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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: nazgulnarsil on October 03, 2007, 01:37:43 PM

Title: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: nazgulnarsil on October 03, 2007, 01:37:43 PM
and we're talking empty i had to tip it on it's side to get the last few ounces of fuel and even then had to coast into the gas station.

I thought fuel capacity was supposed to be 5 gallons?  :dunno_white:

also means i'm getting about 48mpg, thought i would do better than that seeing as i don't wring it out at all.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: kml.krk on October 03, 2007, 01:41:01 PM
I think you forgot about reserve...
There is extra gallon in reserve  :thumb:
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: CndnMax on October 03, 2007, 01:47:34 PM
I've never put more then 4 gal in there, and thats with no more then 1/2 gal left in the tank. its a bad tank design, if u want to take 30 min and slowly fill up the neck and let it level off you could probably get close to 5 gallons  :dunno_white:
i know some1 that is still braking it in and gets around 48 and I run it slightly hard and i get 58 mpg.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: nazgulnarsil on October 03, 2007, 02:07:58 PM
no....i ran out of fuel on reserve.  I had to tip the bike over to get the last few ounces of fuel over to the petcock.

also the bike is broken in.  Its at 12k miles almost.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: ohgood on October 03, 2007, 02:21:47 PM
If your posterior can handle more than 3.5 gal x 48 mpg maybe you should try adding an additional fuel cell in hard saddlebags ?

I like stopping every 100 or so miles on a pleasure cruise. For commuting I stop when it coughs, on "ON" not reserve personally.

Don't forget, keeping the tank FULL means much less chance for condensate buildup and RUST.

:)
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: toyopete on October 03, 2007, 03:28:16 PM
Quote from: nazgulnarsil on October 03, 2007, 02:07:58 PM
no....i ran out of fuel on reserve.  I had to tip the bike over to get the last few ounces of fuel over to the petcock.

also the bike is broken in.  Its at 12k miles almost.



Had the same thing happening to me few days ago, I was cruising on reserve when it started to stutter, put the bike on its side and hit the road again, 500 meters before the gasstation it quit, came to a stop exactky in fron t of the gaspumper.
lucky for me it was 29 degrees C and you don't want to push your bike then.

Anyway to my calculations I had at least half a gallon left,...
emediately after filling it up it run like a charm, did'nt mis a beat
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GSRider on October 03, 2007, 03:34:54 PM
Quote from: ohgood on October 03, 2007, 02:21:47 PM
If your posterior can handle more than 3.5 gal x 48 mpg maybe you should try adding an additional fuel cell in hard saddlebags ?

I like stopping every 100 or so miles on a pleasure cruise. For commuting I stop when it coughs, on "ON" not reserve personally.

Don't forget, keeping the tank FULL means much less chance for condensate buildup and RUST.

:)

That would depend on how often you fill the tank :)

I regularly get 46 mpg on 3.5 gallons (Converted from liters from 100km, which is about 5 per 100) but I do know for a fact that my tank holds 17.4 liters of fuel...which Suzuki says is a 17 liter tank.

46mpg is normal for me, but I am not easy on the throttle.
I don't ride for fuel economy, I ride to have fun...
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: mach1 on October 03, 2007, 03:37:45 PM
3.5 gallons sounds about right, When I fill up thats what I always get. Unless Im filling up for a ride then Ill fill her up halfway from the top of the cap.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: toyopete on October 04, 2007, 05:18:15 PM
Quote from: GSRider on October 03, 2007, 03:34:54 PM
Quote from: ohgood on October 03, 2007, 02:21:47 PM
If your posterior can handle more than 3.5 gal x 48 mpg maybe you should try adding an additional fuel cell in hard saddlebags ?

I like stopping every 100 or so miles on a pleasure cruise. For commuting I stop when it coughs, on "ON" not reserve personally.

Don't forget, keeping the tank FULL means much less chance for condensate buildup and RUST.

