Will a smart mechanic check the float level with a the U tube before pulling the carbs apart?  

I'm getting ready to have a mechanic clean/re-jet my carbs.  Maybe I should request he U tube it first, so he can get it right the first time?

Quote from: Jake DWill a smart mechanic check the float level with a the U tube before pulling the carbs apart?  

I'm getting ready to have a mechanic clean/re-jet my carbs.  Maybe I should request he U tube it first, so he can get it right the first time?

you are 10000x better off mailing your carbs to srinath.  I would bet on a mech screwing something up.

All these mileage quotes seem low to me, my F with 11,000 miles, always a minimum of 200 miles before switching to reserve, and another al least 50 when I do switch.

OK a stock bike should be at over 45 if its fairly low miles. Right about 40 if its got high miles ... Pipe and K&N make them 5 less max. Mechanics want jet kits to do jetting. Jet it yourself or send it over like Se7enty7 said. The added advantage is ... once I jet it I can trouble shoot it better too ... and while jetting I trouble shoot it as well especially if you say that I have this or that wrong with it. Usually free. Do it yourself or send it to me in that order.
Yea both JakeD and eisenfaust Start checking float level, if that's fine you have some else gone wrong. See I started thinking about gas mileage only recently after Srileo's bike was so bad. So Not sure what else can screw up gas mileage wihtout running like crap ...
Cool.
Srinath.

how much larger is the F tank than my 89 cali tank?

You'll get that kind of range if you only fill up to the filler neck (do 49-state models have a filler neck? srinath?). I get 135 miles before switching to Res when I only fill it up to the neck. I usually only let it get to 120-125 and then I fill it.

A steady throttle will get you good gas mileage (better than a steady speed, because you'll be adjusting the throttle to maintain that speed; best to set a speed that allows you to keep a steady throttle), as well as a smooth application of throttle. I useta accelerate hard to get to my 'cruising' speed to maximize the time at that speed, so I could save gas...or, so I thought.

Quote from: se7enty7

mpg has to be measured over time.... like over 4 or 5 fillups at least.
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Yup, this is normal gas mileage for me. I normally hit reserve at about the 90 mile mark.

holy bgeesus.....  well now I know   :/    I'm an idiot


Srinath, RE: the fuel filter, the bike did have the K&N when I bought it, but the prev owner gave me the stock airbox (and airfilter) when I bought the bike.   Thats the one that was contaminated with gas.  It even smelled a little like gas.

Maybe te floats have been high for a while?

Quote from: se7enty7how much larger is the F tank than my 89 cali tank?

Probably over a 3/4 gallon useable gas in the new one I think.
Cool.
Srinath.

Well, I'm going to be doing a pretty heavy teardown of the bike in a few days... I'm doing the fork seals, and while I have the tools out, I may as well inspect the airbox and carbs.

Quote from: se7enty7how much larger is the F tank than my 89 cali tank?

Per Kerry in http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=119686#119686 ,
old Cali tank (pre-'01): 4 gal
old 49-state tank: 4.5 gal
new tank (everywhere): 5.3 gal

So his GS500F has an extra 1.3 gallons over your '89 Cali, almost 1/3 more fuel.   The differences in the "non-Reserve" portion of the tank are even bigger (3 gal. versus 4.3 gal, a 43% increase!)

I fill up routinely at 180. I usually don't hit reserve because I fill up at 180.  I'd probably hit reserve about 200.

My record high was 230 before I filled up (It was unusually high, so I didn't wait for it to reserve, just in case). And my record low was 118 and I had to turn on reserve (day of hard riding).

I want a bigger tank.

Yea that cali tank being smaller ... Here is a secret ... the tanks are the same extrenally and they dont have a hidden chamber internally ... so how is the capacity lower ...
Ha ha ... gotcha ... they have a extra "rollover Valve" sticking up through the bottom and its very close to the top of the tank on the right of the filler mouth. you are supposed to fill up to just under the thing ... However If you fill up to above it ... nothing happens ... it might offend some epa paramater but else nothing ... so Guess what Fill it to the top and its = 49 state.
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: seshadri_srinathYea that cali tank being smaller ... Here is a secret ... the tanks are the same extrenally and they dont have a hidden chamber internally ... so how is the capacity lower ...
Ha ha ... gotcha ... they have a extra "rollover Valve" sticking up through the bottom and its very close to the top of the tank on the right of the filler mouth. you are supposed to fill up to just under the thing ... However If you fill up to above it ... nothing happens ... it might offend some epa paramater but else nothing ... so Guess what Fill it to the top and its = 49 state.
Cool.
Srinath.

I fill mine up to the nearly top.. I have the overflow hoses routed way down... and never have I seen any gas come out..

How does the rollover valve work?  Why would it even be there?  Is it like an extra drain?

OK Get this ...
California believes that The evaporation of gas from the gas tanks of bikes are causing all the smog ... Of course The Indians that lived in that area called LA the land of permanent smoke or some such weird term 150 years + ago ... so I guess they all rode bikes too ... so They decided to stuff some thing called a rollover valve that takes all the vapor gas from that tank and send it to a charcoal cannister and then what ... I dunno ... anyway ... its is supposed to take vapor and do some with it ...
Cool.
Srinath.

Well I'll be damned.


400 dollars later my fix is a 5 dollar tank of gas apparently.   My plan is to basically take the bike out this weekend on a full tank of gas and basically see if it happens anytime before the 110-120 mile mark.   If and when it happens, I'll switch to reserve. If problem solved, then I'm an idiot.  If not, I'm selling  

110 To reserve is still over 35 mpg ... or so right ... dont conclude that 110 is the minimum. Say try to 80 mph, then fill up and try again ... you dont know what gas mileage you get ... so play it safe.
Cool.
Srinath.

If the problem was lack of fuel in the tank, then it seems rich for the shop to charge you $400 for them to figure that out.  If they pulled the carbs, etc., before checking how much gas is in the tank :dunno: then that's their problem.  For example, if they decided that your head needed porting, new tires and bearings front and rear... then later discovered the bike was just out of gas... same thing: their mistake, not yours.

For the work which they performed (diagnose empty fuel tank), I'd offer them one hour shop time.  If they protest that they "had to take time to rebuild the carbs" or somesuch, point out that a reasonable troubleshooting approach would have diagnosed an empty fuel tank within minutes, and that you are not in a position to bankroll their broken troubleshooting process.