GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Going up hill,   lost all power, so i coasted to a intersection, tried to start it back up, wouldnt fire.... so i flip the reserve switch to reserve. I crank on it for while but no fire....  i flip the level to prime and it started but as soon as i got to the other side of the intersection it die..

I then called my mom to bring me some gas

I got sick of waiting and was playing with the reserve lever back and forth to prim and reserve,  ii also tipped the bike side to side to maybe get some gas down the lines, ( i could still see a little bit in the tank)    I did this untilll the batterry was almost dead,  turning over reall slow....   I was on a hill so i tried rolling it down the hill....   started but died right away,   Pushed the bike back up to the top of the hill and waited for mom....

Dumped the gas in... rolled the bike down the hill ( batt was dead cause of me cranking so muchn)  and took right off...

I wanna know if anyone else would know why the reserve would  not work?

the gs tank can appear to have plenty, but be alomst empty :?

just an idea - are you sure you have the reserve/on around the right way? You can run the bike on reserve and it just keeps filling the reserve part of the tank with the normal tank. At least this is my understanding... maybe I can be corrected if I am wrong.

For example if you switch to reserve and go get gas and forget to switch back onto the "on" then when you run out of gas and switch it around to what you think is reserve it is actually "on" then you will have no gas left at all...

hope that makes sense and its a simple thing to miss....

Stay Safe  :thumb:

Seeing as how your bike has been taken totally apart before (I saw the frame-being-painted pic on the eBay auction), I'm betting that the ON and RES fuel lines were switched at the gas tank when the bike was reassembled.

Check out my Fuel Hose Routing (http://www.bbburma.net/FuelHoseRouting.htm) page for the correct routing.

HINT: Just about EVERY diagram of the GS500 fuel system (except for the one at the bottom of that page) consistently shows the fuel-tank-mounted-petcock rotated 180 degrees from reality.  Most people don't realize that, so when they reattach the fuel hoses they do it backwards.  This is true of diagrams in the Haynes (http://users.sisna.com/KerryKJB1/Scans/Haynes_FuelSystem_CA_Specific_Annotated.JPG) and Clymer (http://users.sisna.com/KerryKJB1/Scans/Clymer_FuelSystem.gif) manuals, the fiche on the BikeBandit (http://www.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/oem_schematic_view.asp?schem_dept_id=723769&section_dept_id=1&section_dept_name=OEM+%28Stock+Parts%29&dept_type_id=2&model_dept_year=1989&model_dept_mfr=Suzuki&model_dept_id=703240&model_dept_name=GS500EK) and Ron Ayers (http://www.ronayers.com/fiche/300_0027/fuel_cock/fuel_cock.cfm) sites, you name it.

For a painfully involved examination of this topic, see the thread Out of gas, no reserve? (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8693) and the follow-up thread Tank Petcock Test Results - Which is Res? (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9255)

Here is another of several related threads: Im not an idiot but i ran out of gas today (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9132)

PS - I don't include links in my posts lightly.  If you haven't clicked on them ... please DO!   :)

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

what size tank does the 91 gs have? 2gallon? and how far can you get before it dies on you? haven't run out since i got the bike, but my other bike has a gas light, and even with that i've ran out of gas, but the gs i don't have a clue, i just make sure it doesn't go more than 100milesbefore it gets refilled

The "party line" is that the '91 model year has a 4.5-gallon tank (4.0 if a California model), with one of those gallons being the REServe.  See the Suzuki GS500E model history (http://www.suzukicycles.org/GS-series/GS500E.shtml) page.

I get 55-60 mpg on my '99, and when I let it go all the way to REServe my trip meter shows somewhere between 170-185 miles.  I guess my REServe is closer to a gallon and a half.

This assumes that I remember to reset my trip meter when I fill up....

Quote from: tt_fourwhat size tank does the 91 gs have? 2gallon? and how far can you get before it dies on you? haven't run out since i got the bike, but my other bike has a gas light, and even with that i've ran out of gas, but the gs i don't have a clue, i just make sure it doesn't go more than 100milesbefore it gets refilled

I have a '90.  Depending on my enthusiasm, I can go anywhere from 130-150ish miles before switching to reserve.  There's no light but you'll know when you need to switch because you'll loose all power and hitting the gas hard nearly kills the engine.  It really sucks when it happens on an onramp (only happened once but it sucks)

I have a clymer manual for it...  I checked the lines they seems to be on correct way.... ill have to check it again maybe...

WHat is the inlet on tank next to the on off valve on the tank for?....   Its like welded right into the tank and is not connected to the on of valce.

