Jmai22

ok i was just on the BMW E46 forum and they all get around 22 MPG. these are on M3s. THATS NOT COOL. i get crappy 16-18 mpg. dam why do we get such crappy MPG. what can i do to increase my MPG. i don't drive that hard like i use to when i first got the car, so what could be the problem. is it just age thats causing this.

Sovero1

You can try putting in a high flow air filter like K&N or something like that. For our car K&N runs about $50 unless you can find it cheaper. BTW, our car is bigger and I am guessing heavier than the M3. Also try one of those fuel injection system cleaners. I put it one made by STP about a week ago, and after a few days, the car started to run a little smoother.

Ed

Jmai22

i always use the chevron one. i don't even notice a difference. would a drop in filter be better than a cone filter?? i heard the cone filter for our cars are bad.

Sovero1

By always you mean every 3000-4000 miles right? My bottle said use every 4K miles. Hehe, maybe you don't feel anything 'cuz you always use it and you are just used to the effect. Really you'd only feel something the 1st time, then it just keeps 'em clean.

I heard the same thing about cone filters, but have been offered no proof. Anyway, cones are expensive for our cars (everything is more expensive for our cars then the 2nd gen!!! ). I got the K&N drop in filter. I haven't tracked the mileage, but the car seems zippier off the line. I didn't feel squat though until I was forced to reset the ECUs when my battery died. Also, I don't know about your car, but I am sure mine could use a full tune-up. It's just for the past year I've been so broke I could always find more important things on which to spend my money.

Jmai22

by always i mean thats the brand that i usually use every 10,000 miles or so. i need like a major tune up but thats gonna cost prolly around 2000

Mischievious GS

as of this moment...i get about 275-290 miles per fill up. when i first bought the car, i was getting 200-220 miles. since then i put in an exhaust, intake, TM plugs, changed the spark plug wires, and just recently added a grounding system to the car. honestly, i think that the TM plugs and the new spark plug wires contributed heavily on my MPG gain.

as for the intake, i first bought that cheapy cone K&N intake from eBay with the adapter for our car. it basically used the stock intake pipe, then the MAF, then the adapter which connected the cone filter. the only problem with this was, the engine made a hissing noise when you first start it in the morning. it was loud. loud enough to be heard from the drivers seat. i left that intake on for a while until i got everything else done, and finally contacted Injen. Injen was nice enough to sponsor me an intake for my car, and i received the intake within 2 days. i ripped out the K&N intake and installed the Injen one. it came with a polished pipe, filter, hoses, and heat shield. visually, it was perfect. then the test. i reset my ECU, and off we went. BIG difference from the K&N. Also, that irritating hissing noise is now down to a minimum. Coupled with my exhaust, I love the way she sounds when you step on the gas. one of these days when i buy my gtech, ill post hp gains from the injen filter. not too many places make intakes for our cars, but IMHO, Injen has to be the best visually and performance-wise for our cars.

Jmai22

when you say sponsor do you mean FREE??? thats really cool. also when you say to a tank. do you mean until the light comes on?? our car light and needle is WAY off. i usuualy drive it when the light is on plus 50 more miles until the needle is BELOW the line and still only able to pump around 19 gallons when our car is capable of 21.1. i also understand there is going to be some gas that can't be sucked up. in the pump, and in the pipes.

Mischievious GS

Yes...it was free, i think all I had to pay for was shipping. But our agreement was to keep 2 stickers (min. 2"x7") on the car at all times.

hmm...did my test to the line right before last. i found out that you can take the instrument cluster out, and adjust the gas needle so its more accurate. maybe a previous owner took the needle and messed around with it.

Jmai22

wtf?? so you get 300 miles with a quarter of a tank left?? thats amazin.