| Author | Message | ||
     Gearheaderiko |
I have no reserve. Happened a few months back, went to reserve and got about a half mile before it quit. Wouldnt start. Pushed it to the gas station, took 2 gallons. Figuring it was a bad/clogged petcock and having a spare, known good tank around, I just swapped the 2 to save time. Ran that tank to reserve twice. Once, I was bouncing 80+mph down the freeway and it only took 1.75 gallons and I was able to ride it the 5+ miles to the gas station. The second time it happened was today. Went on reserve and died. Wouldnt start-tried repeatedly. Took 2 gallons (overfull, past the bootline, almost to the tank line), fired right up. Now the tank is pretty simple. Theres no vacuum assistant like on many new bikes. No electrical connections or safety switches. I took the petcock out of the other tank and it was fine. When I drained the tank, reserve seemed to work. The rollover valve also flowed freely, but why would that make a difference anyhow if it was bad, in regards to reserve. I've had a tank vent go bad and "Reserve" or "On" didnt make a difference. I'm stumped as to what could be going on. Its a very simple system. Doesnt make any sense.  Someone else on another board had this problem and I dont think he found the answer either. | ||
| Reactive |
I may be way off here, but is it possible that the amount of "slosh" from different riding conditions may have affected the situation? | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Wow, I'd forgotten I'd posted this. Thanks for a response. Yes and no.The different riding conditions probably accounted for hitting reserve at an earlier time (our freeways can be very bumpy), but couldnt account for having no reserve at all. There was nothing rough, bumpy or unusual when it died on reserve. Just the average daily ride home from work. Looks like I'm going to have to fill a gas can and take it with me and then run it to reserve as well as draining it to reserve (in the garage), then going for a ride. Havent had the time to do either. Still open to suggestions and theory. | ||
| Swampy |
How many miles are you getting on you "Regular" tank and how many miles are you getting to your "FUBAR" tank on reserve? So to get this right..... you are running on run and it runs out of gas, you switch it to reserve and it is still out of gas, you push it to a filling station and you put 2 gallons in? I had a similar problem with the Sporty, the knob that you see is keyed to a petcock that is internal in the valve assembly. The problem that I had was the knob and the actual valve was not keyed correctly and the valve was in the reserve postion no matter where I turned the knob. | ||
| Reactive |
Good call Swampy. I was about to suggest the same thing about the valve knob not matching the actual keyed pathways. I'm clueless otherwise. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
I get about 80 miles before hitting reserve on either tank (yes, that 40 mpg!). Correct. Took 2 gallons. 2 different tanks. 2 different petcocks. Took the first petcock apart and it functioned normally. Not the first time I've ever hit reserve in 6 years either! Possibly a coincidence somewhere? Maybe. | ||
| Reactive |
If it took 2 gallons, that would mean that the reserve didn't even pull the extra fuel, correct? It would be a strange coincidence, but not impossible that both tanks had the same problem. I don't have my blast yet to check (I have to pick it up in Dallas and bring it back to New Orleans and I'm waiting to find the time/ride) but can you peer inside the tank with a match or a lighter (kidding, flashlight) to see if the plumbing, so to speak is correct or blocked? | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Correct, wouldnt pull the extra fuel. Checked both tanks for 'slag' around the petcock hole, but of course didnt have a flashlight with me to check the amount of gas in the tank when it died (I did know someone years ago who did check for a fuel leak with a lighter-poof!) Checked both petcocks for blockage. Still some things to easily check, so its not as if I've hit the end of the road. Really freakin crazy though. | ||
| Luckdragon |
Gearheaderico-- I had the same thing happen to me! In the past, when the main gas supply would run dry, I would reach down,turn the valve to reserve and the motor would come back on. No problem-- but the other day I had to switch to reserve but the bike didn't re-light. Lucky for me, I was within coasting distance to a gas station. I filled up and the bike instantly started. I haven't a clue as to why this happened. My only solution is to religiously fill up every 100 miles. If you discover why this happened, please post the answer. Thanks | ||
| Swampy |
Isn't the tank 2 gallons? If it is and you are putting 2 gallons in it when it runs out with the petcock on the "Run" position then either the valve index is off or there is a small tube(run fuel intake) sticking up out of the petcock when it is out of the tank, that tube could be broken off? | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
If it hadnt happened to me, I wouldnt have believed it either. Manual says gas tank is 2.8 gallons (reserve is .55 gal-though I dont know of anybody that got 2.8 gallons in it). Both tubes are inside the screen. Filled up plenty of times at 2 gallons without hitting reserve and even filled up at 2.25 gallons after hitting reserve. The bike just shuts down after hitting reserve. You might get a mile if you're lucky. Petcock appears to function normally. The real test is to carry a can of gas and flashlight around, then run it out of gas. Then see how much gas is in the tank and if it doesnt restart after going to reserve, at least you've got gas to make it to a gas station! When I get a drivers license I'll try this! | ||
| Slowhand96 |
Do you think this could be tested without riding it? Disconnect the hose and point it towards a bucket and let the gas drain, when the flow stops, switch to reserve and see how much more comes out. I suppose for the sake of realism, the bike should be upright. | ||
| Slowhand96 |
My blast usually starts sputtering and backfiring a few miles before it has to be switched to reserve. Also, sometimes if I lean it way to the left it goes a while more before it has to be switched. Could it be that after some serious right leaning on cloverleafs and such, that all the gas gets trapped on that side so there is nothing left in the right side for reserve to use? There is no "balance" tube on these like there is on my Road King. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
I have tested one tank/petcock in the 'static' position. Functioned normally. I did think about the bike being leaned over to one side all day (petcock side) and then having it hit reserve when ridden upright. Plausible, but I think everything would have to be perfect. It still only took 2 gallons of gas, filled as full as full can be. Its not like I havent been riding this bike, the same route, to the same job, for 6 years...and if it hadnt happened to me, I woudnt believe it! More testing, to be sure. As soon as I get that license back!!! Thanks for the suggestions. | ||
| Berkshire |
idea for a possible testing method: connect a long piece of clean new fuel hose to the petcock, keeping the free end up high so it doesn't get gas in it. Blow into hose to verify on/off function of petcock in all positions. Remove fuel tank flange and boot, shine flashlight or other safe light source inside tank while blowing into hose and see if the bubbles come up from bottom of tank in "reserve" position, and from a higher level in "on" position. It might just be easier to remove the petcock to test it. | ||
| Berkshire |
are you having this problem with 2 different tanks/petcocks? in one of the posts above, you seem to be saying you swapped gas tanks, complete with petcocks, and still had the problem intermittently - did I read that right? very strange - can't wait to find out the cause of this! | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Yes, that is correct. And it does make me question my own sanity. | ||
| Reuel |
I, for one, am quite sure you're insane. Fear not, for you are not alone here. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
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| Luckdragon |
This reserve thing is really strange. After all, we are talking about a freaking valve here. Turn it one way and it drains from the top, turn it the other way, it drains from the bottom. It ain't like its being run by some microchip or something! How that @#$%* thing can get screwed up is way beyond me. Normally, in my universe, gravity pulls the gasoline down. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
 yEs, QUestIoNing mY sANity. |
