Will a boost gauge help improve fuel consumption ?

cstavaru · 10-07-2009, 04:36 PM

I am continuously searching for ways to improve my fuel consumption, especially in town. Right now I get ~14-15mpg in town.

One thing I am still guessing is how to keep the car running with as little boost as possible. I was thinking to use a boost gauge for this.

Do you think that a boost gauge will help ? Or is the instantaneous fuel consumption display enough to drive as economically as possible ?

HPFREAK · 10-07-2009, 04:40 PM

Honestly I think you would end up looking at the boost gauge more then the road.lol I do try to get good MPG but it is very hard on the street, and I try to use manual mode and shift early and keep as little pressure on the gas as I can. this does not work when even pulling a slight grade though. gravity is a bitch. If you can position the boost gauge in such a way that you can see it well in the corner of your eye then it would help to know when you are in boost and get out of it.

SlicktopTTZ · 10-07-2009, 04:44 PM

Yes but it will be kinda hard to do with a digital, with a analog boost gauge on an A pillar mount it would probably work, you can see vac/boost respond to the pedal and just try to keep the needle below 0 as much as you can, works good for my 240 but it is also a lot laggier.

enrita · 10-07-2009, 04:46 PM

maybe you should get a 320d if you are worried about fuel consumption

Boost gauge wont help .

Terrance28 · 10-07-2009, 04:47 PM

^Why wouldn't it work with a digital? My digital shows vacuum and boost and I can monitor it just the same and keep it under 0.

SD135i · 10-07-2009, 04:56 PM

My boost gauge just makes me want to push on the pedal harder

MFKN3 · 10-07-2009, 04:58 PM

Your car will normally only boost under heavy throttle or WOT

happy4nk8er · 10-07-2009, 05:06 PM

You must drive your car hard. I am an infrequent full throttle person but in
20k miles I am averaging 24 MPG highway/city combination with an average speed of 38 MPH. 14-15 mpg that's what I get when I drive my hemi truck, that sounds like really bad mpg, but maybe others are getting the same in their 335's and it's just because I don't hot rod much. Altitude is 300 ft. here though too.

cstavaru · 10-07-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enrita

maybe you should get a 320d if you are worried about fuel consumption

Boost gauge wont help .

Even so, I would still want to get the best MPG for that engine, so I would still ask this question in the end...

cstavaru · 10-07-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy4nk8er

You must drive your car hard. I am an infrequent full throttle person but in
20k miles I am averaging 24 MPG highway/city combination with an average speed of 38 MPH. 14-15 mpg that's what I get when I drive my hemi truck, that sounds like really bad mpg, but maybe others are getting the same in their 335's and it's just because I don't hot rod much. Altitude is 300 ft. here though too.

The problem is, my town is one of the most crowded and badly managed towns as far as traffic goes.

I drove cars on some USA towns and its a night and day difference, literally: rush hour in Bellevue, WA is like driving at 3AM in Bucharest

SlicktopTTZ · 10-07-2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terrance28

^Why wouldn't it work with a digital? My digital shows vacuum and boost and I can monitor it just the same and keep it under 0.

With my EBC I can't see the pressure come up quickly enough until it is too late and I'm already a few psi boosted, with the analog I can see the needle sweep and the response is instant. Is your gauge just a number or does it also "sweep" with a 0 point? I could see it working with that.

Mr. 5 · 10-07-2009, 05:43 PM

In a small way, it helped me.
For a while, I would strive to be around 10 in hg on the freeway. If I did this then I could get around 28 mpg.

boom · 10-07-2009, 05:46 PM

I get between 24.7-25.2 mpg with at least one wot episode per drive. Boost guages are good for hypermiling but if your already driving as you've describe I don't thunk it'll make much of a difference. I want one but haven't found a mounting setup that I like and don't want to spend th $300 for the RR vent setup.

vase330 · 10-07-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cstavaru

The problem is, my town is one of the most crowded and badly managed towns as far as traffic goes.

I drove cars on some USA towns and its a night and day difference, literally: rush hour in Bellevue, WA is like driving at 3AM in Bucharest

I know man, used to live there. But really Bellevue is so new compared to the old cities, and besides, Bellevue totally planned for the car. Its so typical of new towns.

But that said, try running in D mode if you are steptronic, and just be gentle on the pedal. You may want to shift into neutral while stuck in traffic too. Seen people do it.

Terrance28 · 10-07-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlicktopTTZ

With my EBC I can't see the pressure come up quickly enough until it is too late and I'm already a few psi boosted, with the analog I can see the needle sweep and the response is instant. Is your gauge just a number or does it also "sweep" with a 0 point? I could see it working with that.

Well the one I had read vacuum and boost with bars that ran across the top in each direction. It went left for vacuum and right for boost. So I knew exactly when I was coming up on boost.

