Any ideas?

I have buddha jets, new suzuki hoses, 2nd fuel filter, 08 GS500 petcock. The thing won't hold 70-80MPH for more than 4-5 miles. And that's with a 08 petcock.

My commute involves a 5 mile strip at 70-80MPH and I have consistently run lean then out just before I get off the highway. With an empty fuel filter.  Maybe not enough vacuum at 3/4 throttle isn't getting the petcock to stay open?

Did you try it in PRI?

not yet.

How many miles from full till this happins.  I thought I had the same problem with my 92 with 07 petcock.  Turns out what looked to me like half tank is almost 3 gallons from full since the tank is shaped funny. 

I know it sounds silly and please don't take it offensively.  Just letting you know what I ran into, and figure I'd throw it out there.

No offense taken.

Generally at 2 gallons down this happens. Maybe even 1-3/4. I will pull the in tank screen next and see if that helps.

I'm glad someone brought this topic up because i've been debating w/ my boyfriend about this bike.  I swear when my tank is half empty that it starts to sputter because it needs more gas.  He tells me I have a solid 200+ miles before I run out of gas.  He's on here from time to time, so can anyone give me some input?  Also, on average, how many miles does everyone get before they have to fill up again?

I get exactly 153 before I have to switch to reserve. Now with reserve for me all bets are off! Sometimes, can get another 20-30 miles and one night got 4 which was at 0300 in the morning getting off of work and had to push it a mile to the gas station that sucked! So usually, when I hit 150 I start looking for a gas station!

Mary

with my gearing i still run all of 190 miles before res.

I just got my speedometer working, and i've put my first 60 miles on the bike since getting it (three years ago), but usually i can go to school and back three times, which is 270 kilometers or 168.75 miles, then the gas coveres the bottom of the tank, and i feel i should fill up.

just realized that without a petcock i dont have reserve, so i dont know when i "hit reserve", so my data is kinda meaningless.

Quote from: ~*STEPH*~ on July 29, 2009, 09:29:51 AM
I'm glad someone brought this topic up because i've been debating w/ my boyfriend about this bike.  I swear when my tank is half empty that it starts to sputter because it needs more gas.  He tells me I have a solid 200+ miles before I run out of gas.  He's on here from time to time, so can anyone give me some input?  Also, on average, how many miles does everyone get before they have to fill up again?

That will happen when your in-tank filter is dirty.  I get about 220 miles out of 3.7 gallons.  When I go over 200 miles on the trip odometer I fill-up soon.  I don't play the ON/RES game with the petcock.  All I need is to stall on the Thruway because I have less than a gallon left.

Wow. My mileage sucks. I start sputtering at about 100miles on the trip odometer. It's happened to me twice already, on the freeway both times. 

I also might not have filled up my tank completely, though.

Quote from: bill14224 on July 29, 2009, 08:56:18 PM

Quote from: ~*STEPH*~ on July 29, 2009, 09:29:51 AM
I'm glad someone brought this topic up because i've been debating w/ my boyfriend about this bike.  I swear when my tank is half empty that it starts to sputter because it needs more gas.  He tells me I have a solid 200+ miles before I run out of gas.  He's on here from time to time, so can anyone give me some input?  Also, on average, how many miles does everyone get before they have to fill up again?

That will happen when your in-tank filter is dirty.  I get about 220 miles out of 3.7 gallons.  When I go over 200 miles on the trip odometer I fill-up soon.  I don't play the ON/RES game with the petcock.  All I need is to stall on the Thruway because I have less than a gallon left.

Ok I know this sounds dumb, but i'm a NOOB.  How do I go about getting hte filter out, and can I clean it or do I need to replace it?

It's inside the tank on the bike's main fuel valve on the bottom of the left side of the tank, and it's made of gauze.  It's cheap and you can get it at bikebandit or other places.  You can clean it as long as there are no holes, and judging from your symptoms it's safe to say you have no holes.  The tank is easy to remove and it's a wrench, pliers, and screwdriver job.  If you don't have a manual, get one, but there are many friendly folks here who will be happy to walk you through it.  The idea here is to remove the tank, (when it's low on fuel) remove the fuel valve from the bottom, clean the filter, then put it back together.  That fuel valve has a small screw that you need to turn 1/4 turn to close it before removing the tank to avoid fuel spill.

if it's dime size, then I do recall what you are talking about and mine's clean and fine as far as I know

It's a couple inches long, like a condom for a midget!  If you haven't taken the tank valve off you haven't seen it.

Low vacuum to petcock at Run postion (going to prime will let it run)

Clogged fuel strainer at base of tank (remove, clean, replace).

Pinched fuel line.

Fuel tank vent blocked, unclog it.

Carb problem (dirt in bowl or float set wrong).

Out of gas?

What else can starve it for fuel?

prs

It is a friction fit with the tank petcock.

I have one on the bench. I have to look again, but I think I can pull it out in the tank with forceps. I just can't remember if the sheet metal intereferes with removal from tank side.

Quote from: bill14224 on July 30, 2009, 08:18:56 AM
It's inside the tank on the bike's main fuel valve on the bottom of the left side of the tank, and it's made of gauze.  It's cheap and you can get it at bikebandit or other places.  You can clean it as long as there are no holes, and judging from your symptoms it's safe to say you have no holes.  The tank is easy to remove and it's a wrench, pliers, and screwdriver job.  If you don't have a manual, get one, but there are many friendly folks here who will be happy to walk you through it.  The idea here is to remove the tank, (when it's low on fuel) remove the fuel valve from the bottom, clean the filter, then put it back together.  That fuel valve has a small screw that you need to turn 1/4 turn to close it before removing the tank to avoid fuel spill.

I get between 180 to 190 miles before reserve, but have only hit it 3 or 4 times, I usually try to fill up around 150 miles

It could be a clogged tank vent.  Does the problem go away if you drive slowly for a while?  If air can't get into the tank as gas comes out you can have problems. 

Easy to test for though.  When you have the problem pop the gas cap open.  If the problem goes away, then that's your problem and you need to clean the vent out.  There's a good write up either on the wiki or floating around the forum on how to take it apart and clean it.