help with mpg of a 316i
Moderator: martauto
- _bmw_316_lad_
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 222
- Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: west cork ireland
hello all. just wondering what milage do ye average with a full tank. im only getting 250 miles with a light left boot
engine is well serviced but never reconed the injectors and got 120k on it. any help to try get better mpg?? many thanks Aran
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Ollie_bwoii
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 8695
- Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: Northampton
30mpg you lucky b****** my 316 does about 25-26mpg, although I do admit to not having a relaxed driving style, because you just can't around here.
- Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Your machine has a carb. on it though, doesn't it Ollie? You're never going to get decent MPG with a device like that preparing the fuel mixture!Ollie_bwoii wrote:30mpg you lucky b****** my 316 does about 25-26mpg, although I do admit to not having a relaxed driving style, because you just can't around here.
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Ollie_bwoii
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 8695
- Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: Northampton
Yep pierburg carb'd.
- Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Touring tank is 62 litres, not 70, and the light comes on after about 57, which is the latest most people fill up.nicey wrote:My missus 316i auto tourer averages 30-35 mpg, 70 ltr fuel tank in a tourer, so say 15 gallons * 30 mpg = 450 miles, hmmn, fuel leak, short journeys, stop/start driving in traffic?
If you're getting 450 miles from a tank, that's likely to be around 43 MPG! - extremely good for an auto; close to what BMW claims for constant 56 MPH running, in fact.
- _bmw_316_lad_
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 222
- Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: west cork ireland
well no motorway roads so total mixed drviving i spose. but i still think its bad milage 
say thats about right_bmw_316_lad_ wrote:hello all. just wondering what milage do ye average with a full tank. im only getting 250 miles with a light left bootengine is well serviced but never reconed the injectors and got 120k on it. any help to try get better mpg?? many thanks Aran
my 316i tourer dose about 250-280miles to a tank
(not sure what mpg that is)
'83 320i chromie
'86 316 tech 1/M20B25 conversion
'91 318is touring
'87 chromie M10 rightness
Joe-318i
'86 316 tech 1/M20B25 conversion
'91 318is touring
'87 chromie M10 rightness
Joe-318i
- _bmw_316_lad_
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 222
- Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: west cork ireland
worked out that 250 miles to a tank is roughly 25mpg!!!i thought a 325 would nearly do that 
Welcome to the world that is the 316i. i get 270miles at best with mine. Its got a new rotor arm and cap, new plugs, blue temp sender, fuel pump, filter, camshaft kit and cambelt. Tried other AF meter and injectors. tested idle position switch and its still the same. Suffice to say ive given up looking and just thrash the balls of it daily now as it doesnt seem to have any bearing on its thirst. Kinda hoping it'l blow up so i can put it too rest but it soldiers on regardless using no oil or water ever.
G/90 316i M40 tickety tic!
ST185 GT4
Archless! Tech 1 project
E46 330d Sport
ST185 GT4
Archless! Tech 1 project
E46 330d Sport
- _bmw_316_lad_
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 222
- Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: west cork ireland
haha looks like were all in the same boat. due its mot now along with cambelt and camshaft. so mpg at the bottom of my wory list. thanks for the info lads 
- donnyboiler
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 116
- Joined: Thu May 07, 2009 11:00 pm
My 316i gets 30 - 37 mpg. 30 when I drive it, 37 when my girlfriend does!
I have a 1990 316i auto and I've found the higher the price of fuel gets the quicker my e30 uses it!
Does anyone think there is any merit in flicking the box to neutral and costing to lights etc rather then always leaving it 'D'...?
Thanks
Kit
Does anyone think there is any merit in flicking the box to neutral and costing to lights etc rather then always leaving it 'D'...?
Thanks
Kit
- Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 49358
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
This will actually use more fuel!TheRam wrote:
Does anyone think there is any merit in flicking the box to neutral and costing to lights etc rather then always leaving it 'D'...?
E30's have an over run fuel cut off function built into the ECU. When the throttle position switch is in the closed position and the engine revs are over 1800 RPM the fuel injectors cut off completely - the car uses no fuel at all, as indicated bt the 'econometer' going fully to the left.
As soon as the revs drop below 1800, the injectors switch back on, and a small amount of fuel is used, even if the throttle is still closed. This 'switch on' can often be seen as the econometer needle moves slightly to the right.
remember that you only get 6 gallons for your 30 quid, this works out as approx 30 mpg, I get this out of my 525e around town and short runs not hanging around....ollie_ wrote:i've just got a 318i,and im having the same problems,i got 180 miles off 30quid yesterday :-/ seems to be using a LOT
[Does anyone think there is any merit in flicking the box to neutral and costing to lights etc rather then always leaving it 'D'...?]
I think that there is a risk of causing damage here though - if you tow an auto for any distance (about 10m IIRC) you are supposed to disconnect the drive. Coasting short distances shouldn't matter but i would've thought a cumulative affect would build up to a problem.
Anyone any thoughts on this?
I think that there is a risk of causing damage here though - if you tow an auto for any distance (about 10m IIRC) you are supposed to disconnect the drive. Coasting short distances shouldn't matter but i would've thought a cumulative affect would build up to a problem.
Anyone any thoughts on this?
I've stopped paying attention to how much I spend at the pump, it's too depressing. Bimblebee will do 33-34 on a run, closer to 25-26 round town. Better than my old E34 530 v8, only used to get 14 round town out of that!

1989 AlpinweissII 316i
Bimbley Goodness