10-07-2009, 04:36 PM	#1
cstavaru Brigadier General 313 Rep 3,262 Posts Drives: 2009 335i M Sport Sedan 6MT Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bucharest, Romania iTrader: (0)	Will a boost gauge help improve fuel consumption ? I am continuously searching for ways to improve my fuel consumption, especially in town. Right now I get ~14-15mpg in town. One thing I am still guessing is how to keep the car running with as little boost as possible. I was thinking to use a boost gauge for this. Do you think that a boost gauge will help ? Or is the instantaneous fuel consumption display enough to drive as economically as possible ? __________________ Mods(click): Cobb + RB Turbos \| Aquamist HFS-4 Meth \| Drexler LSD \| Bilstein B12 Pro-Kit \| Custom K&N Apollo Intake \| Wagner Intercooler \| Macht Schnell Downpipes \| BMW Performance Power Kit \| BMW Performance Exhaust \| BMW Performance Short Shifter \| M3 Subframe Bushings \|
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10-07-2009, 04:40 PM	#2
HPFREAK Lieutenant Colonel 63 Rep 1,884 Posts Drives: C6 ZO6 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Socal iTrader: (8)	Honestly I think you would end up looking at the boost gauge more then the road.lol I do try to get good MPG but it is very hard on the street, and I try to use manual mode and shift early and keep as little pressure on the gas as I can. this does not work when even pulling a slight grade though. gravity is a bitch. If you can position the boost gauge in such a way that you can see it well in the corner of your eye then it would help to know when you are in boost and get out of it. __________________ My Youtube Channel
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10-07-2009, 04:44 PM	#3
SlicktopTTZ Captain 11 Rep 685 Posts Drives: 91 300ZX Twin-Turbo, 2010 135i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas iTrader: (0)	Yes but it will be kinda hard to do with a digital, with a analog boost gauge on an A pillar mount it would probably work, you can see vac/boost respond to the pedal and just try to keep the needle below 0 as much as you can, works good for my 240 but it is also a lot laggier.
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10-07-2009, 04:46 PM	#4
enrita Major General 161 Rep 7,377 Posts Drives: 335i - Big turbos Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Italian in Sweden iTrader: (0)	maybe you should get a 320d if you are worried about fuel consumption Boost gauge wont help . __________________ 07 335i AT - MOTIV 750 - MHD E85 BMS flash - BMS PI - JB4G5 - Okada Coils - NGK 5992 Plugs - Helix IC - Snow Stg. 3 - Stett CP - Custom midpipes with 100 HJS Cats - Bastuck Quad - PSS10 - QUAIFE LSD - BMS OCC - Forge DVs - AR OC - ALCON BBK - M3 Chassi - Dinan CP - Velocity M rear Toe arms - Advan RZ-DF - LUX H8 - Level 10 AT upgrade
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10-07-2009, 04:47 PM	#5
Terrance28 Brigadier General 109 Rep 3,334 Posts Drives: Crimson Red E92 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Killeen, TX iTrader: (17)	^Why wouldn't it work with a digital? My digital shows vacuum and boost and I can monitor it just the same and keep it under 0. __________________ Mods list got too long, lets just say more than enough.
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10-07-2009, 04:56 PM	#6
SD135i aka Trevorsd 6 Rep 244 Posts Drives: 2009 135i AT Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 135i [0.00]	My boost gauge just makes me want to push on the pedal harder
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10-07-2009, 04:58 PM	#7
MFKN3 Colonel 127 Rep 2,224 Posts Drives: supercharged 4.4L stroker E92 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia iTrader: (2)	Your car will normally only boost under heavy throttle or WOT
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10-07-2009, 05:06 PM	#8
happy4nk8er Second Lieutenant 2 Rep 277 Posts Drives: 335i E92 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Milky way galaxy iTrader: (0)	You must drive your car hard. I am an infrequent full throttle person but in 20k miles I am averaging 24 MPG highway/city combination with an average speed of 38 MPH. 14-15 mpg that's what I get when I drive my hemi truck, that sounds like really bad mpg, but maybe others are getting the same in their 335's and it's just because I don't hot rod much. Altitude is 300 ft. here though too.
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10-07-2009, 05:43 PM	#12
Mr. 5 Modder Raider 753 Rep 8,633 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Surf City, HB iTrader: (31) Garage List 2007 e90 335i [8.00]	In a small way, it helped me. For a while, I would strive to be around 10 in hg on the freeway. If I did this then I could get around 28 mpg. __________________ e36 M3 Coupe, e36 325i Sedan e90 335i--SOLD Best 60-130-------------9.15 Seconds------------------WWW.MR5RACING.COM
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10-07-2009, 05:46 PM	#13
boom My X5d tows my spec miata to the track. 74 Rep 1,254 Posts Drives: 2010 X5 35d Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I get between 24.7-25.2 mpg with at least one wot episode per drive. Boost guages are good for hypermiling but if your already driving as you've describe I don't thunk it'll make much of a difference. I want one but haven't found a mounting setup that I like and don't want to spend th $300 for the RR vent setup.
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