Eats GAS, runs flooded-NOW what?

[CA]

Well here in TN

We do use prayer for a little extra MPG....but we also only ever have as much as 10% ethanol in the stuff here. I mean maybe you could go looking for more, but who wants to.

I also heard a rumor that SAM's doesn't use ethanol in their gas?

Good luck on your troubles.

[trbig]

Sams and Walmart use the same suppliers and it varies by location. Some of them are "100% gas"... whatever that is these days... and some are 10% ethanol. So it just depends on where you're at. Many won't say if they are ethanol free, but I think it's a requirement to post if they have ethanol.

Also, if your bike runs a bit rich, (Like mine) you could see a bit of a fuel mileage INCREASE by using ethanol since it will run leaner. Either one works for me. I have more power on regular gas, but more mileage out of ethanol gas.


Tod

[WMarshy]

Weird... I get the most miles using the lower oct. gas but, I have a rough spot at about 3k-3.5k rpm and it seems like the higher oct. gas I use the smaller that rough spot becomes. Use the lower oct gas and its larger but I get more miles so I just use the stuff in the middle.

NY law is gas has to have 10% or more ethanol, I read that the high oct gas doesnt have it though and that the mid grade is blended at the pump from the high and low tanks. Of course I have no proof of this.

[Ken Talbot]

Any chance the o-ring on float valve #4 is missing, or was damaged when you had that float valve out for cleaning?

[Ivan]

I am not terribly sure ethanol causes the mileage problems in its self, but it does absorb water and water is terrible for mileage purposes. Even Nebraska has 10% ethanol, but the difference from Nebraska to Kansas gasoline was worth 25% more mpg (from roughly 18-20 up to 25) on my recent trip. I had always thought most fuel was pretty much the same and it all comes from the same tap, but what a surprise that was. Since the gasoline here is so crappy, I have considered using about 10% diesel fuel to gain back some that the gas has lost. It won't hurt much, I have seen it done, since my grand dad believed in the stuff. Said it was a good upper cylinder lube and helped lube the valve stems in the presence of "this new unleaded crap they are selling."

I guess the only trouble would be the big puff of black smoke when I wring on thw twisty stick.

[DELL82]

Found something

In reference to :
psycoreefer "Are you sure you got the o-ring and washer on that idle screw?"

Checked this out last night. Pulled the screw out and the point was missing Using a mirror and light I confirmed the hole was clear in the carb, inserted a straight pin through it. The screw is missing about 0.045" off the end. The spring, washer and O ring were there. I guess I missed the point being missing when I reassembled the carbs.
Stan thinks he has an extra and I will find out tonight. If so I will install and assemble the carb and try the test again.
Later
Dell82

[psycoreefer]

If you don't come up with an extra pm me, I just rebuilt my carbs and 2 of the old screws were still good, I could send one to you, I'm assuming of course that the carbs on your xj are the same as the carbs on an 81 xs.

[DELL82]

Ken Talbot wrote "Any chance the o-ring on float valve #4 is missing" The float level is correct and not leaking Ken. Valve works good and repeatable. This was double checked using a finger to lift the float.

[3Phase]

Pulled the screw out and the point was missing

Dell, the late-model carburetors don't have pointy tips, they're flatter on the end.

I had a rough time myself (Don't Panic!) when I first tore into my carbs and found all four idle mixture screws didn't have points.


Regards,

Scott

[Ken Talbot]

Ken Talbot wrote "Any chance the o-ring on float valve #4 is missing" The float level is correct and not leaking Ken. Valve works good and repeatable. This was double checked using a finger to lift the float.

So, just for the heck of it, let's assume the float levels all check out via the micrometer measuring technique when the carbs are upside-down. Then you put the float bowls back on, set the carb bank on a bench and supply a fuel supply from a small tank. You know the fuel flow in #4 shuts off when the float rises when you raise the float manually. How do you know that #4 is shutting off at the correct level when it is operating by itself? This where the clear tubing method can come into play. Or, you can let the bank sit there for a while, and see if there's any seepage. This may just be a WAG, but if your #4 is consistently dark, something is happening to cause that cylinder to run rich.

