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fuel efficiency

R

Roblatt

High Miler
Joined
Nov 18, 2008
Messages
603
Location
Nar Nar Goon, Victoria, Australia
Hi all,

I have an 06 B11 with 27000km on the clock. It too suffers from the dreaded pinging but only on hot days (I do run only 95 or 98 octane fuel).

Generally I will get to approximately 310-320km before the low warning light comes on and I will have about 5 litres left. The last couple of tanks of fuel, I've noticed I'm getting over 360km without the low fuel light coming on. When refueling, I have 5 litres left!

The bike is stock with no mods yet. My question is, is she finally broken in? Or is she running too lean and I need to get her checked out?

ps She also burns about 1/2 a litre of oil every 5000km's. Is it normal? The MG importer to Aus says it is.


cheers

Robert
 
Efficiency, IMHE, very much depends on driving habits.... ;)
I've found my average to be about 5-5,5 litres/100 km but I certainly can do it worse.
The oil consumption should be tolerable. Do remember a Guzzi is a "hand made" bike, and tolerances would vary a bit. Probably Mr Roper can comment that. I wouldn't worry.
If you somehow have access to an Axone or VDSTS for checking the tps and mixture - and adjusting it - is very easy. Of course it shouldn't ping under any circumstances.

see also https://www.guzzitech.com/MGGriso/Manual ... iceMan.pdf
and this thread https://www.guzzitech.com/index.php?op ... 44&id=3506
 
Where can one buy 95-98 octane fuel? In the US the best there is is 93 octane. My 07 Norge doesn't ping at all on that so I would think 95-98 octane would be like jet fuel in todays world. I had a 73 Harley that I had to run a mix of racing fuel (114 octane) and 93 octane to keep it from pinging.
 
Hi Robert,

I don't think I'd have the bike looked at for the fuel efficiency, but I would have the throttle bodies checked and the TPS to try and cure the ping problem. My B11 is set on the lean side, but doesn't ping on 93 octane. As for the oil consumption, I'm not so sure these engines burn the oil as much as blow it out. If you run longer, does the oil level drop more? With mine, the oil goes down a little, then stops. Never down enough to add between 6,000 mile services.
 
ncassidy wrote:
Where can one buy 95-98 octane fuel? In the US the best there is is 93 octane. My 07 Norge doesn't ping at all on that so I would think 95-98 octane would be like jet fuel in todays world. I had a 73 Harley that I had to run a mix of racing fuel (114 octane) and 93 octane to keep it from pinging.
Click to expand...

Like most things, octane is measured differently whereever you happen to be in the world. This extract from Wikipedia ....

The most common type of octane rating worldwide is the Research Octane Number (RON). RON is determined by running the fuel in a test engine with a variable compression ratio under controlled conditions, and comparing the results with those for mixtures of iso-octane and n-heptane.

There is another type of octane rating, called Motor Octane Number (MON) or the aviation lean octane rating, which is a better measure of how the fuel behaves when under load. MON testing uses a similar test engine to that used in RON testing, but with a preheated fuel mixture, a higher engine speed, and variable ignition timing to further stress the fuel's knock resistance. Depending on the composition of the fuel, the MON of a modern gasoline will be about 8 to 10 points lower than the RON. Normally fuel specifications require both a minimum RON and a minimum MON.

In most countries (including all of Europe and Australia) the "headline" octane rating, shown on the pump, is the RON, but in the United States, Canada and some other countries the headline number is the average of the RON and the MON, sometimes called the Anti-Knock Index (AKI), Road Octane Number (RdON), Pump Octane Number (PON), or (R+M)/2. Because of the 8 to 10 point difference noted above, the octane rating shown in the United States is 4 to 5 points lower than the same fuel elsewhere: 87 octane fuel, the "regular" gasoline in the US and Canada, is 91–92 in Europe. However most European pumps deliver 95 (RON) as "unleaded", equivalent to 90–91 US (R+M)/2, and some even deliver 98 (RON), 100 (RON), or 102 (RON).

Using premium fuel is all you need to worry about.
 
Well now, that explains it. I remember years ago Sunoco had 114 octane gas with lead in it and man, that stuff was the juice. It was purple in color and it would make an engine run like a rolex watch.
I think all the machines of today are setup on the lean side because of emissions standards so I guess some engines may tend to ping. Another reason for pinging is if the timing is off just a bit, retarded I think.
 
so I would think 95-98 octane would be like jet fuel in todays world.
Click to expand...

There are a lot of misconceptions about octane in gasoline. Kiwi Dave addressed one that I wasn't aware of. Another is the idea that high octane gas is more powerful than regular. It's not. Octane is an ignition inhibitor and is used to both prevent preignition and slow down the explosion in the cylinder so that it lasts for the entire power stroke. These are two problems that are frequently present in high performance, high compression engines. That's why racing fuel has such a high octane rating.

So, if your engine isn't pinging, count your blessings and save your money because high octane gasoline won't do anything for you.
 
If octane rate is the issue, just add some ethanol to the gasoline.....
Octane rate for pure ethanol is 104. RON/ROZ, that is.

Also a motor running E85 will be significant cooler.
 
thanks all, you replies are much appreciated,

I know my fuel use isn't because of a change in riding style since the extra range is only recent and I've had the bike for over two years. I figure this would have shown itself earlier if I was being a good boy for a while.

John, thanks for the tip. The bike is almost due for a service so I will get them to look at the throttle bodies and TPS while they're at it (I don't do services yet. I have the mechanical intellect of a gorilla. But I intend to start soon).

As for the oil use, I'm using 1100 ml per 10,000 km. The level gets low enough to not register on the dipstick ( not screwed in) but never low enough for any warning lights to come on. I suppose I will just change oil more frequently and then I won't notice the drop in oil and like magic - paranoia gone!

I had read the Wikipedia description before so I wasn't concerned about the fuel I was using, although the read was a good refresher.

Robert
 
With the later Guzzis, it's easy to establish the fuel efficiency by the instantaneous and average fuel consumption on the LCD display. What readings are you getting with "normal" operation. You should expect around 5-5.5 litres/100 kM average, which will deteriorate rapidly when the throttle is wound open harder.

It really does depend on your style of riding, and ambient temperature also plays a big part, the hotter the more fuel efficient.
 
Roblatt wrote:
As for the oil use, I'm using 1100 ml per 10,000 km. The level gets low enough to not register on the dipstick ( not screwed in) but never low enough for any warning lights to come on. Robert
Click to expand...
If the level gets low enough to bring up a warning light, say goodby to your engine, as the only light you will get is when there is no oil pressure.
Check more often if you need to, and top up before the level drops off the dip stick.
 
Agreed that 5 to 5.5/100km is about average on a decently long ride and 320 - 340 before the ful warning illuminates.

Both my air/oil cooled bikes use about 500ml of oil/10,000km.

As John said, a well tuned bike should not ping on premium fuel.

Graham
 
Thanks gents.
At least my mind is at rest in that it is supposed to burn something. I will check the oil regularly now. This is my first REAL motorbike and it's nothing like before (Suzuki - too sterile and nothing fiddle with)


again thanks


Robert
 
My 05 B11 used to use a bit of oil, until i changed over to using 10/60 synthetic.
Now i hardly have to check the level.
As for fuel economy i have no idea, as i'm always thrashing the nuts off it, but a tenners worth in the tank is good enough to put a smile on my face ;)
 
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