Quote from: KerrySeeing as how your bike has been taken totally apart before (I saw the frame-being-painted pic on the eBay auction), I'm betting that the ON and RES fuel lines were switched at the gas tank when the bike was reassembled.

Check out my Fuel Hose Routing page for the correct routing.

HINT: Just about EVERY diagram of the GS500 fuel system (except for the one at the bottom of that page) consistently shows the fuel-tank-mounted-petcock rotated 180 degrees from reality.  Most people don't realize that, so when they reattach the fuel hoses they do it backwards.  This is true of diagrams in the Haynes and Clymer manuals, the fiche on the BikeBandit and Ron Ayers sites, you name it.

For a painfully involved examination of this topic, see the thread Out of gas, no reserve? and the follow-up thread Tank Petcock Test Results - Which is Res?

Here is another of several related threads: Im not an idiot but i ran out of gas today

PS - I don't include links in my posts lightly.  If you haven't clicked on them ... please DO!   :)

Wouldn't you know it?  The text I added to the diagram from the Clymer (http://www.bbburma.net/Scans/Clymer_FuelSystem.gif) link above states the case exactly wrong.

What I should have said was:

The hoses that attach to the tank-mounted petock are shown in their correct, final POSITIONs, but are matched to the incorrect OUTLETs because the petcock is shown BACKWARDS.[/list:u]I'll have to rescan the diagram and remake that "slide" when I get home again.  Sigh.... :oops:

EDIT: Fixed the annotation on the Clymer diagram.

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

Quote from: KerryWouldn't you know it?  The text I added to the diagram from the Clymer link above states the case exactly wrong.

What I should have said was:

The hoses that attach to the tank-mounted petock are shown in their correct, final POSITIONs, but are matched to the incorrect OUTLETs because the petcock is shown BACKWARDS.[/list:u]I'll have to rescan the diagram and remake that "slide" when I get home again.  Sigh.... :oops:

I notice in the book they had the valve on the tank flipped around in the book,  is this what your talking about?

 well the way hooked it up was i looked in the book and saw which hose when to the longer inlet on the valve and looked to see where that hose went on the reserve valve and connected it their.... did the same with the other hose from the tank..

Quote from: jpwI notice in the book they had the valve on the tank flipped around in the book,  is this what your talking about?

Right.

Quote from: jpwwell the way hooked it up was i looked in the book and saw which hose when to the longer inlet on the valve and looked to see where that hose went on the reserve valve and connected it their.... did the same with the other hose from the tank..

I must confess that your description has me a little confused as to how your hoses ended up.  The final word (for pre-2001, non-California models) is this diagram:



If your ON and RES hoses are "crossed over" and connected to the wrong outlets then your out-of-gas experience makes sense to me. Otherwise ...  :dunno:

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

Hi JPW,
I had the same thing happen to me.  No reserve.

Advice. Listen to Kerry.  I didn't and it cost me a $3.00 donation to gstwins.com to settle up.  :?

To make a long story short, the hoses were switched at some point in the past.

After several extensive scientific tests involving several gas cans, I decided that he's correct and the long tube exiting the tank marked with an 'R' at it's base is the reserve hose.  Just ignore all the various pictures and go with that.

OS

Im pretty sure thats the way their hooked up( in the picture) but ill check again...

Another possibility is that the plastic "filter" inside of the tank (the one mounted above the tank-mounted petcock on Kerry's diagram) may have been switched.


Cheers,
e.

As far as I know, it's all a single part.  At least, there's only one part number for both pieces.  (See the Ron Ayers diagram (http://www.ronayers.com/fiche/300_0027/fuel_cock/fuel_cock.cfm).)  The O-ring gasket is a separate part, of course.

I would be interested to know if anyone has actually tried to pull the screen off of the petcock base.  That would be good info to have....

But the point is that most people, even those who have pulled the hoses from the tank-mounted petcock, have never really seen the filter inside the tank.  With good reason ... who cares, right?  You shouldn't HAVE to!

This isn't the greatest picture, but it was taken from the right side of my bike.  The filter is facing forward, and the long (RES) outlet underneath is facing forward, too.  I have never removed the petcock/filter from the fuel tank:
(http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/100_1373_TankPetcockTest_InsideFuelTank.jpg)

So!  When all you can see is the outlet tubes sticking out below the tank, and some of the diagrams show the RIGHT hoses headed towards the WRONG outlet tubes, it's easy to goof it up, through no fault of your own.

