Oil Change and fuel economy
#21
05-05-2012, 01:01 AM
As oil is used, it shears down to a thinner viscosity. IF it continues to be used, oxidation can cause it to thicken back up...you don't want to use oil that is thickening.
So, when you FIRST change the oil, I wouldn't be surprised if you found a DECREASE in fuel economy, not an increase. It would be so small it would have to be measured in a laboratory, because that small effect due to the vicosity variable will certainly be lost in the "noise" of all the other variables, including: Accuracy of refilling to the exact level in the tank, accuracy of the pump that is delivering the fuel, tire pressure, wind and it's direction, throttle input, idling time, hills, terrain, temperature, number of cold starts, overall speed, etc., ad nauseum.
So, when you FIRST change the oil, I wouldn't be surprised if you found a DECREASE in fuel economy, not an increase. It would be so small it would have to be measured in a laboratory, because that small effect due to the vicosity variable will certainly be lost in the "noise" of all the other variables, including: Accuracy of refilling to the exact level in the tank, accuracy of the pump that is delivering the fuel, tire pressure, wind and it's direction, throttle input, idling time, hills, terrain, temperature, number of cold starts, overall speed, etc., ad nauseum.
#22
05-05-2012, 03:01 AM
I think on an automobile those variables make more of a difference, but on the KLX they have far less effect. I get pretty consistent mileage, no matter how and where I drive mine. I track my mileage fairly regularly, and the biggest variation I have ever gotten was 3 MPG. I get 65 MPG. That's whether I ride off-road, on road, dirt roads, high RPM, before/after re-jetting, before/after adding pipe, winter /summer fuel formulas, etc. Doesn't seem to matter on my bike.
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