02 GS with poor gas mileage

[matthewcushing]

I have a 2002 GS (non adventure) with 39,000 miles. Loaded I used to get 225 + miles on a tank of fuel. Now I'm lucky to get 200. Over the summer I rode from Key West, FL to Alaska. The mileage was not consistant throughout the trip. My best mileage came at elevation in Colorado. A tech in CO said that was normal. What is not normal is having to put 5 gallons of fuel in my unloaded bike every 190-200 miles down here at 3' above sea level. Valves are adjusted regularly and filters and fluids are changed routinely. I explained my problem to a tech in Tallahassee, FL. He checked the throttle bodies for syncrhonization and checked the TPS. His only suggestion at the time was to replace the throttle bodies. Will this fix my consumpion issues?

[DarkCloud]

My 1150 GS got 43 to 46 mpg on the highway. What quality of fuel do you run through it and what do you use for injector cleaner. I found the 1150GS very partial to fresh gas.

JON

[JimMoore]

The same thing happens to me every winter. I wonder if they change the gas formulation in the wintertime in FL. I'd wait to see if the same thing is happening next summer.

[matthewcushing]

I have always purchased the premium grade fuel since day 1 leaving the Daytona Shop. In Florida, 93 octane is easy to find. Out West the octane level used was anything from 85 and up. I am now back to using 93 premium fuel such as: Amoco, Shell, BP and sometimes Mobil. What kind of injector cleaner is recommended?

[DarkCloud]

I have always purchased the premium grade fuel since day 1 leaving the Daytona Shop. In Florida, 93 octane is easy to find. Out West the octane level used was anything from 85 and up. I am now back to using 93 premium fuel such as: Amoco, Shell, BP and sometimes Mobil. What kind of injector cleaner is recommended?

Chevron Techron total fuel system cleaner is the best. Best to use this two tanks of fuel prior to an oil change, run the tank with the cleaner in it until the fuel light comes on then fill the tank and run it out prior to changing the oil so all the cleaner will be out of the fuel system, otherwise it will keep on cleaning and forcing more crud into the crankcase.

I learned about it at an oil seminar the Paul Glaves gave at Trenton. Since then I have used it in all my vehicles. (Tried Sea Foam, but prefer Techron) Since it is a total fuel system cleaner, it starts by cleaning out the tank, the fuel pump, then to the fuel lines, Throttle bodies, heads, valves, injectors. So if you treat a tank of fuel at night and leave the bike set, it will clean the tank first, once the Techron has worked, or the chemicals have been used fighting crud, it stops working. I never took chemistry. So if it has lost it's potency by the time it gets to throttle bodies, so won't see any gas mileage, power, or ability to rev faster.

How to tell when you have a clean system. The cars would turn the oil black and gritty when it worked. Since your BMW oil is black by nature, and you can't pull the dip stick and sample the oil on your fingers, you will have to wait until you change oil to sample it. Another way of checking is to drain the oil out of the old filter and see how heavy it is. When you treat the system and the oil stays clean, you have a clean system. Then at this point, run the Techron through prior to every other oil change.

I get the best results by running at interstate speeds for extended periods of time. Possibly it also works on carbon in the combustion chamber, but anyway it is forcing contaminates out the exhaust, or into the crankcase.

JON
The Frozen Chosen Indiana

[Motor31]

When the gas gets diluted with MTBE or alcohol I notice my mileage drops about 10 to 15%. Pretty much what you were showing. Were you in areas that they formulate "winter" gas with either of those 2 additives in it for EPA or emmisions purposes?

[geobeemer]

My 01 GS has never gotten more than 190 without a full load. :jawdrop
If you find the magic trick please let me know...PLEASE!

[wanderer]

I have gotten slightly under 40MPG and over 52MPG on my '01 GS in over 50K. My best mileage is usually on a 2 lane at speeds averaging between 65 mph and about 72 mph. Windshield, windshield adjustment, luggage, luggage type (system cases vs. Jesse's), temperature, wind (tailwind, headwind), tire pressure, and above all, speed seems to be greatest variable.

My best tank ever was 274 miles and I rode into the station under my own power. I wasn't sure I would, but I did! I wouldn't ride that slow on purpose if the road and traffic didn't require it. I like fuel mileage, but I like speed a lot more.:bikes

I guess in answer to the original post, I wouldn't find anything unusual if my range varied by 50 miles per tank. As I travel it happens to me all the time. If my bikes in proper tune I don't think about it too much.

[matthewcushing]

Jon,

Thanks for the advice. I started the process today with a product made by Chevron but labled for Yamaha called "Ring Free". It is most often used in the marine industry for 2 and 4 stroke outboard motors. I have used it on my 90 hp for over 1200 hrs. It is a great product highly recommended by Yamaha. My outboards last compression check was nearly the same has when it left the factory. I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. I hope it works.

matthew cushing

[groeger]

The cold weather has an impact on your mileage. I ride a 2001 R1150GS. In late October, I experienced a high of 47 MPH at 75 MPH, and now in mid February (20 - 30 degrees) I have experience a low of 38 MPH at 75 MPH.

[screwtop]

I have an 02 GS and I average about 44.5 on trips (loaded) and keeping a 75-80 mph pace. I run 38 psi rear (cold) and 35 up front, which gained me about 1.5 mpg from before when I had been running lower pressures (probably too low).