[DELL82]

Ken, The clear tube method is all I use in setting bowl level heights. That method is the only one that verifies valve closure.
Setting the floats with a micrometer will not tell you if the bowl level is correct, the valve is sealing or that the floats are not hanging up on something.
No seepage is present, even after several days.
Bike is on center stand in all the testing.

I found out what Scott indicated, when last night I meet Stan an looked at his two screws and compared them with mine, all flat points and the same length from the larger taper. My pilot screws are good.

psycoreefer: You are right about the spacer peg and the hole. I removed the slide and removed the two screws to find the spring, spacer, circlip and needle were there. Also noted the peg hole. Aligned the peg in the hole and assembled. However I am not sure the peg was in the hole to start with. The spring will allow assembly, without binding, with the peg out of the hole. This time I verified after assembly that the peg was there.

Since the pilot screws are good, I will assemble and try again to run the engine. Finding of the peg and hole assembly problem possibility may have been the original problem. I will verify that by running the engine again. This time I will attempt setting the pilot screw with Stan's color tune plug in #4 position.
Wish me well, this is getting boring, thank God I have another bike to ride.
Dell82

[Rev.Rick]

I'm gonna rob this thread for a second. I've heard y'all talk about mileage and it made me breath a lot easier. My bike runs great, but I was concerned when I was only getting about 90-95 miles out of 3 gallons of gas. Wow, seems mines doing better than some others. I was used to my XS850 getting around 40mpg or better so I guess I'll live with 30mpg. I am wondering if I have a problem with my tank though. On one of the post from this thread someone mentioned that the Special holds 3.5 gallons and someone else said that it holds almost a gallon more than that. When my fuel light glows red hot and it starts sputtering, it will only take on 3 gallons. I know that one of my petcocks is messed up because it only works in the reserve position ( it will also work in the prime but I have that plugged off). So I'm getting all the gas out of one side, while still having a little left on the side that the run position works on. I can't imagine there being 1 gallon of gas held up on that side. The PO did some sorry body and paint work on the tank and side covers. I'm wonder if there is a sizeable dent under the body work thats restricking the amount of fuel I can hold? I can't see any thing with a flashlight, but something don't seem right.

[psycoreefer]

Rick....
On a recent trip I went on with another member I made two gas stops that I think are relevant to your question, I also ride a special, my tank has no dents.

1st after meeting up with my riding partner we jumped on the free way to get out of town, then stopped for gas, I was well into my reserve, but my light was not yet lit (not sure it still works, been a while since the last time I saw it). I put in 3.72 gallons according to the receipt from the gas station.

After riding some twisties I headed home, I stopped just before getting home to fill up for riding to work the next week and put in 3.078 gallons, I hadn't switched to reserve yet.

If when your "almost out" you can only add 3 gallons I'd guess you have a dent, filled with bondo under that sorry paint. Either that or maybe your not as low on gas as you think you are? Could throw a gallon can on the back and run it all the way out, then fill with your "gallon".

[DELL82]

I reference to Bondo detection under paint.

I reference to Bondo!
The used car people put a piece of newspaper on the car where they test for Bondo under paint. Then using a small magnet run it over the paint and feel the pull of the magnet. When the Bondo area appears the magnet looses much of the pull and the drag on the paper becomes easier. Check out your tank and feel for low magnetism areas, that's where Bondo is.
My $'s worth.
Dell82

[Rev.Rick]

Thanks pyscoreefer, Thats pretty much what I suppect. I know I'm getting low when I've stopped and only taken on 3 gallons because the bike starts running really rough and cutting out. I had a sweaty moment earlier this week when it started doing that and I was a couple miles from the nearest station(I don't have a reserve). The idoit light had been on for a little while. I had passed several stations thinking surely I had enough to wait till I got off work. Nope. Kinda like checking the wifes oil in her van and it's three quarts low. I asked her if the oil light came on and she said yes but she thought if there was really a problem an alarm or bell or something would sound off; HELLO!