non linear speedometer error

[planetequipment]

I experienced a fuel delivery problem yesterday. I believe it was similar to problems others have posted recently (Bryan?). I ran out of fuel on the main petcock position. Switching to reserve made no difference. Fortunately, the problem occurred only a couple of miles from my house. I have a clear plastic (Volkswagen type) fuel filter and also a Scott Oiler. The filter never fills up, but generally has about 1/4" of fuel in the lower portion of the filter. I can always see the fuel flowing into the filter. I stopped the bike at the side of the road. There was no gas in the filter. I looked in the gas tank and saw that the gas level was just slightly above the main inlet (the bike was on the side stand). With the bike upright, the gas was below the inlet. Ah hah! The reserve position on the petcock had to be the culprit. With the bike on the sidestand, I was able to get fuel into the carb. I had to go through this routine a couple of times to get home. Back at home, I drained the tank by applying vacuum to suction to the petcock vacuum port. I was able to drain through both the main and reserve positions. I removed the petcock and completely disassembled it. The only thing I found that could have contributed to the problem was the anti-blowback valve in the suction port. It seemed to be sticking periodically in the blowback position. It is a little phenolic disk. One side was slightly rougher that the other. I reinstalled it with the rougher side toward the sealing side. It seemed to do the trick. I reinstalled the petcock, put gas back into the tank. The level was below the main inlet. I started the engine and no gas flowed in the filter - the float bowl wouldn't fill. I removed the hose from the bottom of the filter and ran a hose into a can. When cranking the engine, gas flowed. ????? I removed the filter and started the bike. I knew fuel was flowing by the response of the engine. I then rode the bike several miles. Repeatedly I would switch the petcock to the main position (no gas, remember). When the engine would start to die, I would move the petcock to reserve. I did this enough times to prove to myself that it was actually working. I don't know why fuel wouldn't flow into the float bowl with the filter in place. It hurt me to do it, but I left the filter off. My only consolation is that the petcock screens are very fine mesh. Factoid: Fuel mileage is 1 mpfb. That's one mile per float bowl. Ron

[Mark St.Hilaire, Sr]

> I don't know why fuel wouldn't flow into the float bowl with the > filter in place. It hurt me to do it, but I left the filter off. My > only consolation is that the petcock screens are very fine mesh.

Carbs for Dummies would be too advanced for me to read & understand, so with that in mind: would the vacuum connection have anything to do with it? A crack in the hose, or something like that?

> Factoid: Fuel mileage is 1 mpfb. That's one mile per float bowl.

That got a good chuckle out of me - probably because it wasn't ME who was riding float bowl by float bowl... Wise men still seek Him... Mark St.Hilaire, Sr A15 Also: KLR6500@... HomePage: http://home.adelphia.net/~msaint/index.html KLR650 Motorcycle Pages: http://klr6500.tripod.com/ Valve Check & Adjustment Guide: http://klr6500.tripod.com/valves.html

[planetequipment]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Mark St.Hilaire, Sr" wrote:

> > I don't know why fuel wouldn't flow into the float bowl with the > > filter in place. It hurt me to do it, but I left the filter

off. My

> > only consolation is that the petcock screens are very fine mesh. > > Carbs for Dummies would be too advanced for me to read &

understand, so

> with that in mind: would the vacuum connection have anything to do

with

> it? A crack in the hose, or something like that? > > > Factoid: Fuel mileage is 1 mpfb. That's one mile per float bowl. > > That got a good chuckle out of me - probably because it wasn't ME

who was

> riding float bowl by float bowl... > > > Wise men still seek Him... > > Mark St.Hilaire, Sr > A15 > Also: KLR6500@h... > HomePage: > http://home.adelphia.net/~msaint/index.html > KLR650 Motorcycle Pages: > http://klr6500.tripod.com/ > Valve Check & Adjustment Guide: > http://klr6500.tripod.com/valves.html

No problem with the vacuum connection, Mark. The whole system worked fine except when the filter outlet was connected to the carb. Ron

[cactus_reese]

