running out of gas/reserve tank question

[CCmatters]

Soooo I am on the side of the road now broke down bc my bike ran out of gas and I'm waiting :/ for my gf to brinb me gas.  I have a few questions.  1 is, I have 111 miles on this trip, why is it running out so fast??  2 is, I switched it to reserve and it didn't work.  I ran out before and switched it to reserve and it started up and I was able to run to a gas station.  This time it just turns and turns and turns. ;/

[jacob92icu]

That sucks man... At least you have help on the way. Maybe your reserve inlet on the tank pretty chicken is all gunked up?

[CCmatters]

I'm new to riding, any idea how I would be able to find out and any way to cure it if it is the issue?

[jacob92icu]

Some people would probably suggest seafoam in the tank, but what I'm in the process of doing right now is cleaning the whole tank with some CLR and little bb gun bbs. After that I am going to completely take that tank petcock off and clean it with some solvent and reseal it with some gasket maker.

[Bluesmudge]

Its also possible that your reserve and main fuel lines are switched. Although, that doesn't explain the extra fuel consumption.

[Kerry]

If you're new to riding, you might be inserting the gas pump nozzle too far into the filler neck when you fill up (like with a car).  To get the maximum mileage, you need to fill the tank to the bottom of the filler neck.

A couple of extra (and possibly controversial)  tips:

• Do you fill the tank with the bike on the sidestand?  Try keeping the bike upright instead (which is easiest to do while sitting on it).
• When you can't get any more fuel in the tank, try tilting the bike back and forth a little.  That will free some air bubbles and lower the fuel level a bit.

[jacob92icu]

If you're new to riding, you might be inserting the gas pump nozzle too far into the filler neck when you fill up (like with a car).  To get the maximum mileage, you need to fill the tank to the bottom of the filler neck.

+1

Its also possible that your reserve and main fuel lines are switched. Although, that doesn't explain the extra fuel consumption.

+1

However, there should be enough fuel to be able to run on reserve if he was filling it like a car or on the kick stand, and the fuel lines being switched would make it not run correctly, at least it did to mine when I got it from the PO

[stokes776]

As for the increased fuel consumption, how were you riding? Aggressively? Fast? Slow and easy?
What type of terrain are you riding in? Is it windy out?

All of these things can impact your mileage.

I usually stop to fill up at about 150, but I remember hitting reserve at 115 once because I was riding a little too fast and aggressive.

Other things to check for mileage, air filter, make sure nothing is dragging (brakes out of alignment) or rear wheel out of alignment, maybe even chain tension.

[ThatOtherGuy]

....  Try keeping the bike upright instead (which is easiest to do while sitting on it).....

Depending on where you live in the world, you may not be allowed to do this (its illegal in Australia).  Most pump attendants will not activate the pump for two basic reasons  Theft being one, but most important it is just dangerous.  If you accidentally overfill the tank and spill onto the hot parts of the exhaust/engine, the fuel may ignite leaving you with some quite horrific burns to some very delicate areas of your body, if you aren't dead already, though you may wish you were dead.

If you must have the bike upright, use the centre stand, that is what it is there for.  Though IMO, it is easier to get more in the tank resting sideways as the tank rests at an angle meaning more air can escape from under the rim.

[Suzuki Stevo]

Its also possible that your reserve and main fuel lines are switched. Although, that doesn't explain the extra fuel consumption.

^^^ This was my first thought ^^^

[Big Rich]

With a full tank of gas and getting 111 miles, I'm wondering where that gas went. Something has to be really wrong if that much gas was actually consumed for combustion purposes. So there's 3 other places for it to go:

1) It's been filling up in your crankcase (check your oil)
2) It's been flooding your air box, and consequently pouring out the drain hose onto the road.
3) Somebody has been stealing your gas. Not too likely, since they would probably steal all of it.

[Funderb]

is the tank actually dry/empty?
do you have a fuel filter installed? (low fuel pressure through the wrong type of filter will starve it of fuel)

are you sure the petcock is getting enough vacuum?

at 111 miles to empty, youre using way too much fuel, I surmise if this is true, it is leaking somewhere. Or your odometer is ridiculously off.

[CCmatters]

I know its not leaking anymore because I just fixed the leak issue.    I will have to check to see if there is fuel in my gas..... My bike fell over and i smelled the oil and there was a ton of gas in it and i assumed it was bc of the fall(it laid on its side for 3 hours bc i was at work when it happened) but maybe it wasnt because of the fall. :/

I live on a mountain so i am driving up and down a mountain, it gets windy and i cruise on average of 70mph going up to 75 or 80 so i expect to be at the lower spectrum of the fuel economy but not 111. 

