Apalling Fuel Economy - Fzr250

**Magua** · 6th October 2004, 20:44

I spent $11 and filled the tank right up and at 100k's I gave the killswitch a flick in preperation to start the bike and I hear the fast clicking of the fuel pump or whatever. Just over 100k's on the maintank? Come on, I know it's an '88 but that's pathetic. If the bike is running rich, can I adjust this anyway without taking out the carbs as I have no experiance in this area, cracked seals and rusted fairing screws with no thread

.

**JohnBoy** · 6th October 2004, 20:53

i had a 1990 yam 3LN 250 once and it also went through gas like it was going out of fashion. i only got about 120 km on the main tank. i had the shimms replaced, carbs balanced and rejetted but didnt really achieve much.
but fuck did it go, had it off the clock a couple of times!
i never really got to the bottom cause a young girl tryed to torpedo me with her push bike ending in a write off.
happy hunting dude

**Stevo** · 6th October 2004, 23:07

I get 160 AT LEAST before going onto reserve. Before I re geared it I used to struggle to get to 150 total!!

Wouldn't be much fun in town the way I have it geared at the moment but 98% of my running is open road like..............

What size sprocket is on the back? Should be a 17 on the front most likely. I found almost a direct relationship (18% better economy by gearing up 18%). I was only expecting 10 - 12 so this might be an option.

PS: Ya shouldn't have to count all those teeth on the back sprocket........... it should be stamped onto it and say 50 something........

**aff-man** · 7th October 2004, 00:50

well work it out. On the zxr250 that had a like 14l tank (i think) i could get about 220 (or a bit more) km . 100 seems awfully low even if it is running rich

**StoneChucker** · 7th October 2004, 01:13

Man with very low fuel milage, probably got leak in petrol tank

**SPman** · 7th October 2004, 04:29

Frances used to get about 160k before reserve on her 87 FZR. Same consumption as the FZR 750

**Posh Tourer :P** · 7th October 2004, 08:47

Also is your exhaust standard? Milky's ZXR exhaust/mufler mods got him from 200 to 250kms per tank (more back pressure/more restricted)

**riffer** · 7th October 2004, 08:48

Originally Posted by SPman

Frances used to get about 160k before reserve on her 87 FZR. Same consumption as the FZR 750

Ouch. I used to get 200-210 before reserve on my FZR750. After upping the main jets from 80/82.5 to 102.5/105's I now get about 180kms before reserve, and I like to use full throttle in the first couple gears.

Check your choke butterflies aren't stuck on. My one had the idle mixture screws way down and the choke stuck partway on when I got it. Used to get 145-150 out of a tank, sorting the carbs made a huge difference.

If I were you, I'd replace the air filter, then plugs, then adjust the idle mixture and balance the carbs, then check its not too undergeared (back/front sprocket like Stevo said). After that, check the fuel lines. Is there a petrol smell about the bike? My bike has a bit of a leak where the reserve hose hits the petcock. It's caused by the rubber o-rings getting corroded by the toluene in unleaded petrol. It could be doing the same to you as well, as your bikes similar vintage.

If all that is okay, maybe you should have a little think about how you are riding. If you are using full throttle a lot, then you use lots of gas.

Try the other stuff first...

**FROSTY:Me** · 7th October 2004, 09:13

It hink celtic has it nailed, If ya spend a lot of time with the throttle wound wide open then for sure you're gonna use a shit load of gas
My zxr 400 only gets about 150km from a tank of gas but its always on full throttle. so you can see how it can make a huge difference in fuel economy

**Magua** · 7th October 2004, 14:32

I'm going to eventually get to the air and fuel filters. Money is restrictive. But today as I left school I walked over to my bike in the pouring rain and saw what looked to be either petrol or oil on the ground. It washed away fairly easily so I'm aussuming it was petrol. Who can take a look at my leak for me? Holeshot/cyclespot I'm assuming would charge a bit while they fiddle around looking?

**Magua** · 7th October 2004, 15:34

Ok I think I've got a 45 tooth sprocket on the rear. I've added some pictures of the carbs, you can see what looks to be a liquid from the carbs in two of the pictures, possible source of the leak? Can anyone point out the idle mixture screws?

**Big Dog** · 7th October 2004, 16:39

Originally Posted by Magua

I spent $11 and filled the tank .....

Litres not dollars dude! ffs that could be 9.1l of 91 or 8.5l of 96 at current prices....

If so and it may just be your wrist action getting you in trouble.

Next Q are you turning of the taps at night?

**Big Dog** · 7th October 2004, 16:42

Note my fuel consumption is approx .1 of a litre per km 10l/100km but I stress a bike quite a bit, about the same as a normal rider w/ pillion.

**Magua** · 7th October 2004, 17:56

I don't stress the bike all the time, of course I give it a bit of twist everynow and then but I rarely climb over 8k rpm. No I don't turn the fuel tap off at night, should I?

**Magua** · 7th October 2004, 17:58

Originally Posted by Stevo

What size sprocket is on the back? Should be a 17 on the front most likely. I found almost a direct relationship (18% better economy by gearing up 18%). I was only expecting 10 - 12 so this might be an option.

I think I've got a 45 on the rear, I don't have the tools to open up the bike and have a look at the front.