Fuel reserve on 2001 V11 Sport

[Bbennett]

How much gasoline is left when the fuel light flickers on?

 

The question is re: V11 2001 sport

 

The manual is unclear on this topic and I did not see it addressed in the FAQ

 

Thanks

Bob

 

P.S. I am not a metric thinker - I understand quarts better than litres

[Guest Neronut]

I guess the better question should be: How much fuel is available for the fuel pump at the point that the light comes on?

 

I believe the 2001s have a problem with fuel being trapped on both sides of the tank bottom below a level that can be reached. That makes it a little harder to slosh fuel to the pump by weaving the bike and stretching the distance you can run.

 

It may be that different fuel pump venders are used during model runs and no good answer is available. Sure wish I knew how much I could run until having to walk.

[al_roethlisberger]

Good question!

 

First, check the following threads for more info than you were probably interested in

 

Wasted Fuel Thread

 

Relocating Fuel Pump Thread

 

Retrofitting 2003 Tank Thread

 

 

But basically, first, all the 2002 and earlier bikes use an external Weber fuel pump, same make/model(AFAIK) found in one of three locations, on top of the spine where some have the fuel filter, slung under the spine on the left(where some have the filter), or out in front of the engine subframe above the voltage regulator(best location). All of these locations except the "out front" spot, seem to be vulnerable to heat soak and vapor lock.

 

A forum search for "vapor" in the title of threads, or checking out the FAQ section and the VL FAQ provides more info as well:

 

Vapor Lock and Tank Suck FAQ

 

 

But to answer your question directly... "it depends"

 

I found that the total capacity of the 2002 and earlier tank is about 5.5 gallons +/- .2 gallon(US). Typically about 1 gallon or a bit more is "trapped" at it's maximum on the right side of a 2002 tank, while the left side(that draws fuel) can be empty.

 

Sloshing the fuel over is only a temporary fix, but will get you down the road..... just keep sloshing

 

So, "conceivably", when the low fuel light comes on, you could have anywhere from 1 to 2 gallons(probably somewhere in-between) actually remaining. Given that on average, most people report 120 miles on the odometer when the light comes on full-bright, and estimating MPG at ~30... .well that seems about right, 4 gallons consumed, and 1.5-ish left

 

"1.5ish" that in reality you probably have ~.5 gallon of unencumbered smooth and level riding left(about 15 miles), and less than ~1 gallon of regularly sloshing and jerking the bike to the left whilst riding to get the fuel over to the petcock... and you to a filling station.

 

I suspect that on average, you probably have a good 20 to 30 miles on this "reserve" once the light comes on, and that's honestly not too bad. But test your own bike by filling it up after the light comes on full bright, and note the volume... and subtract from the more conservative 5.5 gallon total capacity figure. That should answer your question in regard to your bike specifically, as we've found some people's bikes have a less forgiving fuel level sensor, and they're not all calibrated alike <_>

 

Hope that helps!

al

[Guest Gary Cheek]

So, I should use the old trick of tossing a handful of marbles into the tank to displace fuel over the hump ?

[DVH]

I have regularly seen 160miles before the fuel light comes on and have managed 21 miles before the pump starts to suck air, and pushing. Thats mostly on UK back roads which means 6th gear is very occasionally used due to the short straights. therefore to play safe I look to fill at about 130 miles

[Enzo]

OK, I'll bite. Maybe the 'marble' idea was a joke, but it seems to make sense. But I tend to think 'out of the box.'

 

What do you think Al? If I placed marbles on the RIGHT side of the tank to take up all that wasted space....at least I wouldn't be carring around a very heavy gallon or two of gasoline for no reason. Perhaps something that would sink but be lighter than gas? But, wouldn't something that sinks in gas be HEAVIER than gas????? Honest, is this viable? Maybe even the tank could be drained and filled with some sort of putty or fiberglass on the right side to get the lightest alternative.

[jrt]

The marbles, putty, fiberglass, old stick, etc. still take up volume. It's a no-gain situation, Enzo. Sorry. Kind of funny, though Gary.

[al_roethlisberger]

OK, I'll bite. Maybe the 'marble' idea was a joke, but it seems to make sense. But I tend to think 'out of the box.'

 

What do you think Al? If I placed marbles on the RIGHT side of the tank to take up all that wasted space....at least I wouldn't be carring around a very heavy gallon or two of gasoline for no reason. Perhaps something that would sink but be lighter than gas? But, wouldn't something that sinks in gas be HEAVIER than gas????? Honest, is this viable? Maybe even the tank could be drained and filled with some sort of putty or fiberglass on the right side to get the lightest alternative.

 

Well, certainly filling the right side of a pre-2003 tank with some other material than fuel such as marbles would "solve" the wasted fuel problem per se, but personally I'd rather have the fuel there, even if it's difficult to get to via the oft mentioned sloshing method.... much less more available via modifications as I've shown in other thread. After all, the term "wasted" is used loosely here, as you can get to a good portion of it, just not as automatic and smoothly as one might like .... so I'd rather have the "insurance"

 

Regarding the filling question, one would have to use something like marbles though that would let fuel percolate up through them, or re-engineer the fuel return to have a taller inlet internal to the tank, as currently it's flush with the bottom of the right side of the tank. Ergo, filling the right side with some solid material without doing so would plug up the return

 

Which BTW, on that note, it has been mentioned that it could be possible to fit a bent tube to the top of the fuel-return/pressure-regulator that would squirt the returned fuel back over the hump to the left side of the tank. This would work. One would still have "trapped" fuel in the right side of the tank once the fuel level fell below the middle hump, but once "sloshed" over, it would mostly stay on the left side, which is where you want it. This would be a potentially easy modification, although I've not seen anyone do so.

