Mileage just dropped to 22 mpg

[strobe]

I am on a short trip this weekend and all of a sudden I am running as low as 22 mpg ???. I typically run mid 30's. Nothing has changed since my last trip, other than the oil, and I am at a loss as to the cause for this drop. The only thing I can think of that the clutch is slipping. I have noticed little bit of a lurch when I put it in first gear recently that I never used to have, but other than that nothing odd. Any ideas, or is the clutch the likely cause?

[dogdoc]

Strobe the slipping clutch could do it but thats awful low mpg even for that. it might be something fuel related, like your processor??

[strobe]

Originally Posted by Doc (Lonewolf)

Strobe the slipping clutch could do it but thats awful low mpg even for that. it might be something fuel related, like your processor??

Thought of that too. I reprogrammed it tonight at my stop, so will see what it does tomorrow. I am hoping that is not it. I have been defending the PCIII for a while now, so would hate for that to be the issue. I did get my clock and odometer to reset like another thread here somehow in the last week, so I am wondering of that did not corrupt the fuel map like spirello's thread:

http://www.vulcanbagger.com/phpBB3/v...ic.php?t=11182

Just odd for that big of a drop that quickly....very puzzled. I have done a ton of things to this bike the last couple years, and never had any issues with the clock reset or PCIII, but there is always a first time.

[billmac]

Seems like at 22mpg, you could smell the gas and feel the difference in performance. If not, I would suspect my odometer is lying to me. With the CT, isnt your speedometer and odometer fast, which would mean you actually got less than 20mpg?

I hope the reset solves the problem for you, permanently.

[macmac]

velly interestink.....

[redjay]

Hi Strobe, I would think that you would notice if the clutch is slipping, ie the revs rising with no increase in speed. I dont think I could get 22 mpg even at the dragstrip. The worst I have ever seen is about 35 mpg and that was just after I installed the Techlusion TFI and I was enjoying all that new found oooomph.

[strobe]

No idea what happened. I resent the map last night and everything is back to normal today. Must have something to do with clock / trip reset that happened, it must have corrupted the map as well. Thing is you could not smell excessive raw fuel at all that is what puzzled me. With the CT the tire is slightly larger that stock, and does not explain the sudden change though, I have 4000+ km on the CT before this happened at the expected mileage. Also the GPS mileage closely matches the bikes odometer, so it is not lying to me, unless the GPS is too.

Just weird. I have had that PCIII for over 2 years for sure and never had any issue with it doing this. Just puzzling, but glad it is back to normal.

I know I hit the starter button by accident a week or so ago when I was working on the bike before the ECU check was done and I think that is what triggered the reset and likely corrupted the map as well.

[borto1990]

looks like I better get to the garage and save my map!!

[jestephens]

My mileage dropped drastically once. I changed the oil and spark plugs, and the mileage magically returned. ???
That's why your recent oil change surprises me. Just to double check, you did use Motorcycle oil?
Car oil WILL work, but isn't designed for the wet-clutch situation of motorcycle transmissions.

[macmac]

Originally Posted by jestephens

My mileage dropped drastically once. I changed the oil and spark plugs, and the mileage magically returned. ???
That's why your recent oil change surprises me. Just to double check, you did use Motorcycle oil?
Car oil WILL work, but isn't designed for the wet-clutch situation of motorcycle transmissions.

None of that makes any sence.

The spark plugs should be fine for 20,000 miles, with proper maintanence (setting and cleaning with no wire brush)

I run Mobil 1 silver cap for cars (Not 'Engery Conserving") it gets changed like clock work every 3,000/3,500 miles with a new tea bag every time.

I don't know what happened that you lost MPG's and then gained them back, but it wasn't either of these 2 things.

My bike gets as set up now 40/44 MPGs. It may hit 20,000 miles this summer maybe..

[strobe]

Originally Posted by jestephens

My mileage dropped drastically once. I changed the oil and spark plugs, and the mileage magically returned. ???
That's why your recent oil change surprises me. Just to double check, you did use Motorcycle oil?
Car oil WILL work, but isn't designed for the wet-clutch situation of motorcycle transmissions.

Not sure how what you describe would cause a severe drop like this....but I have Rotella T Syn in the bike and have for a long time. Same oil that a lot of riders here and other forums use too, so not an oil issue, and it was just changed, so again should rule that out.

looks like I better get to the garage and save my map!!

Hey Tony I was going to message you and tell you exactly that. I have no idea what exactly caused it, but I know that on the 300 km on Friday I ran that mileage, sent the Thunder map I have been running back to the PCIII on Friday night and got back to normal. Make sure you get copies of those maps!!!

[macmac]

strobe, No doubt, as you know the PC III had a glitch caused by a voltage drop. That will happen with a system like that. So long as you have a stored map and access to a laptop you can fix it.

For me personally that is just too much of a pain. I am a primitive guy and I like it that way.

I shoot flintlocks for cryin put loud!

Seems to me your all good now. All I can offer is record this on primitive paper, so the next time you will know what you did.

[strobe]

Originally Posted by macmac

strobe, No doubt, as you know the PC III had a glitch caused by a voltage drop. That will happen with a system like that. So long as you have a stored map and access to a laptop you can fix it.

For me personally that is just too much of a pain. I am a primitive guy and I like it that way.

I shoot flintlocks for cryin put loud!

Seems to me your all good now. All I can offer is record this on primitive paper, so the next time you will know what you did.

LOL... thanks Mac!

It is something I have never had happen before, and was a bit concerned for a bit. I have hit the starter button before the ECU initializes before and never had the odometer and clock reset too, but not something I typically do so never thought much of it. Just happened to have my notebook along this weekend, otherwise I would have been in for some fun, 22 mpg gets expensive with $4 a gallon gas. :)

[macmac]

My take is the 'note book' is electronic... That is where i would be in for it. I used to worry about a all manual 35mm Minolta camera and vibrations, rain, snow, and temps of -40 below 0 F'.

No electronic note book would survive me. On the other hand I still have that camera.

[dogdoc]

I still my Minolta 35 mm SLR which is about 35 yrs old and doing great. But my city mpg is best at 29mpg stop n go.