Fuel consumption

[Codhead]

I have a 1991 e30 316i and i get about 100miles from £20 worth of fuel. What things can i do to improve fuel consumption, if any, or is it just because of the age of the car. My E36 318 is brilliant on fuel and I thought that my E30 would be just as good.

Cheers

[Elecblondie]

First of all with that economy I'd check that it wasn't pouring fuel all over the place. I'd try running along the pipes with my fingers feeling for fuel, with the engine on (obviously it evaporates quite quickly so you might not find much) and bend/prod/squeeze the pipes at any joint to look for anything squirting out with engine off.

[Cloud]

Are you serious?
100 miles on £20 is exceptional, isn't it? That's 5 miles per pound. My old 320i used to do around 2 miles a pound. It was a bit annoying that I'd have to fill the tank twice to get from Exeter to Bristol though, and I know it had a drink problem, but you're doing around two and a half times that. In my 325i cab (different car) I spent nearly £80 on fuel going from Oxford to Exeter, which is only 160ish miles, which again is roughly 2 miles per pound.

I've also had a Ford Capri V6 which made my 320i look frugal.

[Codhead]

Would it only leak with the car running or all the time.
cheers

[Elecblondie]

Depends on the source of the leak, obviously if the fuel pump isn't running then the lines from the tank to the engine are going to be under less pressure so they may leak less or not at all when the engine's off.

[Codhead]

It works out at 19miles to the gallon which I think is a bit low my m8s 330 cab does an average of 26 miles per gallon and most of those miles are around town.

[Sanchez]

i get 200miles for £20 at the moment. But then my e30's a write off so driving a volvo V40.


Have you service the car recently?

Does it idle ok and check all the air hoses in the engine bay for spits cracks, leaks. Could cause it to over fuel.

[Ziggy]

Are you serious?
100 miles on £20 is exceptional, isn't it? That's 5 miles per pound.

At current fuel prices, £20 per 100 miles is 19mpg as Codhead said. 19mpg is significantly worse than I get from my m30 converted car, and rubbish for any standard-ish E30 driven vaguely sensibly.

[Cloud]

Are you serious?
100 miles on £20 is exceptional, isn't it? That's 5 miles per pound.

At current fuel prices, £20 per 100 miles is 19mpg as Codhead said. 19mpg is significantly worse than I get from my m30 converted car, and rubbish for any standard-ish E30 driven vaguely sensibly.

I must be getting around 6-8mpg then. Hardcore.

[daimlerman]

Common leak points include the filler pipe and the tank it's self. Get the car up in the air and grab the rubber pipe where it enters the tank from the filler,if it comes off in your hand,you have found your problem.Incedently,my 316i touring is currently returning around 32-34mpg.

[Rav335uk]

Feck me, i only get about 200miles from £40.00 atm in my m30b35, but it is down to a lead right foot sometimes

[Barx325i]

Check your temp sensor readings with a voltage tester - the figures could be in the wiki here.

Temp sensor causes the car to lean off when it's warmer. if it's faulty, the ecu will overfuel when the engine is hot..

[AxleF]

i have a 318i e30 and i get about 160miles to £25 worth of fuel (85p per litre ) , i think im doing ok on that mpg rate . hope my figures can help you work out roughly what yours should be .

[Codhead]

How do i know what readings I should be getting, from the sensor
Cheers

[Barx325i]

How do i know what readings I should be getting, from the sensor
Cheers

I can't remember off the top of my head. Might be in the wiki here or google-able.

Failing that nip to halfords and find a thumbed haynes

[Oggy]

Before my engine rebuild I was returning circa 20mpg on a run, but that was with a failing head gasket!

I managed 220 miles to a tank, at a cost of £45, and that's a 325i.

I'm hoping for a slightly better rate of consumption after I get the rebuilt head back on today!

Cloud, either you're exceptionally heavy footed at all times, or you have some form of drinking problem! Well, not you personally, but your car

If it's down to heavy footed driving, fair play, thats good going

[rallye_turtle]

Thats one greedy 316 . I get approx 125miles on my 325i. Perhaps it would be worth getting the ignition timing etc checked and the mentioned fuel leak checks. Does your car consume a lot of oil?

[BigBavarian]

Well i get 160 miles from £40 from my m50 2.5 at the moment, seriously over fueling so much so that when it gets a caining it spits flames when back off the power and change down!

[maxfield]

I have a 1991 e30 316i and i get about 100miles from £20 worth of fuel. What things can i do to improve fuel consumption, if any, or is it just because of the age of the car. My E36 318 is brilliant on fuel and I thought that my E30 would be just as good.

Cheers

I used to get that from a 316i.

About 80 caining it.

And about 120 on a run.

[Codhead]

No it doesn't use any oil, does anyone have a part number for the blue temp sensor there are 2 on the OEM and i don't know which one it is.
Thanks