'97 500 XT Excessive Gas Consumption

A

ahamay

New member
Joined
Feb 3, 2004
Messages
1
Location
Western NY
I get horrible gas mileage, 6-8 mpg. Entire sled is stock, except I have leaned main jets to 150 (from 151.3) which stopped plug fouling. I have replaced the needle&seats and ensured floats are set correct. My 600 XTC gets far better mileage. I have been told by more than one person that this is common for the 500 - but it just doesn't seem right.
 
How do your plugs look?
How tight is your track?
How is your belt deflection?
Is the belt a factory part?
How is it ridden?
What have you tried, other than jets?

Give all the info you can think of, and you'll get good detailed info back. On both of my 2000 500's, we got between 10 and 11mpg, and never fouled a plug. That's with stock everything. Post back!
 
Ours always ran great! The jetting spec is the same throughout the years I believe. I think some had issues with choke plungers, and some folks over use the choke, it's easy to do.

I met a guy with a 500 who had problems with fouling plugs, and we figured out that his carbs were out of adjustment. Going through the carbs and setting everything to spec might be the ticket here.
 
SpartaSXr said:
Man VMJ you think any one has a 500 that runs correctly ? :?:
Click to expand...

I do! Going to crack the 5000 mile mark this weekend. All trouble free so far. I'm getting about 9-10mpg with it but my thumbs real twitchy. 100 miles to a tank usually with about 1.5-2" on the "man, I hope I can make to the gas station stick". That would be the stick gauge used when the needles on E!
 
Wow, 100 miles to 12 gallons is real bad. Our 500 does that and then some. VMJ is right, set the carbs to spec and drop the needles, drop the jets and re- tune from there. 500's will get the same gas mileage as a 600 if tuned correctly. Oil consumption is the same as the 600 though. Boy those twins like oil when compared to triples ! Then again its a toy ~ Ride the heck out of it before the snow goes away. Before ya know it we will be on the golf course cussing at a little white ball and gas mileage will be a long lost thought. Have fun and ride safe !! :D
 
All thats been done. My sled is set up mostly to Johns specs and a few others from this site. It ain't gettin any better unless I relax my thumb a bit! 8)
 
Well, barring something being physically wrong with the sled, a Tempaflow is hte single biggest gas saving device you can run. It automatically adjusts for temps, and keeps the motor running crisply at all times.

There's some small downsides with it, but when it takes a 10mpg sled and turns out 14mpg (during twisty trail HARD riding) I'm sold. I love mine!

You can adjust it enough to burn down your motor, so I always recommend stock jets and needle positions. A good clutch set up helps too, as you aren't pushing hte throttle a ton with no gain in performance.

Good luck!
 
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