:)

That would depend on how often you fill the tank :)

I regularly get 46 mpg on 3.5 gallons (Converted from liters from 100km, which is about 5 per 100) but I do know for a fact that my tank holds 17.4 liters of fuel...which Suzuki says is a 17 liter tank.

46mpg is normal for me, but I am not easy on the throttle.
I don't ride for fuel economy, I ride to have fun...




I do a lot of city driving, always take off first at the green light ( I love red lights pas trough all the cars and stop at the front ) still do 1 liter on 24 km's easy.
I have a 2002 wat year is yours ?  according to my owners manual the tank should take 20 liters
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GeeP on October 04, 2007, 07:22:00 PM
Yep, don't forget the gallon in reserve.  The CA-only tank is a little smaller too, if you have that version.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: NiceGuysFinishLast on October 04, 2007, 07:29:41 PM
guys.. the gallon in reserve is NOT a separate part of the tank... it's just a lower pickup tube in the same friggin tank.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GeeP on October 04, 2007, 07:38:25 PM
Quote from: NiceGuysFinishLast on October 04, 2007, 07:29:41 PM
guys.. the gallon in reserve is NOT a separate part of the tank... it's just a lower pickup tube in the same friggin tank.

Where did someone say that?

Obviously, regardless if where it is at, the extra gallon takes up a gallon's worth of space inside the tank.  heheh   :laugh: :dunno_white:
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: NiceGuysFinishLast on October 04, 2007, 07:47:09 PM
Quote from: GeeP on October 04, 2007, 07:38:25 PM
Where did someone say that?

Obviously, regardless if where it is at, the extra gallon takes up a gallon's worth of space inside the tank.  heheh   :laugh: :dunno_white:

Quote from: kml.krk on October 03, 2007, 01:41:01 PM
I think you forgot about reserve...
There is extra gallon in reserve  :thumb:

Unless I'm completely misreading what he's saying....
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GeeP on October 04, 2007, 07:51:31 PM
I think you are...   ;)

"in reserve" doesn't imply a second tank.  I hold cash in reserve for rainy days, but it doesn't mean its in a different account.   :dunno_white:
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: NiceGuysFinishLast on October 04, 2007, 08:11:47 PM
Quote from: GeeP on October 04, 2007, 07:51:31 PM
I think you are...   ;)

"in reserve" doesn't imply a second tank.  I hold cash in reserve for rainy days, but it doesn't mean its in a different account.   :dunno_white:

"From empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons" and then "Don't forget the gallon in reserve" implies that he thinks there's a separate tank with that extra gallon in it. That's just how I'm reading it. Being drunk doesn't help.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: ABSOLUTNATI on October 04, 2007, 08:22:24 PM
Quote from: NiceGuysFinishLast on October 04, 2007, 07:29:41 PM
guys.. the gallon in reserve is NOT a separate part of the tank... it's just a lower pickup tube in the same friggin tank.

LOL, I'm a newb and was thinking the same thing!
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: PuddleJumper on October 04, 2007, 08:41:21 PM
If you only fill to the bottom of the coller, you leave a lot of airspace at the top of the tank. It takes patience to fill that area up due to the poor vent design.

I've been thinking of drilling some holes around the top of the collar to help vent the air a bit faster. I wouldn't make them to big though.

BeSafe.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GeeP on October 05, 2007, 04:54:52 AM
Be careful filling it above the collar.  If it is a warm day, the gas will expand and siphon up the collar.  The result is a big puddle under your bike!
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: kml.krk on October 05, 2007, 10:18:48 AM
Quote from: GeeP on October 04, 2007, 07:38:25 PM

Where did someone say that?

Obviously, regardless if where it is at, the extra gallon takes up a gallon's worth of space inside the tank.  heheh   :laugh: :dunno_white:

Dude. I think you're the only one who understood what I said. Thanks for that.

to others who are tryin' to make me an idiot: if you don't drain reserve (change the petcock position to res) the fuel sitting on the bottom of your tank take about 1 gallon of your entire tank. Math is easy:
5 gallons (entire tank) MINUS 1 gallon (reserve) EQUAL TO 4. so you can put no more than 4 gallons of fuel if your reserve fuel is still there.

