Poor fuel consumption

[Garfield]

Hey guys

I recently acquired my 1999 e46 328i, i love the car but it feel as if the fuel consumption is terrible, i understand the big engine lower fuel consumption theory but come on, i'm getting 5 kilometers per liter according to my calculations (in town driving, not driving hard)

31 liters = 180ish km, thats a measly 320 km per tank :cursin:

My previous vr6 got way more than that, on average between 450 - 500 km per tank

Are there any other e46 328i owners here ? how many Km's are you guys getting per tank ?

Is there anything i can check to get consumption down ?

Please help

 

[444YYY]

Does it correlate with the OBC fuel consumption display?

 

[freerider]

possible that your injectors are leaking? Have you had the car to a mechanic to check that out?

 

[Spy007]

Flux capasitor is leaking........or perhaps try taking your foot of the pedal glued to the floor.


On a serious note thats Heavy as I am getting 9.5 avg with my A/T. so something is amis.

 

[Garfield]

Does it correlate with the OBC fuel consumption display?

Nope, when i'm driving the read out says 8.5 L/100km. thats about 11 kpl, double what i'm getting

possible that your injectors are leaking? Have you had the car to a mechanic to check that out?

I have not had that checked, although i have never sensed a petrol smell under the bonnet but its worth getting checked

Flux capasitor is leaking........or perhaps try taking your foot of the pedal glued to the floor.


On a serious note thats Heavy as I am getting 9.5 avg with my A/T. so something is amis.

:spit: the first few days i had that heavy foot syndrome but now i've calmed down to a mid panic

9.5 would be nice :drool:

 

[444YYY]

Can you smell fuel when you park the car?
I'm thinking its a minor fuel leak....

 

[Garfield]

Nope, never smelt any petrol when parking or stopping the car.

Um i was reading some where about a fuel filter being dirty or clogged causing bad fuel economy and power loss

I'm not sure if the previous owner ever cleaned or replaced it. Could it be anything relating to that ?

 

[james]

Get it serviced. ASAP. Take it 2 Gizmo if you in JHB. Zeemax if in CT.

 

[Garfield]

None of the above, sitting in Limpopo (of all places :cursin: )

I don't suppose anyone knows a decent mechanic up here, i don't trust the guy that everyone around here recommends, so far every time i got my car back from him it had more wrong than it went in with

 

[james]

Otherwise, change the fuel filter, and take it 2 someone who can check the codes.

 

[Garfield]

I'll have to do some looking around for a decent honest mechanic otherwise go straight to Bmw

 

[444YYY]

Just a note, a clogged/blocked fuel filter will prevent large volumes of fuel, being sent to the engine.... So unlikely, you've got the opposite problem.
Check the lambda sensor, maybe its a simple issue of the signal wires coming off....
This may result in the vehicle running rich....

 

[sykotic]

hey i get the EXACT same fuel economy from my e36 328i!! its crap huh!! im booking mine in for a tune up at the mec.. i hope somethings wrong!!! atleast then i can fix it n get better consumption lol

 

[Garfield]

Just a note, a clogged/blocked fuel filter will prevent large volumes of fuel, being sent to the engine.... So unlikely, you've got the opposite problem.
Check the lambda sensor, maybe its a simple issue of the signal wires coming off....
This may result in the vehicle running rich....

Ah i see, lamba sensor :dunno: will have a look later today, Would the O2 sensor not also cause it to run rich ? But then again i heard if the O2 sensor is faulty it throws a check engine light

hey i get the EXACT same fuel economy from my e36 328i!! its crap huh!! im booking mine in for a tune up at the mec.. i hope somethings wrong!!! atleast then i can fix it n get better consumption lol

Its really bad :cursin: my dad previously had a e36 328i and he would get nearly 600km outta his tank, same driving style as mine

If you get yours sorted before me . . . PLEASE let me know what it was

 

[P1000]

I think the problem would most likely be with either the injectors or fuel pressure regulator. Seeing as the OBD thinks you are using less fuel than you are, it must be somehow injecting more fuel than it thinks it is. A petrol engine can run very rich and most people would not notice it at all. Check if your oil has a strong petrol smell to it, and compare to other cars. Although people might think your strange if you ask them if you can smell their dipstick

 

[nawtiboy]

some sort of consolation:wave:

my 325 ci A/T does 5km/l to work and back:cursin:

full tank in traffic -290km of 59 liters:cursin:

but once on the open road i get 800km of the same 59 liters :thumbsup:

not sure if this is normal as well:mmm:

i just fill it when the light comes on-very difficult to push

 

[Garfield]

I think the problem would most likely be with either the injectors or fuel pressure regulator. Seeing as the OBD thinks you are using less fuel than you are, it must be somehow injecting more fuel than it thinks it is. A petrol engine can run very rich and most people would not notice it at all. Check if your oil has a strong petrol smell to it, and compare to other cars. Although people might think your strange if you ask them if you can smell their dipstick

I will check the oil smell, as for asking other people to smell their um dipsticks :rofl: Well i might get some strange looks

some sort of consolation:wave:

my 325 ci A/T does 5km/l to work and back:cursin:

full tank in traffic -290km of 59 liters:cursin:

but once on the open road i get 800km of the same 59 liters :thumbsup:

not sure if this is normal as well:mmm:

i just fill it when the light comes on-very difficult to push

:dropjaw: And i feel better now , wow thats heavy in traffic but EXCELLENT on the long road :thumbsup:

Right so i got this list of things to check so far:
A fuel leak
Injectors leaking or faulty
Fuel pressure regulator
Lambada sensor

Correct ?

 

[Anarchy05]

full tank in traffic -290km of 59 liters

but once on the open road i get 800km of the same 59 liters

I have this same issue,even when not "putting foot",my car seems to be heavy,then I drive like a topi in the town,the km left thingy drops 3kms for every km drove about,then when I hit the open road,i "gooi" about 160km/h,and the reading of left kms doesnt even drop,what can that be?I only have a 318i E36,and I get bout 70-80kms on R200!

 

[Garfield]

The km left thingy drops 3kms for every km drove about

I get bout 70-80kms on R200!

I also noticed it drops quicker, on half tank it shows i can do almost 300km but it drops 2 km for every 1 km i drive more or less

WHOA thats heavy !

 

[sykotic]

i will also have to check those things haha. but il keep you posted! if you sort it out first, let me know aswell!