GS500F Stalled -Switch to 'RES'

[lamahug]

Hi,

So, I'm on my 2004 GS500F this morning riding in to work, and it started running rough and then stalled!  I had to push the bike out of traffic to the side of the road.  What the heck is wrong with my bike?  I got it started again, but it was running really rough.  I rode it back home (mostly downhill) and pushed it into the driveway.  I opened the gas tank cover and there was about 1/4 tank left.  Hmmm.  I switched the gas selector switch to 'RES' and the bike started running perfect.  Alright!  This is my first tank of gas (this bike is new to me) with 170 miles since I filled up the gas tank.  I rode back to work without any problems.  So, if your GS500F starts to run rough and stalls, try switching that gas selector switch to 'RES'...

[morganti]

Good thing you figured it out.  That 'Gas Selector' is called a Petcock, and RES if you didn't figure it out is for 'Reserve'.  I ran out of Gas while driving on the highway last week, the bike died on me, and I switched it to Res, went to the gas station and filled up.  Learn to reach and manipulate it without having to look down to find it. Just remember to reset your trip odometer when you fill up so that you don't accidentally run out of gas and don't forget to reset your Petcock to the On position.

[drincruz]

+1 on learning to just reach down and switch it over to reserve. i had an incident where i had to pullover in a not-so-safe tunnel.

cheers,
~drin

[Bluesmudge]

It may look 1/4 full but it could have 1/4 oz.
The GS tank has a flat bottom so its almost impossible to tell how much is really in there unless its pouring out the top or completely drained.

Yeah, reserve is your fuel guage. Once I hit that (and turn the petcock to it while moving) I know I have about 40 miles in which I need to get gas. The reserve is 1 gal, but on your last gallon is the last place you want to overestimate your fuel economy.

[ATLRIDER]

I think the older bikes b4 the bigger tank have 1/2 gallon reserve.  Wouldn't rely on anymore than 15-20 miles to be on the safe side.  PUSHIN' SUCKS!

[fred]

I think the older bikes b4 the bigger tank have 1/2 gallon reserve.  Wouldn't rely on anymore than 15-20 miles to be on the safe side.  PUSHIN' SUCKS!

Yes, it does. I had a friend lend me his bike with a supposedly full tank of gas. Turns out it had a fuel leak and only had a 1/4 gallon of gas and was left on reserve. I had to push the thing the last 3/4 of a mile to work. It was no fun at all! At least it didn't die on me until I was on the off ramp. It would have been much less fun to have it die on me while actually on the freeway.

I agree with everyone else here, learn how to manipulate the petcock while riding and also learn to identify the signs of fuel starvation so you don't actually stall out. When you feel the bike starting to run rough, switch to reserve and start looking for gas. One more thing, I almost never actually hit reserve. I use my trip meter as a gas gauge and fill up with gas when I know it is getting close to hitting reserve. I ride pretty much every day, so I find it easier to fill up when I can so that on the day or two I don't have any time at all to fill up, I've got plenty of gas to get where I need to be.

[lamahug]

Well, work is done and my beautiful GS500F is sitting out there in the parking lot waiting for me.  My first stop is the gas station where I will fill her up with super, set the petcock back to 'ON', and reset the trip odometer.  And then it's the weekend (Yeeeehoooo!).  'Hope to ride around some - stupid weather here has been showery...I've learned my lesson about low fuel and how many miles I can go before a trip to the gas station is needed.

[Bluesmudge]

I will fill her up with super

Please fill it up with regular like your manual, the wiki and the forum suggest. Save the money, more octane won't help your bike, its not a supersport.

[fred]

I will fill her up with super

Please fill it up with regular like your manual, the wiki and the forum suggest. Save the money, more octane won't help your bike, its not a supersport.

Nooooooo, why must every third thread devolve into a gas grade thread? Seriously, it doesn't matter what the topic starts off about, there is a 1 in 3 chance that it will eventually become an argument about fuel grades. There is also a 1 in 2 chance any given thread will become an argument about oil. Use Shell Rotella 15w-40 and regular gas, don't waste money on synthetic oil or premium gas. There, end of discussion. If you want to see the whole argument fought out 400 times, just do a search.

[BaltimoreGS]

Hey, I have a question on this subject.  I just put my bike back together and I'm hoping I got this correct so my reserve works.  I tried following the parts diagram but wasn't 100% sure.  On the tank there is a short and a long tube for the fuel lines.  I ran the long tube's fuel line to the petcock tube that faces horizontally towards the rear of the bike.  Is that correct?  I tried just putting a little fuel in the bike to check but it ran in both the on and reserve positions so maybe I just have a bad petcock.

-JD

[fred]

Hey, I have a question on this subject.  I just put my bike back together and I'm hoping I got this correct so my reserve works.  I tried following the parts diagram but wasn't 100% sure.  On the tank there is a short and a long tube for the fuel lines.  I ran the long tube's fuel line to the petcock tube that faces horizontally towards the rear of the bike.  Is that correct?  I tried just putting a little fuel in the bike to check but it ran in both the on and reserve positions so maybe I just have a bad petcock.

-JD

Here is the diagram for hose routing:

http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Main.HoseRouting

There is plenty of gas in the lines and carbs, if you switch to a setting where there is no fuel, you can still idle the bike for 5 minutes or more on the gas that's in there. It can be a handy thing if you want to diagnose some problem with the tank off and you don't feel like making a small tank for the purposes of tuning...

[BaltimoreGS]

Thanks for the link, that is much better than the parts microfiche! 

-Jessie

[fred]

Thanks for the link, that is much better than the parts microfiche! 

-Jessie

Yeah, you should get a Clymer manual. They aren't that expensive and have all kinds of good pictures and stuff like that to help you get things done.

[BaltimoreGS]

I have the Suzuki factory service manual for my '89 and most of the stuff seems to still apply to the '01.  The petcock on the '01 is a somewhat different design though I found.

-JD

[fred]

I have the Suzuki factory service manual for my '89 and most of the stuff seems to still apply to the '01.  The petcock on the '01 is a somewhat different design though I found.

-JD

Cool. I also have a PDF copy of the suzuki and haynes manuals, but I find the Clymer to be the most user friendly. The Suzuki one is downright awful. It is so hard to look things up in that book, it drives me nuts!

[sclegend]

happened to me twice this past week. i'm pretty sure now that i get about 150 miles with a full tank before having to switch.

[fred]

happened to me twice this past week. i'm pretty sure now that i get about 150 miles with a full tank before having to switch.

That sounds reasonable.

[Pigeonroost]

My '08 has Res, Prm, and On.  The Prime can get you in trouble as it seems to allow you to use all the gas and have no reserve.

prs

[fred]

My '08 has Res, Prm, and On.  The Prime can get you in trouble as it seems to allow you to use all the gas and have no reserve.

prs

Yes, prime also bypasses the vacuum operated part of the petcock and can cause your bike to leak gas everywhere when it sits. You should only really use prime if you're having some kind of petcock problem or if you're trying to get the bike to start after the carbs have been drained. Prime does take gas from the lower pickup, so it is just like reserve in that once you run out of gas on prime, you're out...

[kml.krk]

Yes, prime also bypasses the vacuum operated part of the petcock and can cause your bike to leak gas everywhere when it sits. You should only really use prime if you're having some kind of petcock problem or if you're trying to get the bike to start after the carbs have been drained. Prime does take gas from the lower pickup, so it is just like reserve in that once you run out of gas on prime, you're out...

unless you hack the petcock (2004+ models only) and then you have 4 petcock positions, where the newly discovered will be prime NOT draining the reserve