I can feel an expansion of my Fuel Hose Routing page (http://users.sisna.com/KerryKJB1/FuelHoseRouting.htm) coming on....  :roll:

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

Quote from: oldsportthe long tube exiting the tank marked with an 'R' at it's base is the reserve hose.  Just ignore all the various pictures and go with that.

Yeah, but you gotta know which inlet on the frame-mounted petcock is the RES inlet, right?   :)  Ergo the need for diagrams, and the one I posted above labels the hose.

depending on how much you were rushing. did you switch it over then let it sit for a few min. IF you just rushed and started cranking it a few times then switched it to prime nd tried a few then switched to something else, maybe you didnt have enuff patience.

1st time i ran out I first thought i broke it, then thought back to MSF and duhhh! outta gas. when it gets to the point where it just dies on you there isnt any fuel left in that line. So i switched nd tried again, nothing. then i said ehh, give it 5 min. POOF i was on my way. :cheers:

-ash

Well i think i found the problem,  the long and short tubes were switch around on the tank valve,  so the hoses were switch around, ill see what happens with then hoses on the right way..... :lol:

Hmmm.  So are you saying that the long tube is in the FRONT (correct, but "switched around" according to the Clymer/Haynes/BikeBandit/Ron Ayers diagrams), or that the long tube is in the REAR?

Because if the long tube is in the REAR you will not be able to turn off the tank-mouned petcock without either removing it from the tank or coming up with a fancy right-angle blade of some kind...!

Quote from: KerryHmmm.  So are you saying that the long tube is in the FRONT (correct, but "switched around" according to the Clymer/Haynes/BikeBandit/Ron Ayers diagrams), or that the long tube is in the REAR?

Because if the long tube is in the REAR you will not be able to turn off the tank-mouned petcock without either removing it from the tank or coming up with a fancy right-angle blade of some kind...!

Umm i dont remeber which one tube was longer... but i looked in the book for the reserve line to frame petcock, and look for the R on the tank petcock and connect the hose.....

I dont why which tube being in front or back would matter to turn the tank valve off with the tank on,  it seems almost impossible to me.... i always took the tank off and shut off the valve then remove those hose

Kerry, mine's 89 and the plastic filter screen above the tank mounted petcock does come apart.  Well, at least it came apart in my hand.  :mrgreen:

Anyway, as far as I can tell, the reserve outlet is in front.  That means (for me at least):

(1) The longer outlet is at the front.
(2) The petcock on/off scitch faces the right, i.e., I have to access it from the right side of the bike (to be totally unambiguous, all directions are as if I am sitting on the bike like I am riding it).
(3) The picture of the tank filter you have above, the right of that picture is the front of the bike.

I have the older/smaller tank, and it is dark out side now and my tank is almost full and my flash light just reflect back on me.  :roll:  In any case, I have tried to look at the tank filter a few times in the pass and was never successful without the help of a small mirror that I can stick into the tank.  So number (3) is from recollection of when I took out the petcock not too long ago (maybe two weeks).

Anyway, Kerry, you have the newer/bigger tank, right?  It might explain how you could have taken a picture of it.  Maybe I am just incompetent. :lol:  Does your tank filter look like it is made of metal?  Mine is (off-white) plastic.

My apologies if I have caused any confusion.  :mrgreen:

Cheers,
e.

Sorry for all the bad speling  :mrgreen:  and stuffs.

Thanks for the feedback, Ed!

I have a '99 model, so the tank should be the same as yours.  (They got bigger in 2001.)

My in-tank filter sure gives the impression of being made of brass and plastic, but I wouldn't swear to the metal part.  Does your filter look like GRU's (in the first photo on my Fuel Hose Routing (http://www.bbburma.net/FuelHoseRouting.htm) page)?

You probably can't answer this question right now, but I wonder if the filter screen "tower" can be flipped 180 degrees and mounted back on the base of the petcock...?  (Trying to figure out if it only goes on one way.)

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

there's an R on the tank mounted petcock for the Reserve outlet. all of this possible "it's switched" confusion is unneccesary. connect the reserve hose to the tank one labeled "R" and don't even worry about front/back long/short. especially since there's so many variations floating around

(side note) when i got my bike the hoses were all backwards. the on hose was plugged into the carb inlet on the tank petcock. the res hose was plugged into the on petcock, and the reserve hose inlet on the tank petcock actually traced to the carbs. it was a mess. so don't trust the hoses till you see them for yourself.

Quote from: jpwI then called my mom to bring me some gas

hehe. isn't that the funniest phone call possible?
me: uh mom, i need you to go to the gas station, take one of those red tubs, and bring me some gas...
mom: not again
me: i know mom. just hurry up, this sucks.

