fuel consumption

Got questions? We got answers....
Post Reply
nick kdx
Member
Posts: 29
Joined: 02:07 pm Mar 12 2013
Country:

fuel consumption

Post by nick kdx »

ok guys

so i know its comparitive to the type of riding you do,but how many minutes/hours do you guys get on average to an 11litre tank???

kdx 200

im getting about 1 hour straight riding. is that normal? alot? or not alot?
User avatar
SS109
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 5770
Joined: 05:11 am Aug 23 2009
Country: USA
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Contact:

fuel consumption

Post by SS109 »

I can ride for a good 3 or 4 hours and still have fuel in the tank
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
User avatar
scheckaet
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 3740
Joined: 12:09 am Nov 10 2005
Country:
Location: edmond oklahoma

fuel consumption

Post by scheckaet »

gear? average speed?
User avatar
SS109
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 5770
Joined: 05:11 am Aug 23 2009
Country: USA
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Contact:

fuel consumption

Post by SS109 »

scheckaet wrote:gear? average speed?
If that is directed towards me... that is an average speed around 20mph, with autoclutch, 2nd to 4th gear, and riding as hard/fast as I can!
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
KDXnoob1
Member
Posts: 39
Joined: 11:46 am Dec 10 2012
Country:

Re: fuel consumption

Post by KDXnoob1 »

Thats bad man, really bad, check your float height on your carb, sounds like your dumping fuel out the overflow. 11litres gone in 1 hour? My civic gets better gas then that!
I have a '91 KDX 250, street legal- and I can ride that back and forth to school/work and ripping back and forth to get groceries or whatever I feel like really and only fill it once every 2 weeks. Costs me like $15.
I also take it off-roading down the street about 2 times a week for a bit and never had issues.
You have a leak somewhere, period. Could be a crack in the plastic, a split line, float height wrong or maybe your carb itself leaks. I personally would start with the carb and work my way back.
Keep us updated! :supz:
KDXnoob1
Member
Posts: 39
Joined: 11:46 am Dec 10 2012
Country:

Re: fuel consumption

Post by KDXnoob1 »

Hell, I even rode from Guelph to Midland..about 220KMS on it one time last summer, and didn't fill it once until I got back after a few more days.
gwynfryn
Member
Posts: 41
Joined: 05:51 pm Feb 04 2012
Country:
Location: New Zealand

Re: fuel consumption

Post by gwynfryn »

Two hours racing on 1/2 a tank average speed about 25kph. In fact i generally only 1/2 full and run petcock in reserve position as i generally refuel throughout the day and would rather keep the weight down.
User avatar
rbates9
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 3164
Joined: 06:07 pm Apr 27 2010
Country:
Location: UPSTATE New York

fuel consumption

Post by rbates9 »

If you are going through a tank an hour then you have something very wrong. I have rode all day and not hit reserve.
nick kdx
Member
Posts: 29
Joined: 02:07 pm Mar 12 2013
Country:

fuel consumption

Post by nick kdx »

im not all that clued up on bikes especially when its comes to carbs jetting etc,and the other day i noticed the overflow was leaking quite alot,so i sent the carb to a bike mechanic and he said my float was stuck downwards in the chamber,so he bent the sides in the release it so it could "float". that did stop it for a day or so but then started again

so then i pulled the pipe from the fuel tap to the carb and obviously switched the fueltap off but noticed the the tap has a drip leak and doesnt stop,now obviously this wont make a difference while riding as the tap is on!

i know that my exhaust oring is shot(getting new ones today) and its quite bad(smoke blowing out of exhaust and oil leaking there)
do you guys think im losing power from that and hence using so much fuel? or should i just start with the carb?

thanks guys
nick kdx
Member
Posts: 29
Joined: 02:07 pm Mar 12 2013
Country:

Re: fuel consumption

Post by nick kdx »

oh yes and i ride generally between 2nd an 4th semi hard through mixed terrain
royadams
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 567
Joined: 10:38 am Aug 20 2012
Country:
Location: anderson sc

Re: fuel consumption

Post by royadams »

U are losing a lot of power, not from exaust but from carb pouring fuel in your motor. You have to get the float fixed and float height set. Your carb is going to keep filling your pipe and silencer with fuel.
KDXnoob1
Member
Posts: 39
Joined: 11:46 am Dec 10 2012
Country:

Re: fuel consumption

Post by KDXnoob1 »

If the float was stuck it's dumping out the overflow. Carbs are somewhat hard to understand until you have someone show you what it's about. my '85 KDX had a bad petcock too. Fuel would constantly flow regardless of "off" position, resulting in over-fueling the carb and it leaking out the overflow. Try taking the carb to a mechanic. Asking him to clean it entirely and potentially order new float valve and floats. Yours may be on their way out or shot and just pouring fuel out the overflow lines.

Easy way to test this. (I imagine your bike has plastic lines coming from the carb, aimed at the ground--These are your overflow lines). Anyways, Fire the bike up and hold it upright like your riding it. Watch for fuel to fall under the bike. Rev it up and see what happens. It may only leak when its loaded so have a friend sit on it upright and watch for it too leak. Should tell you whats up.

In regards to the exhaust, yes you will lose 'some' power, minimal depending on the leak. I just changed mine and it had a leaky exhaust too. Didn't make a noticeable difference in fuel consumption.

If worst comes to worst and your mechanic can't fix it, send it to me and I'll do it! Haha. But seriously, your best bet if nothing helps, just replace it. Although a new carb is around $170-$220. But your mechanic should know how to fix it for much less providing he has a tiny bit of experience. I imagine he does.
Hope it goes well!
nick kdx
Member
Posts: 29
Joined: 02:07 pm Mar 12 2013
Country:

fuel consumption

Post by nick kdx »

ok i replaced the exhaust orings,going to try that by running the bike and checking the overfow pipe while its running(with a friend sitting on it)

i stay in South Africa,new carb here costs R3450 :snooty: so if push comes to shove i'll have to look at replacing float
terminatr
Member
Posts: 239
Joined: 08:06 pm Mar 13 2012
Country:

fuel consumption

Post by terminatr »

I have the Clark 3.7 gallon tank. I can ride 90 miles of dirt roads, if I keep the RPM low. Stock gearing.

When I do trail riding, I ride for hours and hours until I'm too exhausted; and there's always still plenty of fuel left.

I notice if I tip the bike over about 45 degrees, fuel will flow out of the carb. So if you ride berms aggressively alot, maybe fuel is flowing out?
2001 KDX220
nick kdx
Member
Posts: 29
Joined: 02:07 pm Mar 12 2013
Country:

Re: fuel consumption

Post by nick kdx »

dont really do berms hey,probably never take the bike to that angle and if i do its short periods,i'll try running motor with some1 on it and have him lean it left right and hold it upright to see if its dumping while i ride
Post Reply