GL1200 Limited CFI Fuel in the Oil

[Microjunk]

Greetings Everyone, long time reader first time poster.

My 85 has started running poorly and i am finding fuel in the oil. and it seems to be missing badly. The left side bank cylinders are showing black soot on the plugs. in checking the oil the level was over the top and smelled of raw fuel. I am changing the fuel and trying it again. this bike used to get 45 mgp but in the recent past(after sitting for a few years and a load of Seafoam) the mpg are down to less than 25 and it is running very poorly.

Any assistance is appreciated as this is my first FI bike and i want it back to the good and dependable road machine it was.

[WingAdmin]

It's obviously running extremely rich. Being an FI bike, I would check for a stuck or sticking injector. If both left plugs are black with soot, I would check both left side injectors.

[Rednaxs60]

Cleaning of the injectors as WingAdmin suggests cannot hurt. Change the fuel filter as well, no amount of seafoam will remove what is trapped or has "gelled" in the filter, besides you wouldn't want the stuff from the filter going through the FI system. Another thing to look at is to inspect the tank for rust. A look through the gas cap hole is good, but also pull the sending unit. You may find a lot of crud at the bottom of the tank. The screen in these tanks is oblong, about 4' long by 2" wide and 1/2" to 3/4 " inch high. This screen can be blocked as well.

I did some research of late and there are several ways to clean the fuel tank that can be done with the tank in situ - electrolysis, vinegar, and Metal Rescue to name a few. I did a quick clean of the tank with Metal Rescue and I think it did some good - jury is out on this. After I let the Metal Rescue sit overnight and I drained the tank, there was a lot of crud accumulated in the rear bottom of the tank. I vacuumed this crud out. Will be revisiting this issue after my trip to Southern California.

The OEM fuel filter is no longer available, but you might find a dealer somewhere that has one. I have used the Beck Arnley 043-0897 and the NAPA 3556 (WIX 33556). The Fram G3969 is also a good candidate. You will have to modify the bracket slightly.

Hope this helps. Cheers

[AZgl1800]

if you don't want to remove the tank to clean it,

electrolysis is the best way to get the job done.
that will literally strip every bit of rust from every nook and cranny,
and the screens as well.

[Microjunk]

Thank you to all on the forum as i think we have made great progress in getting my girl back on track. I was able to get the bike running exceptionally well using the many tips and tricks from this site. after removing the fuel filter and checking it out this was in good order however the spark plug wires were so toasted moving them was a huge challenge, and resulted in cracking the shielding so replaced all with new 7mm silicone shielded metal wire. I also balanced the intake manifolds left to right and the resulting combination has brought back the HP and performance i am used to.

I was able to purchase a set of new coils and re-manufactured injectors for less than $100 so when in the future i may need them i will be able to resurrect her again as i really do not like the new side opening luggage.