Gas Tank

[Guest J.R.]

I've been wanting to install a K&N filter in the airbox and remove the top as recommended by Raceco.OK here's the dumb question.How do you turn off the gas so you don't dump all of it out on the garage floor

My old bikes had petcocks.Is there some thing I've overlooked?

<_<

[callison]

The V11S has an electric petcock. Just unplug the connection and the fuel level sensor plug. Then unbolt the rear of the tank, lift it a tad, undo the hose clamps on both sides, lift the tank a tad more and reach up and pull the small overflow drain tube off underneath. If you want to pull the tank all of the way off you will need to remove the vapor plumbing as well, something that you should probably do anyway. I did mine last night, but opted to leave the anti spill valve in place as I have had no indication of "tank suck". Now I have a large tool kit under the seat where before I had ugly canisters.

[Guest v11eric]

The v11 lemans has an cock which you can screw in just follow youre fuellines and you'll find. My experiance, they don't close completely and keep on drupping.

 

Don't blow youre garage

 

Eric

01 V11 Lemans

[al_roethlisberger]

Yep, just as an FYI, I don't think my 2002 LeMans has an electric or vacuum petcock either. I don't know if MG changed the design from 2001->2002 or if the Sport is just different from the LeMans... who knows

 

But mine has a manual knob under the right-hand fuel-supply tap where the fuel-supply line attaches to the tank. Just screw it shut, although I agree that it tends to still drip a bit. I plugged it with a vacuum cap.

 

al

[RichMaund]

The electric petcock on my 2000 V11S began weeping a few months after I bought it. The solonoid screws into the valve body with nothing to seal it. Just sloppy class two threads. It weeped gas. Not enough to drip. Just enough to give me a whiff of gas sometimes while I was in the shop. The fuel that weeped out deteriorated the insulation on the wires for the solonoid exposing them. With those wires so close to the metal solonoid body and gas fumes around them, it was a recipe for a typical Guzzi maintenance disaster.

I called my Dealer (Winchester Motosports) and described the situation. I didn't know that the owner there had once suffered a garage fire. To say he took this seriously would be putting it mildly. :-) In less than a week he got and shipped to me a new style petcock used on the 2002 bikes. The screw to shut type. Great service there! Easy fix. Mine doesn't dribble. Reading that here was news to me. The Dealer told me that the new petcock was a "improved" model and said the official company line was that nothing was wrong with the electric ones. The company simply improved it. ;-)

 

Now the real problem!! How do we put that "dead" half gallon of fuel in the right side of the tank to work for us? It cannot be sucked into the fuel pump and effectively reduces the tank capacity to only 5 gallons.

 

I have envisioned a milled steel block with a spigot and inline valve to layer under the fuel pressure regulator. Put it between the regulator and the tank. There is just room for such a device. Plumb it in with a "T" to the fuel pump suction line. Then we would have a true 5.5 gallon tank. We'd be effectively doubling the capacity of the "reserve". Mine will travel about 15-20 miles after the low fuel light is on solid. 30-40 miles would be nicer.

 

I plan to look at this as a winter project. I have the machine tools. If it works and is economical to produce I may offer some up as a retrofit kit. It wouldn't be difficult to install.

 

Anyone else entertain thoughts on this? I'd love to hear it.

[al_roethlisberger]

Rich,

 

I've been giving this same issue(the "lost" 1/2 gallon) a great deal of thought for the same reasons as well. Pleeeeese keep me.... us... posted on this if you put together a kit. I know that I would be very very interested in a simple reliable kit that would make that last bit of fuel available.

 

 

al

[Guest Guest_dlaing]

To get the fuel across the hump, could you put a tube from on side to the other that would automatically siphon the fuel over the hump? Now that I think about it, it probably won't work because the hose might have to be primed, or would the motion inside a half full tank prime it?

In any case the priming would probably not be efficient enough and would probably still leave a pint in the tank.

Next problem, how would you get the hose in there so that it stays in position?

[Guest JohnInNH]

My old HD had twin tanks and a rubber crossover tube (rubber) which balenced the fuel level.

 

I'm sure someone makes a thingie, like a valvestem, with rubber seals on the inside and outside and a bolt to compress them sandwiching the (tank) plastic. Then you run a tube accross connecting the tank bottoms

 

I don't see me taking a drill to my tank just yet, but if there was a proven "Kit" which had all the needed hardware..... Well I'm sure I would be tempted!

 

I would worry about leaking however.

[al_roethlisberger]

Yes, I had thought the same.... a balance tube. But my concerns were about the integrity of the tank once a hole was drilled, and sealing.

 

Rich seems to have given it even a bit more thought, so maybe he's onto something. I'll wait excitedly for his thoughts this winter.... especially since it will save me tinkering with my bike as a doaner I was even thinking about keeping an eye out for a spare tank on eBay, but I'll hold off now.

 

The "evoluzion" (pardon me for the misspelling ) folks should keep this in mind for an accessory as well, if they are still trolling for ideas

 

This would be a great one!

 

al

[dlaing]

Drat, I guess I did not explain what I was thinking correctly.

The balance tube would be completely inside the tank. I believe you would have to remove the gas cap assembly to get your paws in there, then possibly epoxy the tube into position.

[Guest ChrisNYC]

Hi folks. I'm a lurker, just soaking up the Guzzi vibe. I'm in love with the whole V11 series, I hope to get one someday.

 

 

Anyway, I couldn't help but chime in here. I'm not that familiar with Guzzi's, but regarding :

 

Now the real problem!! How do we put that "dead" half gallon of fuel in the right side of the tank to work for us?

 

 

I remember reading about some BMW riders (GS model) who were trying to solve the same problem. I don't know if it's applicable, but here's the link

 

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread....=&threadid=2490

 

 

Anyway, nice site here. I hope to learn a lot!

 

Chris

'77 KZ400

'99 R1100RT

[dlaing]

good tip Chris,

Lurkers are welcome.

Another option would be to simply carry a transparent hose and siphon the fuel from one side to the other in an emergency. After all you probably should not rely that often on the last half gallon anyway. And a taste of fuel in the mouth will get you to top the bike off frequently. Perhaps a hard to access emergency reserve is more valuable than one higher capacity and no reserve???

[Guest Marcel]

Hi,

 

I'm new to the forum since I'm only trying to buy a Guzzi (RM). I'm a Dutch bloke from Zeist, have been riding Jap bikes for 12 years and thinking of switching to Guzzi.

 

On my current bike, a transalp, I have exactly the same problem. On that bike I have two remedies:

 

* Tilt the bike (but an Alp is considerable lighter & cheaper)

* Use my 'fuel transfer' thinghy. Which is a tube with some accordeon bit on it. The accordeon bit is used to prime the tube: squeeze it hard and the fuel starts flowing. Costs something like 5 Euros.

 

The latter one is also great when riding with mates and one of you runs out of fuel whilst the others have plenty. Which happened to me when I forgot to switch back from reserve after filling up.

 

Regards,

 

Marcel