Driving like Miss Daisy, 34mpg and fuel gauge woes.....

OP
OP
Joined
May 18, 2015
Messages
11
Location
Pocono's
I always fill up on the center stand, the previous owner changed original thermostat at around 20k. I have yet to see the thermostat drop below three bars once warmed up. It has amsoil 20w50 oil in it, could that heavy of a oil drop the mpg? How do I test if it's the upper fuel sender, or should I buy a new one?
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
1,607
Age
61
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Bike
1&2 2005 ST1300ABS's
STOC #
8562
It has amsoil 20w50 oil in it, could that heavy of a oil drop the mpg?
I have 10W-30 oil currently in my ST1300 and my mileage is exactly the same as yours.

I put in 6 US gallons and get 220 miles. This is stop and go traffic commuting. 32 miles/gallon

I put in 7 US gallons and get 325 miles on the highway. 44.7 miles/ gallon
 

Blrfl

Natural Rider Enhancement
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Messages
5,602
Age
55
Location
Northern Virginia
Bike
Fast Blue One
STOC #
4837
I have yet to see the thermostat drop below three bars once warmed up.
Unless you're riding in ambient temperatures below about 45?F, you won't. Even in warmer weather, if the thermostat isn't fully closing, the engine won't reach operating temperature and the ECM will keep dumping more fuel into the mixture until it does. This has a noticeable effect on fuel economy.

It has amsoil 20w50 oil in it, could that heavy of a oil drop the mpg?
The laws of physics say that it takes more energy to overcome the viscosity of a gooier oil, but not to the point where you're getting that big a drop in mileage. (The automakers are designing with 0W-20 in mind because it helps their fuel economy figures, but for them a quarter of a mile per gallon is significant.)

At any rate, put the recommended viscosity in the bike. 20W-50 isn't it and may not lubricate all of the parts as the designers intended.

How do I test if it's the upper fuel sender, or should I buy a new one?
Run the lower tank dry, remove the sender and check its resistance. When fully raised, it should read 6 ohms or less and fully lowered should be on either side of 215. (When your service manual arrives, the procedure is in chapter 22.)

--Mark
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,115
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
Bike is st1300, and I ride very modestly. I will check back once I do the plugs.
I have a very silly question, how do I remove the plastic clips that hold the plastic on the bike? Also what else do I need besides new plugs, any seals or caps, etc?
Go to the HOME page on this website, scroll down to 'Most Replied Tech Articles' then click on TUPPERWARE WORKSHEET. This is invaluable for us newbies (I've only stripped my bike 3 times). I printed out the sheets, laminated them with self stick plastic from Office Max (or Staples, etc) and glued them to some thick wood I had kicking around my shop. I then drilled out holes (about 3/8" dia by same depth). When I pull the fasteners and screws, I put each in its appropriate hole. NOT ALL ARE THE SAME - especialy the allen head shoulder bolts for the side panels.
 
Top Bottom