FUEL CONSUMPTION
Moderator: martauto
My 316i tourer is doing about 199 miles on a full tank. Its an auto and seems to run fine. The temp gauge usually sits around just above blue which is obviously wrong. Also I can smeel petrol on my oil filler cap?? Any ideas would be appreciated, its costing me shed loads in petrol!!!!!
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Turbo-Brown
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Oh dear, petrol can only get into the sump past the rings 
How many miles has it covered?
Might be worn piston rings and/or bores.
On the other hand, if the temp senders are buggered and telling things the engine's cold, it could just be that it's adding too much fuel.
Either way, don't leave it because if it is too much fuel going in, it won't be long till the bores have had it as the petrol washes the lube from the bore walls.
How many miles has it covered?
Might be worn piston rings and/or bores.
On the other hand, if the temp senders are buggered and telling things the engine's cold, it could just be that it's adding too much fuel.
Either way, don't leave it because if it is too much fuel going in, it won't be long till the bores have had it as the petrol washes the lube from the bore walls.
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Ant
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agreed, new coolant temp sensor is 1st item, 2nd is an oil and filter change, may I also recommend a new thermostat, could well be stuck fully open , hence the engine never warms up
HTH
HTH
Last edited by Ant on Sun Feb 05, 2006 4:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Original performance chips, original works not unlicensed copies
Email FTWCheers chaps, i'll put a new thermostat in this next weekend, its done 96,000 on a J plate. I don't have any history with it and dont know when the cam belt was done, it might never have been done, is it possible it would last 96,000 miles?????
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Martinaston
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Check the fuel lines that run under the middle of the inlet manifold, they normally go brittle and crack leaking petrol onto the top of the engine.
Completely remove them to be sure because you can't see properly with them still fitted.
As for the belt just change it anyway (and fit a new water pump while it's off)
Completely remove them to be sure because you can't see properly with them still fitted.
As for the belt just change it anyway (and fit a new water pump while it's off)
There is NO nucleus.
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Gravy
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Hmm I think I'll take this advice too as my 318i touring struggles to do 240 miles on a tank of Ԛ£42 and my temp gauge sometimes doesn't get out of the cold region - it flickers around, I just thought it was a faulty gauge that doesn't actually affect the running of the engine but if it is thermostat related then I should get it checked out!
mine did have a split on the fuel line and honked of petrol badly.fitted new piece.
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Brianmoooore
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Temp gauge and ECU use different sensors, so the chances are that if the temp gauge is reading low and it's using extra fuel, then it is actually is running cool. I.E Thermostat.
Mine seems to be running cool at the moment, only just getting above the blue when driving, when in traffic it warms up a bit more, until I get moving again, could this be thermostat problems?
It is only doing 22 MPG at the moment. I just put the cool running to being winter.
In summer it was just about getting to 1/4 on the dial, rarely got above that unless in traffic.
May also be related, in most cars I thought the cabin heater would be disabled until the car warms up, if I turn the cabin heater on in the car, the engine seems takes a lot longer to warm up.
It is only doing 22 MPG at the moment. I just put the cool running to being winter.
In summer it was just about getting to 1/4 on the dial, rarely got above that unless in traffic.
May also be related, in most cars I thought the cabin heater would be disabled until the car warms up, if I turn the cabin heater on in the car, the engine seems takes a lot longer to warm up.
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Brianmoooore
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If the gauge moves about appreciably in normal driving (and it's not the well documented loose nut on the back of the instrument cluster), then the thermostat is suspect.
I've found many OE stats where one arm of the bridge piece has broken.
I've found many OE stats where one arm of the bridge piece has broken.
same problem (or similar) with mine
temperatury barely comes out of the blue region, it's a low mileage engine and i know it's a BMW but it is too good to be true
surely if the heating works ok then it can't be the thermostat? i thought if the thermostat was bggered the heater motor would be blowing only cold air?
temperatury barely comes out of the blue region, it's a low mileage engine and i know it's a BMW but it is too good to be true
surely if the heating works ok then it can't be the thermostat? i thought if the thermostat was bggered the heater motor would be blowing only cold air?
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Brianmoooore
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Heater will work with a dud stat. It just won't give the output it should.
With the bridge piece broken the stat still works, but it doesn't seat properly and allows water through when its supposed to be shut.
With the bridge piece broken the stat still works, but it doesn't seat properly and allows water through when its supposed to be shut.