Catastrophical fuel usage

[Nozzu]

Hello i have big problem with my 600 cc Shadow (born in 1994). It drinks a lot of gasoline. A LOT. I can ride only 50 km with my 11 liter fuel tank (Or 31 miles with 2.9 gallon.)

I opened up carburetor and found two shim on needles chamber what lift up the needles and i removed them but that dosnt fix the problem. I have crappy airfilter (soon getting new) but 31 miles with whole tank is nonsense.

I hope you understand my problem i try to explain as good as i can (English is not my home language)

P.S Hello all shadowraiders

[Maraxion]

How does the plugs look? Dark of sooth?

[Nozzu]

Sorry...i dont know what the plugs are. Can you say it in other words, pleae.

But i can tell that the fuel mix is very rich. Engine starts up just one little touch to starter. No choke needed. Ewen when bike stays all night out and nights are cold here already.

And i can tell that the smoke is black when i twist the throttle rapidly. I changed the oil and oil filter, after that the smoke get little less darker. But i dont think i have a oil problem.

EDIT: Ou, now i know what plugs are. Yes they are black and dirty. Do you think i get over my problem if i change the plugs?

EDIT 2: Do you know how i can lower the needles. There are no steps marked as normal needles as far as i know.

[ShadowMonster]

Originally Posted by MarkC

smell your oil and see if it smells like gasoline!
Any leaks!
Any thief's!
MarkC

At those mileage numbers I thought of theft right away

[thunderglass]

Smoke black and plugs black. It is running too rich. Plugs will not fix this. A new air filter will help a little.

Fuel leak?

Thief?

If not then problem is in carb.

Float valve may be set too high and too much fuel is going into carb. Extra fuel may go into oil or onto ground through vent tube.

[Nozzu]

I suspect carb and non stock pipes( im not sure that they are none stock, but there are no Honda sign in pipes). Thief - i dont think so, its now in closed garage.

How can i change float valve. Maybe with that little bolt under carb. cover? Or i must find the way to lower needles?

[tubes_rock]

The two shims under the needles ARE NOT going to change the fuel use by that much.

Check top be sure your choke isn't stuck on. Follow the choke cable to the carbs (if your bike has 2) or just follow it to the one carb if you only have 1, and unscrew the black plastic knob that the cable goes into. Pull that plunger assembly out and then operate the choke lever. The plunger should move. Now look into the hole it goes in and make sure there's no crud in there that would prevent that seal from seating.

Float height is another thing you need to look at, like said before. Depending on how the carbs are arranged in there, you'll probably have to remove the carbs to inspect that.

--Justin

[Nozzu]

Thank you very much for advices. I certainly check those out.

It may be choke, that is constantly on. Because there was a trouble with that earlier. One cable just hanged out. I connected that but maybe not so properly.

[dwmitchell61]

Originally Posted by thunderglass

Smoke black and plugs black. It is running too rich. Plugs will not fix this. A new air filter will help a little.

Fuel leak?

Thief?

If not then problem is in carb.

Float valve may be set too high and too much fuel is going into carb. Extra fuel may go into oil or onto ground through vent tube.

Anyone know if the floats are hollow on this one? If so, are they metal? It may be they have holes corroded through them and filled with gasoline so they don't work well anymore. Maybe the float seat or needle is bad or has a particle of dirt between.

[tubes_rock]

I'm pretty sure that just about all the floats that Honda has made starting around 1983 and newer have been coated foam or low-density plastic. Not much chance of them losing their buoyancy.

--Justin