Hello from across the pond

[DirtyTorquer]

Greetings peoples. I've come across this forum a few times finding things that people have done rather interesting. Since I am now a more fuel effiecient minded person, I am slowly starting to do things to my daily driver (2003 E46 320D touring) to see just how far up the MPG ladder I can get it.

It has only been about the last year that I have really been bothered with getting better MPG out of the car. At the moment I see a rough average of 56 UK MPG (46 US MPG) to work and back...which I think is not too bad considering I work in London...and the traffic is not always the best at times. While I could get the ECU remapped for economy...I'm just going to leave it as it has been for a very long time...remapped for best performance. I have done minor intake modifications, removed one of the catalytic converters and changed the 11+ kgs (24+lbs) m sport wheels for 8+kgs (17+lbs) of the same diameter...but now its time to get a bit more serious. The next project for the car is a full aluminium composite sheet under tray, with lourves for cooling where needed and a diffuser to follow the existing lines of the tail end of the car.

Anyway since I have been unable to see some of the pictures people have posted on here, I decided why not sign up...it's free after all

[MetroMPG]

Welcome to the forum!

Funny - just yesterday I was thinking... "maybe I should just set things so non-registered members can see the attached images..." but hooking new members was part of the reason it's set the way it is. Good to see it works sometimes!

Aluminum composite undertray... that sounds fancy (and pricey).

[DirtyTorquer]

Well your technique worked and will probably bring in more. As for the under tray, not expensive at all. Its what many signs are made from (alucomp). Ok so not as cheap as some of the stuff you guys use, but it will do the trick for me. Will be using it on our race cars too as it offers decent strength and rigidity for its weight. I dont plan on going as far as some of you as want to keep looks fairly standard...but i have fair few hidden things i want to give a go.

[UltArc]

I look forward to hearing more Bout hidden things and the aluminum underbody.

[AndrzejM]

Welcome to EM!
It's good to see another Beemer here

Greetings from Poland

[DirtyTorquer]

UltArc - The hidden things I want to try revolve around the wheel arches (no pun intended). Since I am a spirited driver at times, I want to keep brake cooling still optimal while at the same time reducing drag and lift in the arches. I am thinking to try an arch within an arch as in one attached to the suspension and just about a 1/4" around the tire. If I can then "isolate" the upper part of the arch, this will reduce turbulant air in it. I know how I have it in my mind but hard to fully explain. If it works, then it will be hidden unless you remove the wheel.

Andrzejm - Indeed another BMW driver although I will not be going as far on external bodywork as you have. Actually from your small avatar picture, I wouldn't even have guessed the right vehicle! Nice color matching for stealthness of the modifications.

[euromodder]

Welcome to ecomodder.

Originally Posted by DirtyTorquer

I am slowly starting to do things to my daily driver (2003 E46 320D touring) to see just how far up the MPG ladder I can get it.
At the moment I see a rough average of 56 UK MPG (46 US MPG) to work and back...which I think is not too bad considering I work in London...

What kind of hypermiling techniques are you using already ?
100+ Hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics for better mpg - EcoModder.com

Lower speed, coasting (even with engine on) and low rpm will already get you quite a long way.

While I could get the ECU remapped for economy...

It's unlikely to be worthwhile - while it may improver your FE a bit, its unlikely you'll get the investment in the remapping back in reduced fuel consumption.
Changing the way you drive gives a far better RoI

Weight reduction will help in city driving - throw out anything you don't need on a day-to-day basis. If you already have roadside assistance, you might just as well kick out the spare tyre and jack.

The next project for the car is a full aluminium composite sheet under tray, with lourves for cooling where needed and a diffuser to follow the existing lines of the tail end of the car.

Do you do enough distance at speed to make this effective ?

[DirtyTorquer]

euromodder - I am not a pure hypermiler in driving style but I do drive economically. I usually sit with cruise control at 60mph instead of 70mph, I anticipate other drivers actions and think ahead for passing, coast to stops when I can, already thrown out any un-needed weight (well aware of power to weight and rotational mass as my race car has had a huge dose of that done to it), yadda yadda. I do know how to really drive in a super economy mode if I wanted to...but as say I am not a pure hypermiler. So far with how I drive (as have said sometimes spirited) being up on the book quote of 47.9 UK MPG is quite good...plus I remapped the car for maximum performance...and did gain MPG improvement. With now doing 15,000 miles a year just for work alone (and having done 36,000 miles in the last year), the cost of things I plan to do to the car will easily pay back with the cost of fuel rising like mad. Then again I am not too bothered of the cost of payback as it is just something I want to do as getting more and more into aerodynamics and the benefits...actually to be honest, this has all kicked off with us racing in a new championship of which we are not limited to what we can do to the cars aerodynamically. Course that is about more downforce with minimum drag penalty...but minimum drag is an all round winner off the track. So if I can do worthwhile bits to my road car that show improvements in MPG based on drag reduction...then they will be getting done for the track. Pretty much road driving testing grounds with bonus of increased FE. Not sure if any of that makes sense from my twisted mind?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by DirtyTorquer

but as say I am not a pure hypermiler.

Seems you've already caught some hypermiler tricks though

Some of them are really simple and virtually unnoticeable, like parking so you can drive straight out later on, with a cold engine.
I regularly go through the list, and see what I might pick up next.

plus I remapped the car for maximum performance...and did gain MPG improvement.

Contrary to popular belief, these 2 are not mutually exclusive
Getting more oomph from a gallon is what both sides are all about, be it for different reasons.

With now doing 15,000 miles a year just for work alone (and having done 36,000 miles in the last year), the cost of things I plan to do to the car will easily pay back with the cost of fuel rising like mad.

Especially at the silly UK diesel prices ...

So if I can do worthwhile bits to my road car that show improvements in MPG based on drag reduction...then they will be getting done for the track. Pretty much road driving testing grounds with bonus of increased FE.

LOL.
It used to be the other way around, before racing was regulated to death.

Not sure if any of that makes sense from my twisted mind?

It's full of those minds here, you'll fit right in

[DirtyTorquer]

Euromodder - i wouldnt say i do hypermiler tricks just drive sensibly at times. Dropping un needed weight out a car is from the racing background...power to weight. Parking to drive straight off with a cold engine is getting into the hypermiling tricks as opposed to just driving sensibly economical.

Trust me i do know that a refined and tuned engine will perform better on both the MPG and Performance front...but one refined for outright FE of course nets better MPG gains...and one pushed up the ladder for performance does not know the meaning of FE anymore. I did my diesel for maximum safe power...while i have gained more MPG when i drive nicely, i know many others that have pushed more and therefore suffer still even when sensible driving takes place ( muppets going too aggressive with the ecu map though). To me the term more oomph from a gallon is more power not better FE...making a gallon last longer is the opposite. If one really wanted, they could tune the engine to sacrifice its top end power so that it performs better low down and mid range. Since one would not be bothered of going remotely quick at all (speeding), they could end up with a slower top speed yet more bottom end offering even better FE cruising. Actually ive not looked through the forum yet to see if anyone has been tuning the engines for this.

Glad that im not the only twisted minded person here...but some of the inventive things some have done on here shows me twisted thinking in the right way...at times.