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Message started by NameNotInUse on 05/06/11 at 17:42:42

Title: Running out of gas
Post by NameNotInUse on 05/06/11 at 17:42:42

I had gone about 76 miles since my last fill up and suddenly lost rpms. I didn't think I was out of gas but switched to my reserve and ran to a gas station. I managed 2.27 gallons.

My question is how do you know you're running out of gas? Unlike my car, nothing felt like it was sputtering or anything. The bike just turned off as I was traveling down the road.

I assume since I managed 2.27 gallons that I was really out of gas.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by verslagen1 on 05/06/11 at 17:46:42

you had a half left give or take, 2.9 depending on how you fill.

your car has how many cylinders?

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by 4carbcorvair on 05/06/11 at 17:46:47

I had that happen once. On the interstate. Reached down and hit the reserve, got me to a gas station. 2.2 galons to fill with fumes in the tank.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by 4carbcorvair on 05/06/11 at 17:52:29

73607776696462606B34050 wrote:

you had a half left give or take, 2.9 depending on how you fill.

your car has how many cylinders?

I have completely emptied mine and filled it with the tank slightly sideways, to the rim and got only 2.3 galons in it. :shrug:

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by NameNotInUse on 05/06/11 at 17:54:44

7C6F7879666B6D6F643B0A0 wrote:

you had a half left give or take, 2.9 depending on how you fill.

your car has how many cylinders?

My truck is a v6, I was using it as reference but I'm talking about my savage.

To me it was odd that it never sputtered, just shut down right away.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by babyhog on 05/06/11 at 18:13:54

Mine didn't sputter either. I assume he's saying it won't sputter with only one big single cylinder.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by verslagen1 on 05/06/11 at 18:31:29

piglet gets the cupie doll, a car can sputter along getting some gas to some of it's cylinders, but when you only got one...

but after a while, you will be able to tell when she's leaning out.

:-? only 2.2 from empty? how much bondo is on your tank anyway?
I'm certain I got none and I've filled up to 2.5 on occasion.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by Boofer on 05/06/11 at 18:43:14

Did you ever notice your single cylinder lawn mower sputtering or even racing as it leans out on that last bit of fuel? My Savage loses power for a split second then surges once or twice. By then I have her on life support (hers and mine). Know where your controls are and which way they turn to keep up your speed. It gets easier with time for most. If you didn't grow up mowing and wrenching and hanging out with like-minded yahoos, your learning curve is steeper. :)

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by NameNotInUse on 05/06/11 at 19:09:19

No bondo on the tank that I can tell or that I know. I understand now about the reason it wouldn't sputter. Thanks. :)

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/07/11 at 09:19:19

If Im roaring down the road when it runs out, it just shuts off, like I lipped the kill,, but if Im rolling around in town, easing along on the gas, speeding up & slowing down itll coff & lurch a bit & give me a chance to pull the petcock to Prime. It'' sure die at a stop sign,, just start running rough, then coff & wheeze & its done.. gotta be quick on the lever.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by NameNotInUse on 05/07/11 at 09:46:44

^ that is actually reassuring because as a new rider I was given a great deal of nuts for not reaching reserve in time. I tried to explain that I didn't actually have much of a chance in the first place but because I'm a new rider it would seem my assessment couldn't be at all accurate. ;)

Usually, or so I thought, I could get nearly 100 miles out of the tank. I think the puttering around town and the more frequent stops and starts obviously caused the bike's mileage to vary. I'm not sure why I somehow thought that wouldn't make a difference. :o

Either way, many thanks for the help. And as for the size of the tank, I double checked and there is no bondo but the bike was on the kickstand when I filled up. :-[

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by Howitzer on 05/07/11 at 13:57:45

Actually, I get some loss of engine power that tells me I'm running out of fuel. Since I've done a lot of riding around 20-40F, I'd say that the feeling is really similar to riding with a cold engine. Throttle response is sluggish, and feels "weak", meaning when you turn the throttle, no extra power comes. I've come to realize, especially since it's now 60'sF where I am, when my tank is running out. I usually have about a half a minute or less to switch the petcock.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by OE on 05/07/11 at 19:36:02

Mine, with just a couple exceptions, just dies like the kill switch was flipped. Had it die once while waiting at a stop light accross the street from the gas station where I was headed.

The most gas I've ever put in was 2.71 gallons and I think I had ridden around 10 miles on reserve. I've got the Raptor petcock installed which I think someone here said makes a difference in the amount of reserve.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by kimchris1 on 05/07/11 at 23:06:52

The last time I ran out of gas took
me off guard. I thought at first
something else was wrong with the
bike. Of course this happened on
a curve approaching a bridge. Luckly
their was enough of a shoulder to
pull over.
After checking a few things, placed her
on reserve and was once again on
the road. Now I pay better attention to
how many gallons as well as how far from
the rim I fill it up to.
Now if it had sputtered, I would have known
right away. :) kim

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/08/11 at 04:14:08

I finally learned to flip to reserve before it bucks.. cuz it Could buck & die at a bad time. Watch the odometer.. flip it over & go get gas.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by Routy on 05/08/11 at 06:19:01

Likewise,.......if I'm in town at slower speeds and have ridden anywhere near 75 miles, I'll hit res, needed or not. Even tho my bike usually gives me warning, I just hate having to switch at low speeds.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by Russ130 on 05/08/11 at 06:21:17

I think it really depends on several factors. How the bike is tuned and what kind of gas you are using and so on. In my particuliar case I can sense it feeling sluggish as Howitzer said. On the highway I may get a pop out of the exhaust in town it will run rough then fine then rough again and so on depending on the cornering and getting the fuel to the petcock. You have to learn to get in tune with your bike so will know when she is running out of fuel. You can also watch the odometer as well.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by thumperclone on 05/08/11 at 08:00:36

mine usually warns me enuf i get to reserve b4 havin to pull over.. right turns help too!!!

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by bill67 on 05/08/11 at 09:19:19

I get warnings on mine about 1/2 mile before it would be out and can drive that 1/2 mile before putting on reserve,It only happened once and thats the way it was.Slight misfire is the warning.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by HJH on 05/08/11 at 11:22:35

Just had this happen this morning. darn the designers who didn't believe in a trip meter on a bike with less than 3 gallons of fuel! Even my GZ250 had one! No warning, just quit running. Switched to reserve and pumped 2.2 gallons at the nearest gas station.

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by buttgoat1 on 05/08/11 at 18:57:49

It isn't much, but you oughtta get a few seconds warning of different running. do it enough and you will know the signs. run out a few more times and it will be second nature.......

Title: Re: Running out of gas
Post by babyhog on 05/08/11 at 19:12:52

0200024A0 wrote:

Hadn't checked my mpg for a while, and hadn't run close to 100 miles before filling up either, but today I did. I was right at 100 and getting nervous, but when we stopped, it only held 1.7 gallons and hubby filled it up into the neck. (thank goodness it didn't piss all over me!) So I'm getting great gas mileage.

But here's my latest trip meter. Double-sticky velcro mounted so I can pull it off or just roll the dials.

http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx211/babyhog/stuff/WP_000623.jpg