It wasn't bone dry, it looked like there should have been plenty enough for it to run or at least go on reserve but I dunno... On the way home today something started tapping or chirping or making some strange noise so I am really leaning toward fuel in the oil... which will suck i assume.  I cant check now because its still probably hot and its pouring down rain right now.

[BockinBboy]

I know its not leaking anymore because I just fixed the leak issue.    I will have to check to see if there is fuel in my gas..... My bike fell over and i smelled the oil and there was a ton of gas in it and i assumed it was bc of the fall(it laid on its side for 3 hours bc i was at work when it happened) but maybe it wasnt because of the fall. :/

I live on a mountain so i am driving up and down a mountain, it gets windy and i cruise on average of 70mph going up to 75 or 80 so i expect to be at the lower spectrum of the fuel economy but not 111. 

It wasn't bone dry, it looked like there should have been plenty enough for it to run or at least go on reserve but I dunno... On the way home today something started tapping or chirping or making some strange noise so I am really leaning toward fuel in the oil... which will suck i assume.  I cant check now because its still probably hot and its pouring down rain right now.

Bingo.  Bet the floats got stuck when the bike fell over, and your gas ended up pouring into the airbox and then down into your cylinders.  If the oil smells like gas, there is no other reason than gas overflowed in the carbs.  Change the oil ASAP, but be certain your floats and needle valve seats are working properly first... otherwise you'll be changing the oil again... Depending on how bad it was, there could have been damage done while running it with the cylinders full of gas.     The GS does not do well with low lubrication at all.

- Bboy

[mjj4]

....  Try keeping the bike upright instead (which is easiest to do while sitting on it).....

Depending on where you live in the world, you may not be allowed to do this (its illegal in Australia).  Most pump attendants will not activate the pump for two basic reasons  Theft being one, but most important it is just dangerous.  If you accidentally overfill the tank and spill onto the hot parts of the exhaust/engine, the fuel may ignite leaving you with some quite horrific burns to some very delicate areas of your body, if you aren't dead already, though you may wish you were dead.

If you must have the bike upright, use the centre stand, that is what it is there for.  Though IMO, it is easier to get more in the tank resting sideways as the tank rests at an angle meaning more air can escape from under the rim.

That made me laugh, its far safer to fill up whilst sat on the bike and you are far less likely to spill it as 1, you are in control of the bike and 2 you can get more in with the tank level thats a fact. You point out that you accidentally overfill the tank and spill onto the hot parts of the exhaust/engine, the fuel may ignite causing you to get burnt/die or whatever. So how does sitting on the bike and standing 2 inches away from it make a difference? If your tank of fuel ignites it wont just be a fire it will be an explosion so being 2 inches away will make no odds. I trust myself more than a side/centre stand.

Did you have 111miles on the trip in the same tank that the bike fell over for 3 hours? If so i would change the oil but wouldnt be overly concerned with the consumption. If reserve has worked before then your lines cannot be mixed up so could be a petcock problem?

[gsatterw]

hmm...when I ride aggressively and only make short trips, sometimes I only get around 110 miles before I have to go to reserve. Going up a mountain at 75 mph might make fuel economy suffer significantly. And there was a point in time where reserve didn't work for me, due to gunked up lines.

Graham

[adidasguy]

Every few tank fulls I run on reserve for a few miles to insure the frame petcock works and the reserve line has clean gas in it.

It is good up use reserve once in a while so you have a reserve when you need it and not a fuel line full of gunk and bad gas.

[Snake2715]

What the altitude change also cause change in burn given its carbed?

How high of a mountain?

Others can probably respond with how much effect this may have, thats past me unless I cheat and research first.

[Bluesmudge]

Fuel consumption can change dramatically. I always get 50 - 55 mpg around Seattle no matter how I drive. But once, I took a quick midnight ride across a nearby mountain pass that has a high speed limit and my fuel consumption dropped to almost 35 mpg.

[gsatterw]

Every few tank fulls I run on reserve for a few miles to insure the frame petcock works and the reserve line has clean gas in it.

It is good up use reserve once in a while so you have a reserve when you need it and not a fuel line full of gunk and bad gas.

+1

i have started doing this thanks to adidas, no more problems with reserve 

Graham