[MBFsupport]

My buddy Howard has a 96 clutch bike and his gas mileage is really bad. He just did plugs, wires, cap, and had the carb rebuilt and he said the bike runs great but he is getting 10 mpg or less. He said he is running 3500 rpm's at 70 mph. I'm sure that might be part of his problem but I have ran at 4000 rpm's for long runs and the worst mileage I ever got was 17 mpg. I normally get around 21 mpg. You guys got any ideas what the problem is? Is this normal for that bike?

 

[CarburetorMike]

Hi Lamont, It could be just about anything. Brakes dragging, Air filter restriction, Heavy Throttle Riding. But most of the time it's the Timing, Carburetor, or both. Badger had his Carb. rebuilt and I found the float setting to be good for a 72 Chevy but not our Edelbrock's. It was way too high. I'd check the air filter, set the float level to .420", the timing at 36 BTDC at full advance (Also check the vacuum hose & pod on the distr.) and adjust the idle mixture screws. Then see what it does on the MPG. I found Badger 3-4 MPG on the cruise and I believe the secondary's are working good for him to. But they make the MPG go way down. If you know what I mean.

 

[Elsboss]

Those tips Mike suggested are great but...if he's gonna use 36 degrees total timing he might get better gas mileage but sure will foresake performance. Those smallblocks sure seem to scoot better with a lot more timing. Not to make too much of it but the smallblocks down here I'm running with are running 50+ degrees and getting 20 mpg on the big road. They're also turning 2,200 +/-100 rpm at the highway speeds.

Elliot

 

[Adrian]

Mike is talking about 36 degrees with the vacuum disconnected. If you are running a small block (or a big block) with 50 degrees with the vacuum disconnected it would ping so bad it would collapse all the ring glands.

Adrian

 

[Elsboss]

Otay. I took for granted "full advance" was with the vacuum connected :? .

Elliot 8)

 

[hossman]

clutch mileage

Hey Lamont,

I ride a 98 clutch and I turn 3500 rpm at 70 mph also. I ran a tank full out recently at about 70 - 75 mph the whole way and still got a little more than 14 mpg.

I normally get around 17-18 riding around town.

So, it doesn't sound like it's a rpm problem. We must have the same sprocket.


Hoss

 

[Adrian]

Had a great ride of 2,000 plus miles in Arizona and got unbelievable great gas mileage. I had been getting around 18 to 22 MPG almost all the time but after replacing the Vacuum advance with the Crain one I got 25 to 28. I didn't change my driving habits at all and did some 80 to 90 MPH stuff. If someone told me the Crain deal would make that kind of difference I would have laughed at them.

Adrian

 

[NcChopper]

Adrian,

It sure made a believer out of me. Had a few folks think I was pulling their leg when I told em I was getting almost 20 mpg (19.5) on the highway with a big block with the vacuum advance.

Chris

 

[V-MAN]

Had a great ride of 2,000 plus miles in Arizona and got unbelievable great gas mileage. I had been getting around 18 to 22 MPG almost all the time but after replacing the Vacuum advance with the Crain one I got 25 to 28. I didn't change my driving habits at all and did some 80 to 90 MPH stuff. If someone told me the Crain deal would make that kind of difference I would have laughed at them.

Adrian

Adrian -

WOW ... that is huge! That upgrade just moved up in priority on my lists of things to do.

Adrian,

It sure made a believer out of me. Had a few folks think I was pulling their leg when I told em I was getting almost 20 mpg (19.5) on the highway with a big block with the vacuum advance.

Chris

Chris -

I fully admit I was one of the guys that thought you were "goofing"! :lol: That really is an unbelieveable difference. :shock:

 

[MBFsupport]

I get 21 all the time it seems like but I am doing a long trip next week and I'll see what the GPS says. I know my speedo is off.

 

[HogV8]

Adrian, when I was in Florida I went over to Neil Weber's place and we or I should say he , installed the Crane kit in my bike . I immediately felt better throttle response and a lot cleaner running engine. The kit is also supposed to give you better mileage that I see you are getting. I really haven't been able to test my mileage yet but the engine should run cooler also. Did you notice any change in engine temp. ?

 

[MBFsupport]

This sounds pretty good. Do we have a link or a part number? What all is involved to install this? Might have to do it before my trip next week.

