Stagea Fuel Economy

[zei20l]

my wife got around 540km from a tank of her car. 30 litres refill. bitch! lol

[iamhe77]

I'm averaging better than 10L/100km on long trips/highway etc and around 12L/100km on my run to work and back (10-25min drive depending on traffic). Pretty happy with that, considering my M35 is completely stock.

Sounds about right

Maybe a little low for highway travel (should get around 12km/L @ 110kph in an RS/RX) although I cannot remember what model you have.

[pixel8r]

Sounds about right

Maybe a little low for highway travel (should get around 12km/L @ 110kph in an RS/RX) although I cannot remember what model you have.

its an RS FOUR, but yeah my best on the highway is about 9.8L/100km (= 10.2km/L). either way its better than earlier stageas so I'm happy. Have the big 100,000km service coming up later this year so will see how it goes with new spark plugs & fluids etc. once thats done.

[iamhe77]

its an RS FOUR, but yeah my best on the highway is about 9.8L/100km (= 10.2km/L). either way its better than earlier stageas so I'm happy. Have the big 100,000km service coming up later this year so will see how it goes with new spark plugs & fluids etc. once thats done.

Don't stress about the 100k service.

No different to any other major service (no timing belt to concern yourself with )

[Clowndog]

I am probably only averaging about 450-550 kms per tank in my '03 m35. Seems a bit ordinary, but probably coz i cant help myself and keep bringing the boost on to get that nice gforce feeling. The 1st 1/4 tank always starts off so promising, like, I'm gonna get 600kms if I keep this up, but then i remember why i didn't just buy a commonwhore v6 and push the foot down for the rest of the tank. D'oh!

Car's stock now, but gonna put a 3inch turbo back, high flow cat, on in the next month or so. Anybody notice a good improvement in economy after they done that? Would be a bonus, but probably just encourage me to keep Stag on boost more often LOL.

Cheers

Clowndog

[kidafa]

you will notice a improvement in fuel economy once you install a nice free flowing system onto your stag.

[STAG250]

I am probably only averaging about 450-550 kms per tank in my '03 m35. Seems a bit ordinary, but probably coz i cant help myself and keep bringing the boost on to get that nice gforce feeling. The 1st 1/4 tank always starts off so promising, like, I'm gonna get 600kms if I keep this up, but then i remember why i didn't just buy a commonwhore v6 and push the foot down for the rest of the tank.

I got 700kms over summer, windows down for aircon, heavy on the right foot etc. Just like my c34 my m35 has its own way of doing things.

Unless I'm stuck in town I will always get 650 kms or more outta 70 or so litres.

[pixel8r]

you will notice a improvement in fuel economy once you install a nice free flowing system onto your stag.

In my experience with Nissan turbo cars, the real benefits from installing a free flowing exhaust really dont show up until you also get the airflow tuned using at least a piggyback ecu. Not sure what options are there for the M35, but on earlier stageas the apexi SAFC was the simple, cheap option and it worked well for anything up to say 180-200awkw. I had one fitted on my last stagea, and it gave me a further 10-20awkw since having the exhaust fitted, and - when coupled with an adjustment to the base ignition timing, lowered my fuel usage by 2L/100km. It was a huge improvement.

Initially after just fitting the exhaust, the car was running higher boost due to the exhaust (stock boost controller), and was running very rich - causing it to stall when under full throttle. It wasn't until it was tuned with the safc that I really got the most from it.

Not sure how the M35 ecu handles these - but the guys with exhausts fitted should be able to help here.

At the very least I would be getting a boost controller (look up turbotech on these forums, they're cheap and work well if you just want to set the boost and leave it - but dont get any of the cheap knock-off's - i've had both and the turbotech ones are the only good ones).

[iamhe77]

Car's stock now, but gonna put a 3inch turbo back, high flow cat, on in the next month or so. Anybody notice a good improvement in economy after they done that? Would be a bonus, but probably just encourage me to keep Stag on boost more often LOL.

Cheers

Clowndog

you will notice a improvement in fuel economy once you install a nice free flowing system onto your stag.

Negligible difference in economy from stock turbo/exhaust to hiflow/3" dump back setup.

Easier to make power, but if you are putting on an exhaust just to save fuel, don't bother.

Don't get me wrong, I would suggest that a 3" turbo back or dump back exhaust to be the first thing any M35 owner does to remove back pressure on the turbo.

Just don't think that your economy will improve much.

Piggyback & tune however, that is where you will see the big economy improvements.

Having said that, perhaps a more selective lead foot should be in order?

More boost = more fuel. Simple rule of thumb.

[Houdini]

totally agree with above.I am getting passable fuel economy when I drive it like a V6 but put the boot in and I get 4kl/litre.

[andy65b]

I had to go to Canberra this week so I thought I would test the economy of the car for the highway.

I rest the economy gauge as I left Canberra, set the cruise control on 118 (actual of 114 on the GPS) and let the car do the driving. The car was fully loaded with all my stock from a trade show so had a decent load on board.

As I turned off the M5 at Bankstown the economy was 10.4km/L (not bad), but I arrived back at 5.45 smack bang into peak hour traffic. By the time I got home to West Ryde, economy was 9.8.

Today on a new tank commuting in Sydney peak hour, I back at 6.9.

Cheers

Andy

[iamhe77]

Nice highway economy Andy!

