[hitecluddite]

Entering the final tuning stages on my 83 interstate. I’ve checked for manifold leaks there are none. I’ve done a little bit of work on idle drop procedure for the pilots but have not completely finished it. I have a smooth idle smooth acceleration and no dead spots but my gas mileage is horrible! My last tank was 31 mile per gallon and my plugs look lean but I am not running hot. I have gauges I can sync the carbs but before I start messing with that I’d like to get my plug burn to look a little bit better attached is a picture of my plugs after the last tank of gas went through which was 50% interstate at 75MPH and 50% two lane roads doing 55MPH. I think I’m going to order a new air filter for this the air filter looks fine but it’s the original one that was in the bike when I bought it so it’s probably 20 years old. I’ve done a search on this form for pilot screw threads and got a ton of them also did some YouTube videos I believe the Goldwing has an air pilot and not a fuel pilot but I have still not found anywhere that says which direction to turn the air pilot to make it richer.

 

[DaveO430]

It is a fuel adjustment, in to lean, out to rich.

 

[hitecluddite]

OK Thanks

 

[Bryanlj]

31 per US gallon is 38 per imperial gallon which as i remeber aint bad

 

[hitecluddite]

31 per US gallon is 38 per imperial gallon which as i remeber aint bad

I used to get between 40-43 90% of the time. The bike only has 49,000 miles on it and compression is up to spec. Lean plugs on all 4 cyl with that MPG doesn't make sense....

 

[DaveO430]

31 per US gallon is 38 per imperial gallon which as i remeber aint bad

I had 3 1100s I rode a good bit. An 83i got 47mpg consistently, an 81 & an 82, both standards, that both got 44mpg consistently. And it didn't baby any of them. I doubt adjusting the pilot jets will make any difference.

 

[rayjoe]

Definitely get a new air filter. That may not solve the problem but after 20 years it's time.

Those plugs really do not look that bad. Yeah it's running a little lean based on the color, but if anything that should increase mpg.

Let us know what you get after richening up the mixture.


Rayjoe

 

[RambozoClown]

Unless you're doing parades at an idle, you are not going to see much mileage improvement from pilot adjustments. Those plugs look fine, to me, too.

 

[hitecluddite]

I took advantage of the warm day turned all the pilots out about a half a turn the idle speed increased a little, then I put 100 miles on the bike and pulled the plugs again. the bottom two plugs are in the left side of the engine the top two from the right side. It doesn’t seem like the right side changed any but the left side is pretty close to where I want it to be. My mileage did go up to 34 mile per gallon for this hundred miles, I turned right side out another half turn I didn’t touch the left this time. hopefully I can get out tomorrow and do it again

 

[AZgl1800]

It is pretty difficult to get a precise MPG reading on only 1 tank, or only 100 miles behind you.

Pumps are not all calibrated the same, the bike is not at the same precise vertical position, and stopping the pump at the precise amount of fuel from the tank opening is just about impossible.

air bubbles abound in the fuel tanks.....
you won't get a true MPG reading until you have consumed at least 20 gallons of fuel, and then calculate the results.

My Suburban has a 32 gallon fuel tank, and the MPG results from one fill-up to the next fill-up are all over the place, and that is with pumping in approximately 26 to 28 gallons every time. I am never able to use the same pump, and usually a long ways from the same gas station.

this pix is from an Android phone App called "Fuelio", note the MPG readings - and this is on one trip from Georgia to my home in Okahoma.

 

[unsteadyrider]

Entering the final tuning stages on my 83 interstate. I’ve checked for manifold leaks there are none. I’ve done a little bit of work on idle drop procedure for the pilots but have not completely finished it. I have a smooth idle smooth acceleration and no dead spots but my gas mileage is horrible! My last tank was 31 mile per gallon and my plugs look lean but I am not running hot. I have gauges I can sync the carbs but before I start messing with that I’d like to get my plug burn to look a little bit better attached is a picture of my plugs after the last tank of gas went through which was 50% interstate at 75MPH and 50% two lane roads doing 55MPH. I think I’m going to order a new air filter for this the air filter looks fine but it’s the original one that was in the bike when I bought it so it’s probably 20 years old. I’ve done a search on this form for pilot screw threads and got a ton of them also did some YouTube videos I believe the Goldwing has an air pilot and not a fuel pilot but I have still not found anywhere that says which direction to turn the air pilot to make it richer.
View attachment 327507

Hitechlodite what size tires/wheels? What rpm at say 60? I had an 82 that I destroyed the trans on (Heel toe shifter. Bad very bad), took it to a local shop for repair. He had a GL1100 trans on the floor he put in instead. I was taching 500+ rpm higher than before and mileage dropped from 40+ to 35. Turned out the trans he put in was from a 1980 GL1100.

 

[hitecluddite]

Hitechlodite what size tires/wheels? What rpm at say 60? I had an 82 that I destroyed the trans on (Heel toe shifter. Bad very bad), took it to a local shop for repair. He had a GL1100 trans on the floor he put in instead. I was taching 500+ rpm higher than before and mileage dropped from 40+ to 35. Turned out the trans he put in was from a 1980 GL1100.

Yeah I think they changed the gearing every year of the 1100's Either by Trans or rear tire size. 83 had the tallest gear and mine matches what it should be 72MPH at 4000RPM

 

[unsteadyrider]

Yeah I think they changed the gearing every year of the 1100's Either by Trans or rear tire size. 83 had the tallest gear and mine matches what it should be 72MPH at 4000RPM

80-81 had the tallest (same size). 82-83 had same size shorter to stop the lug at start. They changed the final gear so the bike rolls the same at same rpm.

 

[DaveO430]

80-81 had the tallest (same size). 82-83 had same size shorter to stop the lug at start. They changed the final gear so the bike rolls the same at same rpm.

Not quite, 80-81 had the lowest gearing, 82 a little higher then 83 had a lower 1st gear then higher than all of them in the rest of the gears.

 

[DenverWinger]

Ya - My 1980 tachs 5000 RPM at 75 MPH compared to 4000 RPM at 72 MPH for the '83