 

[HogV8]

You can buy the Crane kit from Summit # CRN 99600-1 , $ 22.88 . Very simple to unstall now that I've seen it done.

 

[V8GRUMPY]

Lamont,

30 minute install, including taking the seat off and on. Hardest part is putting the limiter cam under the bracket if you have fat fingers or a hang-over going on :lol:

I guess I checked my mileage when the bike was new, about the first 500 miles, and it was getting an average of 22 with two up riding.......never have checked it since then, never seemed important to me......heck, stopping to get gas is almost as much fun as riding it 8) Love the looks it gets, especially when you have one of the "experienced" yuppies tell you that it is the nicest "Goldwing" they have seen in a long time :roll: ...just like the one they owned in '92........okay.

Tim

 

[Adrian]

Lamont,

30 minute install, including taking the seat off and on. Hardest part is putting the limiter cam under the bracket if you have fat fingers or a hang-over going on :lol:

I guess I checked my mileage when the bike was new, about the first 500 miles, and it was getting an average of 22 with two up riding.......never have checked it since then, never seemed important to me......heck, stopping to get gas is almost as much fun as riding it 8) Love the looks it gets, especially when you have one of the "experienced" yuppies tell you that it is the nicest "Goldwing" they have seen in a long time :roll: ...just like the one they owned in '92........okay.

Tim

You are part right but with the gas at $2.36 a gallon, filling up two bikes, and the stations 120 miles apart the better gas mileage sure don't hurt much. The trike gets lousy gas mileage if you go over 70 (which we did most of the time) so I am going to change the Advance in it also. I try to fill the trike up before Cozaey has to go on reserve because the tank is under body and I have to tilt it up to get to it. It's not to hard but we had a couple of 90 plus degree days and with all the clothes on it would get this old man to hot. We would drive from 65 degrees then into 90 then back to 70 so the change was great.
Lamont I set my total advance at 36 degrees with the vacuum line disconnected and used the two springs that Crain says to start with.

Adrian

 

[V8GRUMPY]

Adrian,

You're right about the legs between stops, but ours seem to be about the same as our v-twin buddies between stops, maybe a bit better, so it stays convenient to gas up.

We also set ours at 36 degrees and run about 50 to 52 total with the vac. hooked up............we even had to run some 87 octane one day (only about $1 worth) to get back to town, but no detonation.......

They always start great and seem to run very well.

Tim

 

[MBFsupport]

Just order two of them, one for me and one for Ray. Still not sure what they do but I'm sure it will come to me when we get them.

 

[fasteddie]

I got 25 miles per gallon exactly!! How do I know?? Riding back from St. Augustines to Daytona we took 95 and cruised at 75 to 80. I had it on the reserve tank by mistake and we went 50 miles exactly and I ran out of fuel. That was the first time I ran out of fuel on the Boss and was startled by it since it just shuts down with no warning. Not pretty when a 18 wheeler is on your ass and you are in the right hand lane. Around the city any where from 12 to 18 gpm.

 

[Larry Imsdahl]

GAS MILEAGE

LAMONT. IN 1997 I INSTALLED THE UPGRADED REAR END ON MY 95 BH. THE NEW REAR END CAME WITH A 74 TOOTH SPROCKET AND GAVE ME ONLY 13 MILES TO THE GALLON. THE FACTORY HAD A 70 TOOTH SPROCKET WHICH INCREASED MY MILEAGE TO 16 PER GALLON. THE FRONT SPROCKET IS A 32. HOPE THIS HELPS - LARRY

 

[MBFsupport]

Re: GAS MILEAGE

LAMONT. IN 1997 I INSTALLED THE UPGRADED REAR END ON MY 95 BH. THE NEW REAR END CAME WITH A 74 TOOTH SPROCKET AND GAVE ME ONLY 13 MILES TO THE GALLON. THE FACTORY HAD A 70 TOOTH SPROCKET WHICH INCREASED MY MILEAGE TO 16 PER GALLON. THE FRONT SPROCKET IS A 32. HOPE THIS HELPS - LARRY

Thanks Larry. He has sold that Boss now and bought a 99 and I think he is doing better on gas now.

I got my Crane Kit and will install it today and see if it makes a difference. Right now I am checking my mileage by speedo and GPS.