the OBC reports over 40 (US) mpg, and also managed over 500miles/tank; even allowing for measuring inaccuracies that's pretty good. It is mind-numbingly tedious of course, only possible if you've got time to waste. Think of the savings!
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Hodge on April 01, 2009, 07:31:26 AM
Quote from: dude8383;69199
i live in nyc dude.


Well...that explains it :)
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: gearheadE30 on April 02, 2009, 12:41:51 PM
I get an average of about 28-29 city, but there aren't too many lights. My average speed according to the OBC is just under 30. Highway on a trip to Terre Haute and back yielded 39 mpg average, both by the OBC and my calcs. I drafted a semi most of the way going 70-75 the whole time.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: dude8383 on April 03, 2009, 09:12:00 AM
Quote from: Hodge;69231
Well...that explains it :)


hehe, the car isn't tuned either so i know i will gain some MPG when i bring to markd.

Quote from: gearheadE30;69280
I get an average of about 28-29 city, but there aren't too many lights. My average speed according to the OBC is just under 30. Highway on a trip to Terre Haute and back yielded 39 mpg average, both by the OBC and my calcs. I drafted a semi most of the way going 70-75 the whole time.


wish i didn't have to stop on so many lights...just kills the whole fun of driving!
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: quinn11m20 on April 03, 2009, 11:04:51 AM
I don't really care about fuel economy. I get on or about 27 to 32 mpg. My car has a chip,intake,suspension, and gutted. I drive it like I stole it everyday. Yeah! she's had some problems, I have figured them out though. I love my car. It is the best investment I have ever made. I plan for more mods because its my hobby. I run 93 octane all the time plus I throw in some octane booster once a month. Honestly I don't know what you are all bitchen' about. My car has 250k on her and we are doing better fuel economy than most morons out on the roads. Your not gonna get Prius kind of economy. I say deal with what you got. Have a good day.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: AcSchnitzer318is on April 03, 2009, 03:11:56 PM
LOL... interesting post.  Not sure if I heard any "bitching" in this thread... and I hope your car is not the best investment you've ever made.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: ///m42 sport on April 12, 2009, 11:23:46 PM
anyone notice if the is lip spoiler makes alot of diff in fuel economy?  I lost mine recently and noticed I'm only getting about 29mpg cruising at 70-75 on the highway...this was compared to my first post on this thread where I was getting 33mpg.
Title: road trip avg 33mpg...bad?
Post by: Isamemon on April 26, 2009, 12:35:08 PM
91 318ic 205 tires.....5 speed
am getting aboiut 25 in town. 29 hiway
160k with one low cylinder
volvo electric fan
4 hole injectors
no p/s or a/c
no mess under manifold
( your mods that I picked up from you here at the forum)


tjts1....what do you mean by forward facing intake ?
I did switch my "snorkel"  to one out of a 325 which is larger in diameter and sucks cold air from behind the grille


my suspension is shot so Im not fdriving in the 70 range, too much shimmy
dont have the front lip on my valance

next months projects: rebuild suspension ( wiht sport srings and billys), new rotors and pads, maybe cross drilled and ceramics