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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Gas mileage question /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1228869035 Message started by SavageGreaseMonkey13 on 12/09/08 at 16:30:35 |
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Title: Gas mileage question Post by SavageGreaseMonkey13 on 12/09/08 at 16:30:35 Ive had my K&N cone filter and carb rejet done for a while now and never really paid much attention to my gas mileage till this last tank full. I didnt even get 80 miles before I had to go to reserve today. That's less than 40mpg!!! I usually ride pretty hard but i tried to stay out of it some this time and see what the mileage was like. This sucks! Im just glad gas is only around 1.59 here. I have a 52.5 pilot in, 2 washers in the needle valve and a 152.5 main in the carb with the idle screw at 3 turns out. I cant go up on the pilot cause it runs way too rich even with idle screw all the way in. I also have a Jardine slip-on. So here is my question. What kind of mileage do you folks get with the cone filter and rejet done? Any suggestions on my jet sizes and needle washer amounts? Or do i just need to quit dogging it? (Like that will happen ;D) Im gonna pull my plug tomorrow and see what it looks like. Last time I had it out it did seem a little black around the outside with small amounts of brown near the center. I also thought about running some seafoam through it. Ive never done it before so i guess it couldnt hurt. Thanks for any help. Mario |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by SavageGreaseMonkey13 on 12/09/08 at 17:01:04 Well i couldnt wait and went outside just a minute ago to check the spark plug and it was almost white. Barely had a light tan color to it. Reminded me of spark plugs out of newer model cars that are having spark plugs changed for the first time. I knew it was a little lean cause it still pops some on decel and when snapping the throttle closed and when shutting off. Well now im a little confused. I should still get better than 35-40 mpg I would think. :-? |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by Reelthing on 12/09/08 at 17:03:47 Jardine slipon, 152.5 mainjet, stock air filter, IR plug, 20w-50 vtwin mobil 1, gave ~54mpg with a '95 savage over 12k miles measured as a commute bike - seldom over 4k/rpm rare over 5k/rpm. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by Gary On A Savage on 12/09/08 at 18:16:45 I get 50 MPG in town, 60 on the freeway but that's with a chain conversion. You should be getting 50 or so still. My Honda 1100 gets 40. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by verslagen1 on 12/09/08 at 18:26:21 Only look at the insulator of sparky, if she's white, it's too lean. Maybe so lean she's missing. Mikuni (or Suk) said most of the time you're running off the pilot jet. If that's true, I would richen up the pilot and lean out your main. And add a washer to the needle jet. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by il67bp on 12/09/08 at 23:19:56 i get pretty bad mileage too. i have a harley exhaust with a k&n filter but have yet to rejet. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by skrapiron -FSO on 12/10/08 at 06:01:52 Pre-tweaking, I got 54-56mpg on the freeway. After the cone filter, HD exhaust, and rejet, I dropped to 46-50 mpg on the freeway. I don't know of anyone who's mileage stayed the same, much less went up after they started fiddling with it. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by SavageDude on 12/10/08 at 12:00:22 Well, you don't get something for nothing! So if you want to keep your mpg, then you have to give up something. I kept the OME filter and mod with 155 main jet and HD muffler. Instead of 55 mpg on the average, I got 50 mpg and still have that available extra boost on the throttle when needed to accelerate or lane-changing. You just have to figure what your normal riding (super slab or urban street) and fine tuning your carb and exhaust. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by ero4444 on 12/15/08 at 09:07:27 in Baltimore area as a new rider, I haven't been watching my motorcycle mileage yet, but I know my car mileage very well. The winter formula gas and colder operating temps have cut my mileage from 28 mpg to 23.5. That is 16% worse! |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by Toymaker on 12/15/08 at 10:21:06 I've noticed a drop with my cage as well. from 20.5 to 17.5 Tis the winter gas "formula" Will effect bikes too. :) |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by SavageGreaseMonkey13 on 12/15/08 at 15:53:05 i realize colder temps will have an effect on the mileage but when i was getting 50mpg before mods and now only getting 35mpg its just a little weird. i only expected about a 5-10mpg drop. well its still better than my truck which gets about 23mpg at the most. did i mention a hell of a lot more fun!!! |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by LANCER on 12/15/08 at 18:21:52 You should not normally drop more than 5 or so. I would suggest that you go up to 3 washers on the needle, 2 seems a bit much. After that is sorted out then recheck your main jet. