real world gas mileage on 5.5 apr stage 3 ???

[Hydro-sweep]

Hey guys, wanted to know if there are any 5.5 owners out there that can chime in on the actual mpg numbers for their stage 3. I was leaning toward just stage 1 and bolt-ons for mpg reasons but I would love to go stage 3 or 3+ if it is just a matter of a couple mpg's. Anybody out there that can advise??

[TheColoradoRed]

You won't lose gas mileage with a bigger turbo. Actually, while you're out of boost (like cruising on the highway), you'll actually be more fuel efficient than stock. The car is more efficient with a larger turbo and injectors. With proper tuning, the turbo will do more work so the engine doesn't have to.

But are you actually planning on spending $5k to worry about a few MPG?

[Hydro-sweep]

You won't lose gas mileage with a bigger turbo. Actually, while you're out of boost (like cruising on the highway), you'll actually be more fuel efficient than stock. The car is more efficient with a larger turbo and injectors. With proper tuning, the turbo will do more work so the engine doesn't have to.

But are you actually planning on spending $5k to worry about a few MPG?

That's just it, if I can go to stage 3 I do not mind the mileage drop as long as it is minimal. The amount of money does not bother me too much if I can get a reliable turbo kit with signifigant gains. The car is a daily driver so the mpg is a priority because everyday mpg add up quickly over the long haul which is how long I plan to keep her if i am going to invest $10k into her. I shyed away from the stage 3 because I thought I would be getting 15 mpg out of it. So if what you say is correct, I have no problem spending the money for a stage 3 kit.

now I just need some more people to tell me the same thing and I am sold. By the way, do you know if the stage 3 deletes the pcv system?? I live in Cali and need to get smogged every two years. Do not want any problems with this. I searched in some threads and read that a couple of PW members up in San Diego who passed Cali smog with the stage 3 kit, but I don't know if they had "special friends" pass them or if it was legit.

[TheColoradoRed]

APR Stage 3 kit doesn't delete PCV. I'm not sure how California emissions are so I can't chime in on that.

Search "Stage 3 mpg" or similar on Audizine to see more reviews about gas mileage. You'll get the same answer (they'll list lower mpg numbers than you'll see since they're awd). But it's all in how you drive: always in boost sprinting between stop signs - 10mpg; driving conservatively seldom in boost - 30mpg.

[NEWMAN'SOWN]

It's not worth worrying about, if you can afford the cost of going through such an extensive overhaul, the gas savings (even over 100,000+ miles) is going to be minuscule TBH. It seems like it makes a big difference, but it's kind of like the threads people make on here asking whether or not it is safe to use 87 octane to save money. If those few dollars each fill up make a huge difference you shouldn't be doing the mod. (Hope I don't sound like a jerk, I'm just trying to save you despair down the road when an expensive part fails and costs a significant amount of money to replace) Keep in mind that aside from the cost of the Stage 3 kit (plus possible installation) you're going to have to do other supporting mods as well. All this factors into the bottom line for what it costs when all is said and done.

[Hydro-sweep]

It's not worth worrying about, if you can afford the cost of going through such an extensive overhaul, the gas savings (even over 100,000+ miles) is going to be minuscule TBH. It seems like it makes a big difference, but it's kind of like the threads people make on here asking whether or not it is safe to use 87 octane to save money. If those few dollars each fill up make a huge difference you shouldn't be doing the mod. (Hope I don't sound like a jerk, I'm just trying to save you despair down the road when an expensive part fails and costs a significant amount of money to replace) Keep in mind that aside from the cost of the Stage 3 kit (plus possible installation) you're going to have to do other supporting mods as well. All this factors into the bottom line for what it costs when all is said and done.

Yeah, I get what your saying, food for thought and I appreciate the feedback.. It is a constant battle between being prudent and pratical (simple chip upgrade) and creating something special for a family wagon that was never meant to be a sportscar.

[fritznh]

You probably won't gain or lose anything with regard to fuel economy with the larger turbo. The larger turbocharger doesn't really impact part throttle stuff, though it will make the response at low rpm more sluggish. If you make up for that performance deficit by revving the engine higher, your fuel economy will suffer. However if you are just driving on the highway and you haven't changed much in the base engine, it will probably remain the same (if, as others mentioned, you keep your foot out of it). The less restrictive exhaust may help fuel economy, but with the cam timing that the 1.8T engines use, there is very little tuning effect and you most likely won't see any difference.

[Hydro-sweep]

You probably won't gain or lose anything with regard to fuel economy with the larger turbo. The larger turbocharger doesn't really impact part throttle stuff, though it will make the response at low rpm more sluggish. If you make up for that performance deficit by revving the engine higher, your fuel economy will suffer. However if you are just driving on the highway and you haven't changed much in the base engine, it will probably remain the same (if, as others mentioned, you keep your foot out of it). The less restrictive exhaust may help fuel economy, but with the cam timing that the 1.8T engines use, there is very little tuning effect and you most likely won't see any difference.

Looking into Comp turbo...still deciding, but good feedback. Thanks.

[cyaroschak]

the big turbo will not increase any mpg, infact in boost you could probably watch your gauge drop if your pulling long enough. Its the software paired with injectors that is required for the BT is the main reason you will see a slight increase. Its all about the software and making the car more efficient. Having timing spot on (typically advanced) will be directly related to the slight increase you will see on mpg. On my GLI (stroked to a 2.0l with a 35r and 1000cc injectors and a tune to match) I typically see 32-33mpg out of boost.

[TheColoradoRed]

Gas mileage is definitely determined by how you drive it. In one trip on this guys 35r ^ I'm sure he can get 32mpg out of boost and 10mpg WOT.

So don't drive like an asshole and you'll get great mileage. But then again, what's the point of going BT if you can't have some fun with it