Anyway, I think an 02 GS carries about 5.8 usable gallons. I have always seen pretty consistent mileage with premium fuel, but then I do not ride in areas where there is much variation with elevation, like some others have attested to. My fuel light comes on at 185 to 190 miles on the trip meter. I always stop to get gas by the 210 mark (you only run out of gas once).

All that being said, I think that my mileage and speed are a bit artifically high due what I percieve as an approximate 5mph spedo error on the high side.

[geobeemer]

I now feel a little better about my mileage. I usually ride until the low fuel light comes on which is also around the 180-190 mark unless I am out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe some of the other comments are running the tank to just about empty and have not taken the 5mph error into account.

Either way a good cleaning is probably a good idea!

[j-budimlya]

Sure, winter fuel formulation can have a significant affect on gas mileage...

so does your wind profile( my Jesse bags are a huge drag at speed)

but just a few more miles an hour seems to have a significant affect on fuel mileage.....riding a nice two lane road at 65 or riding the interstate at 85 is a whole lot different on my '01 1150GS with Aeroflow and Jesse bags....

At 85 GPS speed on the interstate(not legal but typical out here) I am happy with 36 mpg.....slow speed 65 GPS speed on 2 lane roads is around 40 mpg on my bike....all stock and well tuned.....

I'm sure I could do better on the 2 lane roads, but I like to "pass" when I can...:brow

[screwtop]

I now feel a little better about my mileage. I usually ride until the low fuel light comes on which is also around the 180-190 mark unless I am out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe some of the other comments are running the tank to just about empty and have not taken the 5mph error into account.

Either way a good cleaning is probably a good idea!

I ran mine out of gas with 224 miles on the clock. A friend and I had been riding twisties out in western MD and WV. We were doing alot of 3rd/4th gear riding at a brisk pace. We headed home on the interstate and that's where she gave up the ghost (2 miles from my exit and a Shell station):banghead . My buddy rode to the gas station, bought a gallon of windshield washer fluid, dumped it out and filled the thing with 1/2 gallon of gas, which he bun-jeed on his bike and delivered to my sorry ass.

I probably would have gotten 235 or so out of her if I hadn't been crankin' out the twisties. Anyway, the lesson learned for me was: at 200 miles - Get gas:thumb . Others say that it is good to fill up with a gallon or so left in the tank, so you are not pulling any sediment that may settle in the bottom of the tank into your injectors. This may be folklore, but it seems to make sense to me.

[snoone]

I notice on my 4-runner dashboard computer thing that I absoulutly get less mileage per tank in the Winter than the Summer. I always attributed that to the additives that they remove in the spring / summer. As soon as they change the formlation the mileage goes back to where it was.

With that said I usually fill my tank up at 200 miles, but there is always at least a gallon still in the tank.

[Motor31]

I never intentionally run my tank to dry or near dry. Running out has never been fun for me. I try to fill up at places other than the small mom and pop stores simply because I have gotten bad gas more often at places like that. If the gas doesn't turn over rapidly it can start to sour before being pumped especially when it's the winter formulation with alcohol or MTBE, based on my experiance.

On the other hand I got a bad load of gas at a Flying J truck stop once as well where the gas is turned rather quickly when they sell 10k gallons in a couple days.

[j-budimlya]

I ran mine out of gas with 224 miles on the clock. A friend and I had been riding twisties out in western MD and WV. We were doing alot of 3rd/4th gear riding at a brisk pace. We headed home on the interstate and that's where she gave up the ghost (2 miles from my exit and a Shell station):banghead . My buddy rode to the gas station, bought a gallon of windshield washer fluid, dumped it out and filled the thing with 1/2 gallon of gas, which he bun-jeed on his bike and delivered to my sorry ass.

I probably would have gotten 235 or so out of her if I hadn't been crankin' out the twisties. Anyway, the lesson learned for me was: at 200 miles - Get gas:thumb . Others say that it is good to fill up with a gallon or so left in the tank, so you are not pulling any sediment that may settle in the bottom of the tank into your injectors. This may be folklore, but it seems to make sense to me.

that on a standard GS....there is no cross over tube, so that there is gas left on the left side of the tank....and if you lean the bike over to the right....yes, way over, you will transfer some gas to the right side and be able to ride a few more miles....maybe far enough to get to the gas station...

On the Adventure the cross over tube takes care of this...and when you are out...you are out....

[matthewcushing]

Thanks everyone for their input on my gas mileage issue. It seems that everyone either has a GS that normally gets less than two hundred miles and others who normally get more than 200 miles. I guess everyones bike behaves just a little different than the next guy. I know that I been around several other GS's within a year or so of mine that sound totally different. Maybe its tunning, maybe its break in, maybe its the type of gas you use. I just want my bike to get back to what it use to do. At an interstate average of 80 (GPS) mph with a Cee Baileys windshield and stock bags my bike use to go 215 before the light came on. And most of the time I would have a gal. left in the tank. My best was 240 somewhere in the middle of a TX two lane. Enjoy your winter, it is 75 and sunny down here.

cush

[osbornk]

The reason to not run out of gas is that the gas also cools the fuel pump and you can have pump failure due to running out of gas. I don't worry about my old Airhead with gravity feed but with Ks and Oilhead, I am very careful.