08 rstd

[Matt]

Hi all. Hope life is good to you. I have a great 08 RSTD which I love. Lately my mpg has really dropped. Backfire is common when downshifting. Took it to my guy, new plugs and knn filters, fuel system cleaning...... Got worse. I can smell fumes pretty strong when I sit still. My mpg went from 200 before reserve is needed. Now about 135. Any ideas I can pass on to my guy. I hate to go to a stealership here. Bunch of young kids working there, and $100.00 an hr.

Any ideas?

 

Thanks, Matt

[eusa1]

check your oil level before you start it again, may be fuel contamination , see that all 4 coils are firing, these machines will still run very well on 3 cylinders.

[eagleeye]

Having a 05 RSTD that I've put over 50K on, I've never seen anything close to 200 miles before switching to reserve.

135 seems normal to me. Sometimes a little more and sometimes a bunch less, depending on wind, wrist and so on.

 

And I just did a major tuneup this spring, everything from valve adjustment to spark plugs/all beautiful color and gap, and at Don's MD, Squidley did a carb tune which wasn't all that far off to begin with, so color me puzzled.

[Matt]

I used to get between 180 to 200 on a reg basis. Back to the shop it goes. Thanks for the info.

[dave_wells]

Let us know how you make out.

I have a similar issue,

 

My 06 RSTD when new would be around 170 miles to reserve.

The past few years it around 125 - 130 miles

 

My 2000 Venture is consistant at 170 miles to reserve

I would love to get those miles back. I dont want to spend the money at the dealer.

[eagleeye]

I used to get between 180 to 200 on a reg basis. Back to the shop it goes. Thanks for the info.

 

Let us know how this works out for you.

 

Dave, you remember that the Venture has a bigger gas tank? So 170 with the venture would be like 125 with the RSTD?

Just wondering

[Larry1963]

I have a 07 with 22K on it, it is fairly new to me. I can go between 160-170 before switching to reserve. I had to ride 25 miles on reserve this weekend. not sure how far I can go there.

When I filled it up it took 4.69 gallons

[djh3]

Check into sync carbs, might help. But the "gas" smell sounds like its running rich. AS mentioned check the oil level, it could be the carbs have leaked while parked and washed down thru cyl into crankcase.