SuzukiSavage.com - Running out of gas

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Running out of gas
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.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Running out of gas Reply #1 - 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?
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4carbcorvair Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 175 Maine Gender:	Re: Running out of gas Reply #2 - 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.
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4carbcorvair Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 175 Maine Gender:	Re: Running out of gas Reply #3 - 05/06/11 at 17:52:29 verslagen1 wrote 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? 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:
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NameNotInUse Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 58	Re: Running out of gas Reply #4 - 05/06/11 at 17:54:44 verslagen1 wrote 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? 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.
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babyhog Serious Thumper Offline Find a Cure for Breast Cancer! NOW!! Posts: 3802 WV Gender:	Re: Running out of gas Reply #5 - 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.
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Running out of gas Reply #6 - 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.
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Boofer

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Re: Running out of gas
Reply #7 - 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.

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NameNotInUse Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 58	Re: Running out of gas Reply #8 - 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.
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justin_o_guy2

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What happened?

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Re: Running out of gas
Reply #9 - 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.

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NameNotInUse

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Re: Running out of gas
Reply #10 - 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. Wink

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. Shocked

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. Embarrassed

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Howitzer

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Re: Running out of gas
Reply #11 - 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.

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OE

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Re: Running out of gas
Reply #12 - 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.

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kimchris1

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Re: Running out of gas
Reply #13 - 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

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Running out of gas Reply #14 - 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.
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