Could be slightly better, but that is pretty damn good with cruise

Is that the cruise kit from Chris?

LOL at Sydney peak hour.

although Melbourne is just as bad if you are coming in from the east or west.

Glad I am not in it anymore

Edited May 7, 2009 by iamhe77

[andy65b]

Nice highway economy Andy!

Could be slightly better, but that is pretty damn good with cruise

Is that the cruise kit from Chris?

No, this is a Cruise kit the Ben helped me arrange from a Sydney installer when I bought the car in 2007. God, that is a long time ago.

Not quite as neat as Chris's kit but certainly effective.

I think I could improve it slightly if I tried but it was great for sit back and relax.

[Shopping Trolley]

Just done 598km on 71 Litres without trying to be economical. Standard 250RS. Good mix of around town and open road trip to work and drive up in the hills with a bit of blowing out the cobwebs acceleration and not mucking about. Can see 700+ happening easy with some nana driving. Have noticed tho that the fuel gauge drops like a 747 doing an emergency fuel dump if you do a few bursts of hard acceleration from junctions etc, can see how easy the turbo fellas would be down to 300km a tank! Man that reserve is small tho, needle was slow to get to start of E mark, light came on nearly one notch above then starts dropping like a stone. Needle was on bottom edge of E when put 71 litres in. Works out as 11.8L per 100km

[iamhe77]

Just throwing this out there.... but pic taken last night. All km's travelled from Friday night and included a fair bit of freeway work but also some suburban driving.

Please check the distance travelled on the ODO with the distance 'till empty on the leaf screen (hard to see I know, my apologies).

Fisher suction pipe + runner spacer FTW!

For those with bad eye sight

Travelled = 372kms

Est distance to empty = 425kms

Edited December 21, 2009 by iamhe77

[Mr_RS4]

I have found the answer to my fuel economy issues. Just give the stagea to my wife !!! The best I've ever done is 430kms brim to fuel light and I was as easy on the right foot as I could be. I usually get around 400kms and its always a mix of highway and city. Never taken it on a long enough drive to do a full tank of highway. My wife can get 500kms and the guage will be a few lines above empty. She does highway and city but a lot of traffic and aircon is always on. This is in a Series 1 C34 too.....I don't know how she gets so much more out of the car. So she's always getting 10.5 to 11 litres per 100kms. Smart ass.... We'll be going on a drive from brisbane down to falls creek and then to melbourne the back to brisbane next year so I want to see what she gets out of it then on the highway, no traffic and no aircon (as it will be winter). Should be interesting.

[pixel8r]

I have found the answer to my fuel economy issues. Just give the stagea to my wife !!! The best I've ever done is 430kms brim to fuel light and I was as easy on the right foot as I could be. I usually get around 400kms and its always a mix of highway and city. Never taken it on a long enough drive to do a full tank of highway. My wife can get 500kms and the guage will be a few lines above empty. She does highway and city but a lot of traffic and aircon is always on. This is in a Series 1 C34 too.....I don't know how she gets so much more out of the car. So she's always getting 10.5 to 11 litres per 100kms. Smart ass.... We'll be going on a drive from brisbane down to falls creek and then to melbourne the back to brisbane next year so I want to see what she gets out of it then on the highway, no traffic and no aircon (as it will be winter). Should be interesting.

Yes I know exactly what you're saying. My wife often gets better fuel economy than me. Pretty sure she never uses boost.

Anyway, just want to note that I've gotten my best highway fuel economy when the outside temp is around 18-22 degrees. If its really cold, it uses more fuel (best I've seen when its below 16deg is about 10.5-11L/100km). Obviously when its hot it uses more fuel (plus i'd have a/c on if its hot). My best ever is around 9.8L/100km on the highway. This is with the M35 though. Best I did in the s2 was about 10.7L/100km.

iamhe77 - do you know how many litres that amounts to? Does the "distance to empty" mean really empty (~80L) or just when the empty light comes on (~65L). Those are some pretty impressive numbers.

[andy65b]

iamhe77 - do you know how many litres that amounts to? Does the "distance to empty" mean really empty (~80L) or just when the empty light comes on (~65L). Those are some pretty impressive numbers.

That is 11.3L/100km

I just drove from Sydney to Albury on Sunday in the M35. Boot full, 4 people in side and 2 mountain bikes on the roof rack. Set the cruise control on 118kmh and sat back and relaxed. Upto Yass it was at 11.4L/100km as Sydney and upto Yass was cool (21), then it got a lot hotter past Yass (30) and economy went down to 11.6L/100km.

I know I could get at least 0.6L/100km better without the bikes on top of the car.

This was the best long distance drive I have ever done, car did it effortlessly, kids did not argue because the had their DVD headrest each and I got to listen to my music. Blissssss pure bliss. I love my car.

[910trx]

since putting in the exhaust, front pipe and high flow cat i have gone from 330-350km per tank, city driving to 380 - 410 city

close to 500 with highway

4 litres per km when towing

[iamhe77]

iamhe77 - do you know how many litres that amounts to? Does the "distance to empty" mean really empty (~80L) or just when the empty light comes on (~65L). Those are some pretty impressive numbers.

Once the light comes on, I get about 10kms before the "distance to empty" estimate disappears and shows the **'s.... so I would guess around the 68-70L mark.