In the very first post he did not say whether he ran out of fuel on reserve or on regular petcock position. He explained that later.

that's it

cheers
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GeeP on October 05, 2007, 11:31:09 AM
Quote from: kml.krk on October 05, 2007, 10:18:48 AM

Dude. I think you're the only one who understood what I said. Thanks for that.

to others who are tryin' to make me an idiot: if you don't drain reserve (change the petcock position to res) the fuel sitting on the bottom of your tank take about 1 gallon of your entire tank. Math is easy:
5 gallons (entire tank) MINUS 1 gallon (reserve) EQUAL TO 4. so you can put no more than 4 gallons of fuel if your reserve fuel is still there.

In the very first post he did not say whether he ran out of fuel on reserve or on regular petcock position. He explained that later.

Exactly. 

I think some took the "in reserve" part a little too seriously.    ;)
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: nazgulnarsil on October 06, 2007, 01:11:53 AM
so does the CA only parts take out a gallon of tank space?
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GeeP on October 06, 2007, 05:57:50 AM
Yes, the California tank is smaller than the 49 state tank, but I'm not sure by how much.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: CndnMax on October 06, 2007, 10:56:27 AM
5gal cal, 5.3 gal for the rest.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GSRider on October 07, 2007, 03:13:53 AM
Quote from: toyopete on October 04, 2007, 05:18:15 PM

I do a lot of city driving, always take off first at the green light ( I love red lights pas trough all the cars and stop at the front ) still do 1 liter on 24 km's easy.
I have a 2002 wat year is yours ?  according to my owners manual the tank should take 20 liters

Mine's a '00 model. They had smaller tanks then.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: nazgulnarsil on October 07, 2007, 02:13:32 PM
mine's '00.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: Kerry on October 07, 2007, 07:02:11 PM
Here's the scoop from the Haynes '89 to '02 manual (blue text added by Yours Truly):

(http://bbburma.net/Scans/Haynes_FuelSpecs.gif)

The most I have ever fit in my (non-CA) '99 was 4.369 gallons (see the fuel receipt ... and read the story ... on the Day 3 page (http://www.bbburma.net/Trips/Canada_2003/Day_3.html) from the account of my 2003 trip to British Columbia (http://www.bbburma.net/Trips/Canada_2003/index.html)).

I can think of a couple reasons why you could only fit 3.5 gallons into the tank:

Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: werase643 on October 08, 2007, 12:22:16 PM
welcome new-b   hope you have been doing well in UT
stop by once in a while... :icon_mrgreen:
:kiss3: miss ya around here

miss your annoyingly great ability to take kewl close up pics of weird GS problems/fixes
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: nazgulnarsil on October 08, 2007, 04:08:17 PM
thanks kerry.  so 3.5 is about right since i only have a 4 gallon tank.  that sucks.
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: GeeP on October 08, 2007, 07:20:57 PM
Kerry stopped in with new photos.   :thumb:
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: Kerry on October 09, 2007, 12:17:31 AM
Quote from: werase643 on October 08, 2007, 12:22:16 PM
welcome new-b   hope you have been doing well in UT

Yep, pretty well ... except that my bike "let me down" for the first time a couple weeks ago.  I'll try to post about that in the near future.


Quote from: werase643 on October 08, 2007, 12:22:16 PMmiss your annoyingly great ability to take kewl close up pics of weird GS problems/fixes

Heh heh.  8)  Got any more that need taking?
Title: Re: from empty to full up to the collar: 3.5 gallons
Post by: Kerry on October 09, 2007, 12:19:08 AM
Quote from: GeeP on October 08, 2007, 07:20:57 PM
Kerry stopped in with new photos.   :thumb:

You're right - I whipped up that modified scan 'specially for this thread.  And about time ... this has been a point of confusion for as long as I can remember....