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by Rogue_Cheddar on 12/16/08 at 09:32:44 Went with 152.5 main, 55 pilot, 2 washers on needle, OEM air filter and fishtail exhaust with built in baffle, average about 49-51 mpg, down from 55-57 mpg stock, 20k miles. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by SavageGreaseMonkey13 on 12/16/08 at 17:50:24 Im going to try an extra washer on the needle whenever i get time to do it and see if that helps. Ill report back when i get it done. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by SavageGreaseMonkey13 on 12/20/08 at 14:28:36 well right now i have my carb torn apart and was gonna put an extra washer on the needle but i did not notice before that it has an adjustable needle. the needle is set to the 4th notch down from the top. should i still put the extra washer or just mess with the notches on the needle first? or should i do both? i also noticed that the washers dont go down into the small hole where you put the needle. are they supposed to or do they just sit on top of the small hole inside the diaphragm assembly? any help is greatly appreciated. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by Jerry Eichenberger on 12/23/08 at 13:00:39 Winter gas has less to do with poorer mileage in the winter than does air density. Internal combustion engines run a fairly constant air/fuel ratio - remember, the only reason for gas in the first place is to get the air to burn. The colder the air gets, the denser it is, meaning more air molecules in a given volume. So, as the air gets denser, you have to put more fuel into it to get it to combust (maintaining the same air/fuel ratio). A side benefit is more power - the colder the ambient air temp., the more fuel you have to burn = more power output from the engine. That's also why mileage goes up in the summer, and with higher altitudes. Ride your bike or drive your car in the summer, up goes the mileage because the hot air, being less dense, needs less fuel to burn. But, power output declines because a lesser air/fuel mixture is going into the cylinder. Best combo is a hot summer day at higher altitudes, like in the Rockies. If you can find a flat area with hot/high conditions (higher altitude also means thinner air), that's the most for your mileage, but the worst for power output. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by diamond jim on 02/20/09 at 23:08:02 23253E2D212D2B293A4C0 wrote:
I checked mine for the first time this week. The last time I had to go to reserve I immediately pulled over and got exactly 2 gallons of gas. Today when I had to flip to reserve I did a quick mileage calculation and discovered I only got 76 miles out of those two gallons of gas. That's 38 mpg. I have a the 52.5 pilot (I think), 152.m main, screw turned out 2 turns, no needle spacer at all, pod filter and custom minimal restriction exhaust. I pulled the plug 3-4 days ago and found the insulator to be a perfect tan and and the shoulder of the plug had a very thin coat of carbon soot. The electrode looked fine and clean. I figure the carb is set just right or maybe just a smidge rich. I think my riding style, speed and having no spacer probably accounts for a 12-15 mpg loss. Most riding is to work and back. That's a 40 mile round trip with half at 65mph and the other half stop light to stop light. I bet if I add a washer, I won't notice any change in performance but will probably get 2 mpg back. Adding 2 washers will likely give me ab out 4 mpg back . Any more washers than 2 I feel will start to effect highway riding. That's my theory. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by 4carbcorvair on 02/26/09 at 05:39:18 I hover around 65 mpg with no mods. Not sure I want to do any now... :P |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by diamond jim on 02/26/09 at 06:00:16 Gas mileage has never been an issue with me for motorcycles. In 20 years of riding this was the first time I paid attention. I did basically to have another piece of info to help gauge carb performance mods. I'm sure I could squeeze another 10mpg out of my current setup if I drove it like a granny on a moped on Sunday morning. I think I'll leave it just like it is. If I get concerned with mpg, I'll have the knowledge that the bike gets more than double what I get with my mustang so that's just plain 'ol fabulous to me. |
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Title: Re: Gas mileage question Post by ghstrdr110 on 03/05/09 at 19:53:07 60-65 mpg average. No mods.Only rode for 4 weeks though. mostly country highway. Still better than my '99 Cherokee Sport. Got to have it in these NW Indiana winters. got 29" of snow last month in a one day storm! |
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