Quote from: perfdrug

Quote from: jpwI then called my mom to bring me some gas

hehe. isn't that the funniest phone call possible?
me: uh mom, i need you to go to the gas station, take one of those red tubs, and bring me some gas...
mom: not again
me: i know mom. just hurry up, this sucks.

Then some guy a R6 rolled up to see what my problem was, it looked all stock to me,  i want to steal it.... :mrgreen:

or i guess we could trade....

Kerry,

My GS had been repainted before I bought it, and I ran out of gas on the first tank I had.  After looking at your authoritative diagram and the Clymer manual diagrams over and over, I realized that the owner had put the fuel petcock in backwards.  This explained the near-impossibility of turning off the tank valve.

I've found that the non-business end of a pair of twezers or a small screwdriver can be inserted into the side of the petcock slot to twist it, though it's neither easy or glamorous.

If I wasn't having so much fun riding it, I'd run the tank down low and swap it around.

Quote from: KerryThanks for the feedback, Ed!

I have a '99 model, so the tank should be the same as yours.  (They got bigger in 2001.)

My in-tank filter sure gives the impression of being made of brass and plastic, but I wouldn't swear to the metal part.  Does your filter look like GRU's (in the first photo on my Fuel Hose Routing page)?

You probably can't answer this question right now, but I wonder if the filter screen "tower" can be flipped 180 degrees and mounted back on the base of the petcock...?  (Trying to figure out if it only goes on one way.)

That photo looks right for my bike.  I about if the screen tower (hehe) can be flipped 180, although I do remember clearly when I was about to reattach it to the petcock, I thought to myself, "Better put this in the correct way!"  I did take another look through the gas cap for my filter, and whadayaknow?  I could just see it.  :oops:

Anyway, as a side note: I had to drain my tank when I removed the petcock.  I remember I had just put in a gallon of gas just right after I hit my reserve, and had gone only 1.5 mile after that.  I drained out 2 gallons of gas and there was still some left in the tank (about a quart I suppose) which would not flow out unless I tilt the tank.  Since I didn't need for all the gas to come out (and I ran out of containers), I left it at that.  Which means that after I hit reserve, there is about 1 galloon of usable gas left.  Just a data point since there is always this little back and forth and uncertainty about how much reserve fuel is available.


Cheers,
e.

good thread!

after running out on my recently acquired k2, I realise the previous owner got the hoses wrong too..

I was wondering how I'd managed about 260m before hitting the reserve!!

As this thread came alive i will take the opperutinity to point out one common misconception ive read alot and seen alot off.

The tank on all motorcycles ive seen so far (motorcycles are getting wackyier these days though) are just one tank. There isn't a main tank then when you flick the switch you get to the reserve tank. Nor do you need to switch to reserve at the pumps in order to fill your whole bike up. The tank is one big tank. They usually have a feed tube sticking up the centre of the tank with two valves for letting fuel through, one higher up one at the bottom (on a bike with no reserve switch and just a light they have a float on and only one valve usually). When the bike gets low on petrol and cuts out (or a reserve light comes on when the float has reached the bottom of its travel) the petrol has fallen below the higher valvel. This on a motorcycle with a reserve switch requires you to switch onto reserve in order to open up the valve lower in the tank. Its like this so you realise you've needed to switch so need petrol. With a reserve light the petrol keeps flowing but the float hits the bottom and turns the light on so you again know you need fuel.

In my opinion a reserve light is far better i don't know why they don't have them on all motorcycles. Who wants their engine to die on a hill when they think they are fine for petrol on the flat. Reserve lights are much better.

Quote from: Kasumi on February 20, 2007, 11:30:08 AM
In my opinion a reserve light is far better i don't know why they don't have them on all motorcycles. Who wants their engine to die on a hill when they think they are fine for petrol on the flat. Reserve lights are much better.

A petcock is cheaper than a gauge.  You want fancy?  Get a more expensive motorcycle.  At least, that's the impression I get.

I don't see how it can make a lot of difference really. Petcock, chunk of metal, larger valve not to mention the 2 valves in the tank. Reserve light, one light, one float on the end of one valve in the tank, so you drop 2 valves here, a few wires. Can't see how its cheaper to have a petcock. Reserve light is more superior.

The best way to guage how much fuel you have is to set your trip meter.  It doesn't get any more simple than that.  I don't want a reserve light.  I have bad luck with lights burning out.  I agree with Egaeus.  I like to keep things simple.