50 miles to a tank of gas!!

[kingfish]

This a first time post for me guys/gals. My 80 xs 1100 has just had a tune up and carb rebuild at my local Yam. Dealer. After a $647 repair bill the bike still didn't run right. Rainbowshooter from Tioga, Pa came over and got it running on all four but gas mileage is 50 to a tank. I have looked at the needle jets to make them a notch leaner but to my surprise there is only one C clip notch and no other adjustment. The plugs are all carbon fouled from the amount of gas it is using but they are all firiing with a good spark. I need some help friends. If you can point me in the right direction so I can get at least 80 miles to a tank. I wouldn't know how to act if I could really take on a trip without stopping when the fuel light comes on so often. Thanks Jim King, Elmira,NY

[Ken Talbot]

Getting poor mileage is one thing. Getting only 50 miles to a tank is another! I would suspect that you have bad petcocks and float valves, and that the gas is flooding into your crankcase. Better check the oil level real fast!

[MartyA]

Welcome kingfish.
Other than what Ken suggested, a few other things come to mind.

Your 80 has a different float height setting - .906 +/- .020. The pre-80 was 1.012 +/-.040. Did the dealer set it for the earlier models?

The pre 80's had 5 position clip adjustment, I am not sure what is standard on the 80, but is it possible that the dealer used replacement parts that are not for your model? Or are the jets just way too big or otherwise wrong? Anyone out there with an 80? Is there only one position on the jet needle?

Are you running the "choke" (really enrichener) on all the time?

Are you using indy filters, and do you have too much filter oil on them?

How's the compression? How's the performance? Are you running WOT just to keep up with traffic?

Do you have a Special tank? Bruce G. gets 90 miles per tank on his special. Course he doesn't just 'keep up.'

And if you run into rainbowshooter again tell him Marty says hi. We ran into him at XS East 2003 (we nicknamed him Harleydave because he had so many used Harley parts on his XS.) Terrific wiring job, too.

[Mike Hart]

Welcome, Jim

Man, now you are inspired to keep clear of that dealer! Like Ken said, check your oil for gas, check the float valves. Clean the plugs, or get new ones, they may be fouled enough to not run right. But you say you're getting a fat spark, so maybe they'll clean themselves once you find the problem.

Myself, I would call the service manager and complain, not that I'd necessarily let them try to make it right (though you might), but to let them know you're not happy with them and are glad to spread the news about their incompetence.

I wonder if they changed any jets? If they did, you're going to have to go thru and find out what's there, and get the right jets in it. If they itemized your bill, look for 'carb rebuild kits' or some such. Some of those kits have the wrong stuff in them. The wrong pilots can make your bike run way rich (but not THAT rich).

Good luck - take your time, ask questions. Learn to do it yourself, most dealers won't even work on an xs11, and a mechanic that can do it right is a rare find indeed. Lots of us amateurs have learned to do it all, you can too.

[GtrMn]

Wow! My 80 LG can get 160 miles to the tank..(if I let it run dry). And yes the needle on 80 and 81's only have a clip with no adjustment..(you have to use small washers to adjust). NO way that's the problem though..I'd guess your dumping gas into the air cleaner and the crankcase at that milage rate! Like Ken said check the float seat and also check the washers.
Good luck!
Tom

[skids]

Re: 50 miles to a tank of gas!!

Check for exhaust system holes and bad baffles or bad aftermarket mufflers. A common problem with the specials is cracked pipes near the foot pegs. It definately can make fuel economy bad and make dead spots in the rpm range.

Originally posted by kingfish
This a first time post for me guys/gals. My 80 xs 1100 has just had a tune up and carb rebuild at my local Yam. Dealer. After a $647 repair bill the bike still didn't run right. Rainbowshooter from Tioga, Pa came over and got it running on all four but gas mileage is 50 to a tank.

[Dennyz]

Sounds like the dealer put K&L rebuilt kits in. I expereinced the same thing installing the kits in my Special. Cleaned up and reinstalled the stock jets & float valves to get the bike running correctly.

[Bud Manley]

Has anyone ever attempted contacting K&L and informing them of the problems with their parts? I should think they'd want to stop losing business and get the right parts in there.

[fusionking]

SOMEBODY TELL THEM PLEASE

I say AMEN to that!!!!!!!!! Really am sick of hearing about everybody getting ripped off on those things! Maybe if everybody that got the wrong stuff would call in all at once then maybe they would set up and take notice.

[Geezer]

Check for leaking slide diaphragms. I've seen this cause an engine to run rich (but not this rich.) I suspect there is more than one thing wrong with the fuel system.

Geezer

[dlbryant1]

I got the same problem, 50 miles on 3.5 gallons. I fixed pickup coil problem, checked timing, compression, float setting, ballast resistor, coils, what next. My plugs still show rich. How does your bike run? How often do you have to change plugs? Have you checked your coils when hot? I'd really like to solve this problem.
How long did your bike set. Did it run ok and then start to use fuel. My bike set for 2 or 3 years. When I first got it out I had to change needle valves and it ran great for about 500 miles and then the pickup coil wire broke and now all it does is foul plugs. What gives?

[kingfish]

YE-HAAA Two hands for begineA word of adviers!!!!!!!!! Well friends I pulled the carbs and checked the floats. The floats were a heavy 3/16" to the rich side. After a lot of fiddleing around with those little tabs that are hard for an old man to see I put floats back to 80 specs and about .010 to lean side. ""YIKES AND GAD-ZOOKS''' This little xs11 really halls A**. I want to thank every one for there advise,but you can be sure I did a lot of home study of the Site to make sure that I was on the right track before I even attempted to fiddle with the carbs. I change the oil tomorrow and check the milage. Harley Dave [aka 'rainbowshooter'] are going for a little ride Sayre Pa. to visit Bob's Cycle Shop.
This is for dlbryant. My xs11 had sat out side for over a year. It ran but not good.. Thats why I took the bike to My local Yamaha Dealer to rebuild the carbs and get it running, A word of advise. Under no circumstances should you take Your ride to "GLIDER CITY CYCLES'' They wouldn't even let Dave[ Rainbowshooter] take a crotch rocket for a test ride. And they sure as heck don't know to much about bike repair. Some place, I'll tell ya.

[MartyA]

Good for you!

[KurtG]

Originally posted by Bud Manley
Has anyone ever attempted contacting K&L and informing them of the problems with their parts? I should think they'd want to stop losing business and get the right parts in there.

I bought the K&L kits and am quite satisfied. They said that the jets might not be correct but I wasn't concerned about that since I was happy with the jetting I already had. A local very experienced mechanic (who has helped me with tunng for 15 years) did the rebuild for me and said the kits were very complete. Bike runs great, idles fine, has no flat spots and pulls strongly to redline in top gear. Other than jetting what problems have you had?
Kurt Grife

[GtrMn]

Let us know what the milage is now!
Thanks