New Hose clamps = Big improvement in fuel economy?

[WeirdHarold]

My '02 RT (67,000 miles) left me stranded at home the other day. Couldn't leave my garage. Wouldn't start. After a couple of hours of troubleshooting, including telephone assistance from the repair shop (thanks MPH Cycles), we found fuel in tank, fuel injectors working ok, but no fuel squirting out. Diagnosis: Something wrong inside the fuel tank. Not a task for the unequipped/unskilled/lazy/hurried ... I called AMA MoTow.

 

Sure enough, when MPH got the tank off and looked inside, one of the hoses had slipped off. They proposed to change the clamp. I told them to go ahead and replace all the four or five OEM clamps while they were at it, since I had read of clamp problems in this forum.

 

In removing the clamps, they managed to break the fuel pump and so had to replace it too.

So now the bike has a new fuel pump and hose clamps.

 

After all this was finished, much to my surprise, my fuel economy is much improved. It went from about 30 to about 40 mpg. The bike now gets almost the same mileage as when it was new. (Large side cases, larger windscreen, and four extra lights all add to the wind resistance, so I think 40 is OK.)

 

My question to the group is "Why?" Why would these changes improve fuel economy by a dramatic 30%?

 

I can imagine that the leaking clamps or bad fuel pump may have resulted in low fuel pressure at the injectors, and therefore too lean a mixture, and that the fuel injection system (and Techlusion 259) would have tried to make adjustments to compensate, and perhaps overcompensated. But I would expect that a 30% difference in fuel usage to make a big difference in engine smoothness, performance, and even smell, but it seems to run just as smoothly now as before.

 

And if the leaking hose clamps can cause subtle problems, I wonder if they are a hidden cause of other hard-to-fix problems like surging (gasp). I wonder if maybe I don't need the Techlusion R259 any more.

 

Wondering,

 

Don

[WeirdHarold]

No reply after 6 weeks?

 

Curious.

 

 

Don

[Rich06FJR1300]

yeah i admit...i have no clue on this one. That much an improvement in fuel economy would indidate to me that something was wrong big time.

[Ken H.]

Short of it leaking on the ground previously I can't imagine a reason. Don't argue with success I guess!

[WeirdHarold]

Ok. Thanks for the comments.

 

I'll just add it to my lengthening list of "Life's Little Mysteries."

 

 

Don

[Satguy]

Here's my theory.....

 

Leaking hose clamps prevented correct fuel pressure being developed in the system. Without correct fuel pressure the injectors are unable to atomize the fuel correctly, more just a stream vs. a very fine fuel mist.

 

The stream of fuel will not vaporize as well as the fine mist resulting in a poor mixture that would not burn well causing poor mileage.

 

Hose clamps fixed and a new fuel pump = correct pressure and back to more efficient combustion = increased mileage.