Please help troubleshoot my poor gas mileage

[iv76erson03]

So I quit using fuelly last year and I wasn't keeping track of my mpgs, but I started again cause I got a 17t sprocket and wanted to see if it made a difference. Last couple fill ups, I'm getting 45, which is much lower than the 56-59 I always got before. The bike is a stock 2004.

Symptoms which may or may not be relevant.
-dropped the bike pretty good last fall on the right side.
-After riding hard for about a half hour, it idles at like 3,000. normally it will idle where it's supposed to
-Sometime it smells like gas, sometimes like hot oil. my nose isn't very good, so i don't know which, but i've never noticed it before
-feels more sluggish than normal. i recently put a 17t in it, so that may be it

My choke is all the way off, but the high idle makes it seem like its stuck. Maybe it's running rich somehow. I'm clueless, like to know what you all think.

[slipperymongoose]

Ok somethings going on with your carbs/fuel system. First up pull your carbs off and give em a good clean out, check out baltimoregs's video on how to. Next make sure all your fuel lines etc are running clear, while your carbs are off let some fuel out of your lines and see if its clear and not got crap in it. Give your air filter a good clean out, put it back together start her up n see.

[Kijona]

High/hanging idle is usually attributed to lean condition.

It's possible the cable for the choke got screwed up. Might check that the choke isn't engaging when you turn the handlebars.

If you rev the bike when it sticks at 3k RPM...does it take a while to idle-down?

[jestercinti]

^^ besides the above, also try this:

Tire pressure
Spark plugs
Air cleaner
Your use of the throttle (jackrabbit starts)
Carbs (already been covered)
Valve clearance

All attribute to gas mileage. When I had my Kawasaki Vulcan...was surprised to hear how bad my gas mileage was when my tires were 7-10 psi low from sitting all winter.

[craigs449]

What is a good tire pressure to run with the stock BT45's?  I am also getting around 42-45 mpg with mine and I run 25ish PSI front and rear......

[BaltimoreGS]

Suzuki stock is 33psi front/41psi rear.

-Jessie

[jestercinti]

Suzuki stock is 33psi front/41psi rear.

-Jessie

Sometimes the simplest things are the answer.

[Funderb]

My in town and highway milage are vastly different. Even with stage 3 jets k&n and open exhaust:
in town: 42ish
highway: 62ish

It sounds a bit like a lean condition, you may have a leak somewhere that gets worse when very hot.

[BaltimoreGS]

Is the bike running on both cylinders?  Have you checked the valve clearances recently?  If an exhaust valve is not closing correctly raw fuel will be pushed out of the engine leading to a gas smell.

-Jessie

[reload]

it may be as something as simple as the carbs not sitting in their boots properly after the drop. take it apart and check it out.

[SAFE-T]

Highly doubtful it is the new sprocket ~ we put an 18tooth front sprocket on our 2007 GS500F and it never felt sluggish at all.

[iv76erson03]

High/hanging idle is usually attributed to lean condition.

It's possible the cable for the choke got screwed up. Might check that the choke isn't engaging when you turn the handlebars.

If you rev the bike when it sticks at 3k RPM...does it take a while to idle-down?

Yes, it does hang when its warm. Haven't taken the thing apart yet, ill let you guys know what I find.

[Toogoofy317]

Check your valves!!!!!!!

I did what everyone else keep saying. Did the carbs at least 7 times. Gas mileage kept dropping and dropping until the valve finally burnt! Flick ended up with a top end rebuild. Reason I didn't check the valves to begin with had a maintenance plan it was supposed to have been done by "professionals" but wasn't. Flick also had the hanging idle when hot get to them valves!

Mary

[HPP8140]

I'm having same hanging idle issue. checked valves, carbs still hanging/low idle and poor gas mileage.

Discovered it's my ignition coil. pulled right coil & bike could idle. pulled left coil & bike dies. Right coil was not working @ idle.

[craigs449]

I'm having same hanging idle issue. checked valves, carbs still hanging/low idle and poor gas mileage.

Discovered it's my ignition coil. pulled right coil & bike could idle. pulled left coil & bike dies. Right coil was not working @ idle.

What was your mileage?  Were you getting spark from both sides?  I have the same issue with mine when I do the "redneck Carb Sync"......Pull the right plug, the idle goes down.......Pull the left plug and she stalls immediately.

[BaltimoreGS]

I'm having same hanging idle issue. checked valves, carbs still hanging/low idle and poor gas mileage.

Discovered it's my ignition coil. pulled right coil & bike could idle. pulled left coil & bike dies. Right coil was not working @ idle.

What was your mileage?  Were you getting spark from both sides?  I have the same issue with mine when I do the "redneck Carb Sync"......Pull the right plug, the idle goes down.......Pull the left plug and she stalls immediately.

You could swap the coils side to side and see if the condition switches sides.

-Jessie

[craigs449]

I'm having same hanging idle issue. checked valves, carbs still hanging/low idle and poor gas mileage.

Discovered it's my ignition coil. pulled right coil & bike could idle. pulled left coil & bike dies. Right coil was not working @ idle.

What was your mileage?  Were you getting spark from both sides?  I have the same issue with mine when I do the "redneck Carb Sync"......Pull the right plug, the idle goes down.......Pull the left plug and she stalls immediately.

You could swap the coils side to side and see if the condition switches sides.

-Jessie

Good idea.........If the coil went bad, would I still get decent spark from it?  I still think that my issue is just carbs out of sync........Seems to run fine (as best I can tell) once I get her above 2,000 rpm's......just has somewhat crappy idle and the choke really does not assist in the warming of the bike.....Both sides have new plugs and strong spark...........Sound like a symptom of something?

[HPP8140]

I'm having same hanging idle issue. checked valves, carbs still hanging/low idle and poor gas mileage.

Discovered it's my ignition coil. pulled right coil & bike could idle. pulled left coil & bike dies. Right coil was not working @ idle.

What was your mileage?  Were you getting spark from both sides?  I have the same issue with mine when I do the "redneck Carb Sync"......Pull the right plug, the idle goes down.......Pull the left plug and she stalls immediately.

mileage 41k. noticed bike would also misfire randomly & bog down at low rpm or when I went off throttle the engine braking wasn't as strong. when I went to remove the coil I noticed something strange. I couldn't fit a socket on the nut. the part that holds the nut had shrunk and was close to the body of the coil. that's when I confirmed...yeah something wrong here.

[Big Rich]

Ignition coils "usually" go bad at the same time. If it's running on one cylinder at idle, usually your pilot jet is clogged in one carb and not the other.

[craigs449]

I'm having same hanging idle issue. checked valves, carbs still hanging/low idle and poor gas mileage.

Discovered it's my ignition coil. pulled right coil & bike could idle. pulled left coil & bike dies. Right coil was not working @ idle.

What was your mileage?  Were you getting spark from both sides?  I have the same issue with mine when I do the "redneck Carb Sync"......Pull the right plug, the idle goes down.......Pull the left plug and she stalls immediately.

mileage 41k. noticed bike would also misfire randomly & bog down at low rpm or when I went off throttle the engine braking wasn't as strong. when I went to remove the coil I noticed something strange. I couldn't fit a socket on the nut. the part that holds the nut had shrunk and was close to the body of the coil. that's when I confirmed...yeah something wrong here.

No, I meant what MPG were you getting?....You said it was real bad mileage that led you to believe something was amiss.....did you check for spark at each coil before pulling them?