Question for 1500 owners

They have an electric pump in the tank so I doubt pressure in the tank can push past it. My tank will vent some when the cap is removed, but not much. Also, my bike does get worse mileage in windy conditions.

Keep in mind that there are many factors to mileage, including winter gas blends.



Bill

Wish I got 25 MPG

The gas cap vent may be plugged at the cap on in the line. I think I've read to soak the cap in Seafoam or pinesol overnight then rinse and blow dry with compressed air. Check the line that it is clear.

Also your petcock may be leaking. Test it that it holds vacuum with a mighty vac per the repair manual.
I have read of a petcock leak sucking gas into the vacuum line into the motor and pouring out the exhaust, does the exhaust smell of raw gas? You can bypass the petcock temporaily unhooking from gas filter and put the Carb hose from the petcock on the filter.

You could have vacuum hoses leaking under the carbs. Use an unlit propane torch on low over the vacuum lines in short waves to see if rpms increase to locate leaks.


Post back what you find with a reply here.

Mine whooshes when I open the cap as well.

Ditto on the whoosh factor

All the Goldwings I have owned (5 of them) have made a whoosh sound when removing the gas cap, especially on a hot day at interstate speeds.
Your fuel mileage sounds pretty low even for a 1500 to me. I normally get around 40 mpg running 65-70 on interstates and up to 45 or so at leisurely speeds on backroads.
If you had a 25 mph headwind and were running 67 mph then your air speed was around 90 mph. This is a lot of wind resistance which would cause the fuel mileage to drastically decrease. Still 22 mpg is a low figure even uder those conditions.
I would be checking/replacing all the filters (air, sub air, fuel, cruise) and the spark plugs to start. Tires aired up properly and no dragging brakes is another item.

You might also try running a container of seafoam through it to clean out your fuel system.

I agree with Bell Boy - I used to consistently average from 38-42 MPG on my 1500 and even with the strong head wind running at highway speeds, 22 is a pretty low figure... I would start to look for the root causes of the low mileage as many have commented on above...

Les

You will get less mpg with winter blend gas.Also I would check all filters etc as stated.

hallct said:

I... Yesterday I rode back from Oklahoma City to the panhandle in 25mph headwinds at 44 degrees temps. Average of 22MPG Running around 3000 rpm at 67-68 MPH.

Best I have ever done driving 65MPH on a still day is 32 MPG. Most of the time I get 28-29mpg...

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Without any hesitation or doubt, I'd say that the problem is that you're riding Too Fast. I know that your ground speed was only 67, but your Wind Speed on this particular run was 92mph! (67 +25)

My 1500 has only twice given such bad milage (low 20's), both times when I was riding above 65mph with a headwind... Later, under normal conditions and at 65mph, it returns to the typical 35-40mpg.

On the flip side, if you had been going Downwind, then your mileage would have been in the 50's! (Not joking BTW)

Dragging brakes will hurt alot, as will high ethanol gas.

I have run none ethnolo gas , straight up gas, high octane gas with no difference at all in mileage. I have put around 8000 miles on the bike since July and have run at least 12 cans of seafoam through it. I have no idea what else to try. Air filter ,fuel filter, spark plugs all new 5000 miles ago, now I have not checked the sub filter? What does it do? I am thinking the carbs either need to be synced or have a carb job done. New tires 5000 miles ago 41 in fron 42 in back. Help I am at wits end.......no gas smell from the exhaust.

ALEX BERECZKY said:

Without any hesitation or doubt, I'd say that the problem is that you're riding Too Fast. I know that your ground speed was only 67, but your Wind Speed on this particular run was 92mph! (67 +25)

My 1500 has only twice given such bad milage (low 20's), both times when I was riding above 65mph with a headwind... Later, under normal conditions and at 65mph, it returns to the typical 35-40mpg.

On the flip side, if you had been going Downwind, then your mileage would have been in the 50's! (Not joking BTW)

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Agree .........:readit:

I run just a small amount of TC-W3 rated 2 stroke in my tank every fill-up as reccommended by an old time mechanic friend of mine. Keeps things clean, and it might be my imagination, but it appears as though mileage increased shortly after I started using it. One time last summer in the hills and twisties between Alma and Eau Claire, WI, I got 49 mpg's and that was with my wife on riding 2-up, mostly 45 mph and under with occasional spurts of 55-60.

Note: about 1 1/2 oz's. per tank full is adequate and make sure it's TC-W3 rated oil. An old Stabil container works good for dispensing just the right "dose". BTW.....I use this in most of my Gasoline engines. It's VERY economical.

My gas mileage is about same and I also have the pressure release.

Tried it a hundred times,if i fill up at this cut-rate,barely still open,Centex gas station,my mileage will go down to the high 20's.If i fill up at the Sinclair station straight across the street from the Indian reservation,my mileage will be 33-36 miles per gallon riding the very same route back and forth every week.I do not know how MUCH ethanol or water or what they are putting in their tanks,but it is a fact.Every person around here says the same thing.I have noticed the same problem while on trips.Fill up at one place and the mileage goes down,same thing happens in my truck too.Where i live,lots of people think they are getting rid of left over E85 they can't sell,and mixing it with regular gas.I'm starting to believe that too.

If I am riding in town, I get 35 tops. On the road I get 40. The carbs on the Wing can burn some gas if you are heavy on acceleration.

Been on two long trips that i kept track of fuel mileage on, both trips two up pulling a trailer. Averaged 42 on one trip and 44 on the other..only difference was the windshield, on 44 had stock height windshield, on trip getting 42 had taller sllipstreamer on the bike..have also noticed locally during windy days how much more the wind affects the bike with the taller shield. What windshield do you have on your bike? Sorry but ive never experienced that bad of fuel mileage ever,lowest ive ever found was 38 and that was riding in 50mph crosswind....:?

hallct said:

I love my 1500 95SE. But I hate the gas mileage. Yesterday I rode back from Oklahoma City to the panhandle in 25mph headwinds at 44 degrees temps. Average of 22MPG Running around 3000 rpm at 67-68 MPH.

----But I did notice something yesterday, every time I would stop for fuel once I would open the Gas cap I noticed it would whoosh. I am building pressure in the gas tank. Is that normal? -----.

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When I first bought my 1200, I read everything I could about Goldwings. I did read somewhere that the GW tanks are pressurized. My 2000 aspy ( as did my 1200) does it ALL the time.