What could make my milage go from 46-48 mpg to 38? There isn't any change in the way she runs which is strong. I check tire pressure before each ride, just ran some Seafoam through the tank. I didn't see any leaks but will look again.
Usually riding habits depict MPG, have you been heavy handed this tank?? Put on a winshield? Do more stop and go? Etc.
Another often MPG change is the filling of the tank, hard to get 2 tanks filled equally, this obviously will not effect the MPG that much, but with some of the other things could add to it.
Greg,
I haven't put anything on the bike. I hadn't ridden in a few days or so because it got a tad cold and a bit rainy. I noticed the drop on the last two fill-ups. As far as changing my riding habits, I can't say that I have. I always get as much throttle as I can. I don't really go over 80 mph but whatever speed I go to, I get there as fast as the bike can get up there. Acceleration off the line is pleasing to me.
I did notice that the right muffler is not attatched to the pipe. Don't know if that would matter. Recently put in new plugs. I'll check a couple of them to see what they look like and make sure they are all tight. As for gassing up, I always put the bike on the center stand. I can't say it's true, but I feel I can get pretty close to the same fill point. I use the bottom edge of the filler kneck as my limit.
Any one have the aux. tank low fuel sensor for the first gen Magna? I'd feel better if I had one. This inexplicable mpg loss happened last summer too. Don't remember what, if anything, I did to correct it, but I ran out of gas thinking I had another 30 miles or so.
Not much time left to ride up here in Michigan this season. :cry:
The reserve level sensor for the V65 Magna (84) seems to be in production.
SENSOR, FUEL RESERVE
37810-MB4-008
I found it at www.hdlparts.com for about $50. It may be a little more at the dealer.
Thanks Gary,
I'll check into that. Don't know if it will work on the '84. Or do you know?
That would be a good winter thing to do, especially if I had a heated shop.
Gary,
I should have looked first. They do have one for the V45 listed and it is about $16 cheaper than the V65. Good news for me :P . Thanks.
Okay, here is an update on my gas consumption. I put a can of seafoam in it and ran it out. That tank was 42 mpg, the next tank was 46 mpg and last one was back down to 35 mpg. Something is going on.
I'll send a pic later of one of the carbs that looks yellowed from gas. I don't see a leak, can't smell one nor do I feel any petrol leaking. Well, I thought I smelled gas once while riding. I pulled over but could find anything leaking. This is bugging me. I don't have much time to be riding these days. I'll get out a bit on her today, no rain and up into the mid 60's is the foreccast.
Have you checked all the basics (i.e. air filter, fuel filter, plugs, etc..)? All of those will affect the MPG. Do you feel like you have the same power all the time? Maybe one cylinder is cutting out? Maybe your choke is stuck slightly open and dumping a bit of extra gas into the cylinders?
If nothing seems different and your riding style and type of riding (city versus highway) ratio is the same I would say it is time to take the carbs out and give them a good cleaning and adjustment.
Good luck.
Anthony
Anthony,
I am not knowledgable enough yet to know what the basics are. Well, I guess I knew enough to think about what you mentioned except the ect. part then I am lost. My driving is pretty much the same. The big loss was on a 160 mile ride my bud and I took. I haven't checked the plugs but will pull one to look at it. I said I would before, but now I mean it. You might be onto something with the choke.It doesn't seem to be working the same on start up. Used to be I could open it up to the right spot but now it is different every time. It seems so anyway.
Not happy about thinking I may have to pull the carbs. Haven't looked at the fuel filter but the I put a K & N air filter on not too long ago and think that's fine but will check. At about hundred miles into the ride I noticed that it felt like it was missing a little or something. I could feel it.
K&N will make it run a bit leaner so might want to open the pilot jets a 1/8 or so.
Thanks Greg,
I'll look in the manual and see if I can figure it out. I put the filter in about mid July, though. As it turned out today,