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How to tell if I'm running too lean? (Read 48 times)

akhsha

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How to tell if I'm running too lean?
08/30/22 at 17:03:04

I haven't ridden my bike for a few months, went for a quick ride today and when I parked the engine seemed hotter than normal. Could I be running lean? I'm not exactly sure how to tell

I changed the oil in the spring just before I stopped riding. (Edit to add: just checked oil overflow tube and that was empty)
Petcock was off all summer but I did leave gas in the tank.
Drained the old gas today before riding and replaced with fresh gas
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Thanks!

2009 S40 with about 11k miles.
Verslavy, Raptor petcock, 12.5" shocks, harley muffler, 55 pilot jet, half size nylon washer.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28996 L.A. California Gender:	Re: How to tell if I'm running too lean? Reply #1 - 08/30/22 at 18:14:08 I've ridden in over 100 degree heat at 70 for a half hour tapering down to 40 for another half hour and as long as you don't stop your heels won't melt and the hair on your legs won't burst into flame. So... how do you tell if it's running hot?
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akhsha

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Re: How to tell if I'm running too lean?
Reply #2 - 08/30/22 at 19:22:12

I smelled some burning plastic. I'm used to smelling that if I brush up against the exhaust, but I checked and there were no burns in my clothing

Also, in the past in winter time, I could reach down and warm my hands on the head pretty comfortably. Today the whole engine was way too hot to touch when I parked the bike.

I'm going to grab an infrared thermometer tomorrow and report back with actual readings.

Could something else be causing overheating? Perhaps I installed an oil filter wrong or something? I have a pretty leaky exhaust, could that do it

2009 S40 with about 11k miles.
Verslavy, Raptor petcock, 12.5" shocks, harley muffler, 55 pilot jet, half size nylon washer.

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verslagen1

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Re: How to tell if I'm running too lean?
Reply #3 - 08/30/22 at 20:41:53

akhsha wrote on 08/30/22 at 19:22:12:

Could something else be causing overheating? Perhaps I installed an oil filter wrong or something? I have a pretty leaky exhaust, could that do it

1st thing to do is double check any work you've done recently.
backwards filter would be devastating to the engine as it will stifle oil flow.
and it won't hurt anything to open it up and take a look.
you can tip the bike over the other way to minimize the oil leak.
about a 45 deg. angle should do it.

a leaky exhaust will cause the pipe to get hot, I don't think it will cause the engine to run hot.

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akhsha YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 22	Re: How to tell if I'm running too lean? Reply #4 - 08/31/22 at 07:54:28 Turns out I'm just nervous. Temps read around 225 at the head, 190 lower down on the engine, 250 on the header pipe. I think the burning I smelled was just spilled oil from the oil change Thanks Verslagen. Yours and others contributions to this site are invaluable. Much appreciated.
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