Ron, Thank you for doing that experiment. I have not had a chance to run my gas low again to see if I still have that problem, but my symptoms were almost the same as yours. Everytime I think I'll try to run it low and test it, I end up wanting to go somewhere that requires me to fill 'er up. I am using the little cone visu-filter. Without it, I experienced a dirty float needle twice. Try riding home when your engine will only run at 3000 RPM or above. I think I prefer the reserve problem to the dirty float needle but I would like to find a filter that works. Maybe mine is dirty after 1000 miles. Testimonials anyone? -Bryan

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "planetequipment" wrote: > I experienced a fuel delivery problem yesterday. I believe it was > similar to problems others have posted recently (Bryan?). I ran out > of fuel on the main petcock position. Switching to reserve made no > difference. Fortunately, the problem occurred only a couple of miles > from my house. > > I have a clear plastic (Volkswagen type) fuel filter and also a Scott > Oiler. The filter never fills up, but generally has about 1/4" of > fuel in the lower portion of the filter. I can always see the fuel > flowing into the filter. > > I stopped the bike at the side of the road. There was no gas in the > filter. I looked in the gas tank and saw that the gas level was just > slightly above the main inlet (the bike was on the side stand). With > the bike upright, the gas was below the inlet. Ah hah! The reserve > position on the petcock had to be the culprit. With the bike on the > sidestand, I was able to get fuel into the carb. I had to go through > this routine a couple of times to get home. > //SNIP// > I don't know why fuel wouldn't flow into the float bowl with the > filter in place. It hurt me to do it, but I left the filter off. My > only consolation is that the petcock screens are very fine mesh. > > Factoid: Fuel mileage is 1 mpfb. That's one mile per float bowl. > > Ron

[Devon Jarvis]

A dirty filter is distinctly possible. I would have thought a clogged filter would have filled with gas on the "upstream" side- the only time I had a clogged filter for certain I had to change it at night on the roadside and could only see that it was filled with crap, not whether it was full of gas when the motor quit. Especially the paper element filters, they might flow slowly without visible crub inside, because they have a fine mesh. I haven't put on a new filter, but I have the luxury of a new fuel tank and bike. Devon A15 cactus_reese wrote:

> > Ron, > Thank you for doing that experiment. I have not had a chance to run > my gas low again to see if I still have that problem, but my symptoms > were almost the same as yours. Everytime I think I'll try to run it > low and test it, I end up wanting to go somewhere that requires me to > fill 'er up. > > I am using the little cone visu-filter. Without it, I experienced a > dirty float needle twice. Try riding home when your engine will only > run at 3000 RPM or above. I think I prefer the reserve problem to the > dirty float needle but I would like to find a filter that works. Maybe > mine is dirty after 1000 miles. Testimonials anyone? > > -Bryan > > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "planetequipment" wrote: > > I experienced a fuel delivery problem yesterday. I believe it was > > similar to problems others have posted recently (Bryan?). I ran out > > of fuel on the main petcock position. Switching to reserve made no > > difference. Fortunately, the problem occurred only a couple of > miles > > from my house. > > > > I have a clear plastic (Volkswagen type) fuel filter and also a > Scott > > Oiler. The filter never fills up, but generally has about 1/4" of > > fuel in the lower portion of the filter. I can always see the fuel > > flowing into the filter. > > > > I stopped the bike at the side of the road. There was no gas in the > > filter. I looked in the gas tank and saw that the gas level was > just > > slightly above the main inlet (the bike was on the side stand). > With > > the bike upright, the gas was below the inlet. Ah hah! The reserve > > position on the petcock had to be the culprit. With the bike on the > > sidestand, I was able to get fuel into the carb. I had to go > through > > this routine a couple of times to get home. > > > //SNIP// > > I don't know why fuel wouldn't flow into the float bowl with the > > filter in place. It hurt me to do it, but I left the filter off. > My > > only consolation is that the petcock screens are very fine mesh. > > > > Factoid: Fuel mileage is 1 mpfb. That's one mile per float bowl. > > > > Ron > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[Craig Kahler]

I have heard the KLR650's speedometer reads about 7% high. Today I did some expermenting with my gps.   40mph indicated = 36mph GPS, 10% error 50mph = 45mph, 10% error 60mph = 55mph, 8% error 70mph = 65mph, 7% error   I found it interesting the error decreased as speed increased. But this makes determining actual speed easy. Just subtract 5 MPH.   Craig Kahler