the quest for better MPG

[mack]

batteries

LOL , at least his.
OK was just wondering as I am putting my E together and have a new set of 3 olm coils here I want to use. Don't think I change the plug type or caps but the coils for sure! Thanx!

[TomB]

+1 more on the electrics.

As said, easier than a carb rebuild...... check out the three white wires from the alternator connector block behind the fuse box, they corrode if the bike is used in a damp atmosphere, this causes heat build up which wrecks the connector block more. Once you have a bad connection charge to the battery will be lower, volts will be lower than 14v. A good indicator is a slightly flickering tacho needle, its electronic and gets its signal from one of the alternator wires.

My bike pulls better and feels crisper with better charging and a decent battery, this must have an effect on gas mileage.

I fitted 3 Ohm Honda Fireblade coils, you can replace the leads on them too.

[kevxs]

interesting, I do suffer from BTS (bouncy tach syndrome), those white wires were pretty dirty when I cleaned them last season, even to the point of causing a total engine shutdown at one point. I also have a severe firing problem if the bike has sat out in a rainstorm all day which I've read is also a problem with that same connector behind the fuse box. (another thing to add to the spring to do list, wish I had a garage and could work over winter)

[Crusty Snippets]

Tach

+1 more on the electrics.

As said, easier than a carb rebuild...... check out the three white wires from the alternator connector block behind the fuse box, they corrode if the bike is used in a damp atmosphere, this causes heat build up which wrecks the connector block more. Once you have a bad connection charge to the battery will be lower, volts will be lower than 14v. A good indicator is a slightly flickering tacho needle, its electronic and gets its signal from one of the alternator wires.

My bike pulls better and feels crisper with better charging and a decent battery, this must have an effect on gas mileage.

I fitted 3 Ohm Honda Fireblade coils, you can replace the leads on them too.

No kidding. My tach wanders all over. I just thought it was because it liked to wander all over. Bike starts and runs fine. Maybe this winter I will check all the wyring connections. Tach wanders most at around 4 to 5000 revs. Speedo seems to be fairly accurate.

Unkle Crusty*

[TomB]

Haha don't forget you could just have a broken tacho

Years ago my original XS1100 had the flickering tach needle but ran Ok, battery seemed charged enough, I checked the connector and it was melted.

I went to the Euro XS1100 rally in Germany this June on my 5K7 Sport, whilst riding it was cold with summer gloves on I flicked on my heated h/bar grips, after a few miles my tacho needle started to flicker, when at the rally site I checked out the connector block. Below is the photos the German lads took of what I found, these are the connector after I'd spliced in a screwed terminal block to repair.

http://www.hestra.magix.net/album/all-albums/!/oa/7104129/media/101000896

Any guys adding extra electrical loads like my heated h/bar grips should be regularly checking the connector block.

[TomB]

When this was in use like this the bike was running Ok, but pulled much better and felt crisper once the new terminal was fitted. The lights are now brighter and the bike starts easier.

[James England]

Ouch! That block is a real weak spot. Perhaps the extra load on the grips drew more current through it and highlighted it? Based on what's been said on here in several threads, that block should be looked at, cleaned or replaced as a matter of course, IMO. Since they get corroded and dirty, they seem to have trouble dealing even with normal charging, never mind the extras that pull through it...

[MaximPhil]

Hi TomB,
I guess "treffen' is German for Rally ?
Looks like a large gathering. Was that just an XS11 event?
The Germans do know how to organise a piss up looked like a lot of fun was had by all. Glad you could fix the electrics. I have replaced that plug on mine.
Phil

[TomB]

Treffen is a meeting, and a bike meet is a rally. So I guess so. Yes just an XS treffen but the odd other bike turns up, ridden by an XS11 owner. The German rallies are good and the beer is excellent

We all try to upgrade plugs leads coils, but sometimes they're Ok if getting the correct volts. I have an old CB500/4, that suffers the same, I recently replaced the Rectifier and what a difference to the bikes running. Surely has to affect gas mileage (he says trying to steer back on topic )

[kevxs]

so I have my new dyna coils on now and am getting slightly better mpg (about 26 mpg city driving), went for a proper ride out of town recently and got 41.5 mpg! seems like a pretty big discrepancy between city and highway, does this indicate anything wrong on my bike?

[Crusty Snippets]

Mpg

My 79 XS11 Special was getting about 35 miles per imperial gallon. I did the biker Phil fix, which was snipping and soldering some wyres to bypass the plastic connectors. I am now getting 43 mpg.
There was a heavy red wyre under the tank that was quite corroded.
Some winter I should give all the wyring a good inspection and replace the bad ones.
I had also dropped the needles one notch as Yami was running a bit rich.
Could probably go down one size on the main jet. I think Yami will do a bit better on straight highway work.

Unkle Crusty*

[CaptonZap]

so I have my new dyna coils on now and am getting slightly better mpg (about 26 mpg city driving), went for a proper ride out of town recently and got 41.5 mpg! seems like a pretty big discrepancy between city and highway, does this indicate anything wrong on my bike?

Yeah, it has to much horse power, which seduces you into twisting the right hand grip too far every time you take off from a stop. Simple physics. Less horsepower takes less fuel.

CZ

[kevxs]

just thought i'd give an update, after re crimping the spark plug wires (to fix my shoddy work) and giving the air filter a good cleaning I'm now getting 28 mpg for my city driving commute. The exhaust smells much cleaner and I can feel a significant power increase. I'm thinking a can't expect much better than that with the stop and go driving i do everyday.

BTW I've just hit 40 000km, bike is running great and I've been daily driving it now for 9 years. Thank you to this website and all the great people that have helped me keep in on the road!

[GARTHXS]

Just a thought, when was the last time you had your valves adjusted ?

[kevxs]

good question, i have never touched the valves, kinda been avoiding that job all these years