 

But back to filling the right side with some solid material, unless one used some sort of lightweight "foam"(that BTW, was fuel resistant, and wouldn't act as a sponge), I don't think there would be any weight or performance gain by replacing the "wasted" fuel with some other material.

 

Marbles would work to some degree though, I just wouldn't see the benefit. Plus I don't know what they would do the inside of the plastic tank over time, combined with vibration, and any debris(read: abrasives) that get into the tank over time

 

al

[Guest Gary Cheek]

Gotta be careful here ----- JUST KIDDING ABOUT THE MARBLES . You bet they would break down and put silica type debris into the fuel system.

[Enzo]

Now that I'm getting out riding for a change, it is really bugging me that I have to pull over for gas every 100 miles. That's not much range. And to think there is at least a gallon in there I can't get to!! Plus, I know how much a gallon weighs and that's the last thing my top heavy bike needs.

 

I would try Al's mod for the tank, but his work is over my head. Hummmm. What to do? I suppose you could get a small hand held bilge pump or siphon to stick down there on the right side and pump it over to the left instead of filling up (to get the last 40 miles or so). Would probably take just a minute or two to pump it over to the left side. Sloshing things around wouldn't do much good - maybe in a real emergency. I live by a lot of boat shops; maybe they have something.

[al_roethlisberger]

Now that I'm getting out riding for a change, it is really bugging me that I have to pull over for gas every 100 miles.  That's not much range.  And to think there is at least a gallon in there I can't get to!!  Plus, I know how much a gallon weighs and that's the last thing my top heavy bike needs.

 

I would try Al's mod for the tank, but his work is over my head.  Hummmm.  What to do?  I suppose you could get a small hand held bilge pump or siphon to stick down there on the right side and pump it over to the left instead of filling up (to get the last 40 miles or so).  Would probably take just a minute or two to pump it over to the left side.  Sloshing things around wouldn't do much good - maybe in a real emergency.  I live by a lot of boat shops; maybe they have something.

 

Unfortunately as mentioned buried somewhere in past threads, pumping it over won't work ....the problem is that as soon as you "slosh", pump, siphon, whatever.... the fuel from the right to left side, it's drawn into the EFI loop through the petcock, and almost instantly recirculated back into the right side through the pressure-regulator. You'd be surprised how much fuel flows back through that thing

 

The injectors actually use very little fuel, and most of the fuel pumped by the pump actually comes right back into the tank.

 

So, that's why I jokingly refer to "continued sloshing" to get to that last gallon-ish of fuel.... as one big "slosh" won't keep it over there for long.

 

 

But what I do think might work, and would be potentially easier... is the "tube" modification suggestion that has been made by a few... and mentioned above in this thread. I think that based on the work you've done on your bike, that this modification(if possible) is definitely within your skill-set. Although untested, I think it could work, and even though it doesn't automatically make the "trapped" fuel in the right side move over to the left, it does address the repeated sloshing required once you slosh it over once(or however you get it over there) by at least not continuously recirculating the fuel right back to where you started, in the right side.

 

I think this is another alternative mod that someone should attempt. It's certainly much simpler than mine.

 

In theory it should be easy to affix, solder, thread... something... a copper or aluminum fuel line to the top of the pressure regulator to squirt the fuel over on the left side, instead of always refilling the right.

 

If no one is interested in trying, I suppose I could give it a try, as I have the stock pressure-regulator just sitting around. But I wouldn't be able to do any long-term testing, as I'm pretty sure I'll be converting to the 2003 tank permanently... it's just such a more clean solution

 

I'm pretty excited to get rid of even MORE plumbing, hoses, pumps, and filters from under the tank!

 

 

al

[Enzo]

Al,

 

Buying a new tank IS the ultimate solution - but I have the y2k green color so I think I better stick with it. But, I'll tell you what: If you can give me a run down of what I need to do for this mod, I'll try doing it Sunday. Give me easy instructions like:

 

1. empty tank

2. flip over tank and remove the thingy hanging down on the right side (when it is right side up).

3. remove all the way from the tank and note hose....

 

etc. If you can give me a list like this, I'll do the mod and report on it. I'm game.

 

I take it that if I do this the tank will continually fill back up on the left side? If so, that should give me the range I'm looking for.

[neville briggs]

Hello fellow Guzzi riders, this is my first attempt so please bare with me.

When I first bought my 2000 V11 I was horrified at the amount of fuel it was using around town. The next tank full was smooth fast country riding and hey presto fuel usage was quite good. The only problem seemed to be the low speed running and the fuel tank capacity.

Around town the fuel light was coming on after only 200klms and in the country it was 245klms, on filling up the tank usually took around 15 litres. One day I had the engine spluttering as I turned into the servo and it only took 18 litres or 4 imp gals to fill it up.

Rechecking the owners manuel confirmed that the tank capacity was suposed to be 23 litres or just over 5 imp gallons.

I've since found out through the V11 Le Mans page that the fuel is trapped in the right hand side of the tank where it returns from the fuel injector loop.

Originally my plan of thought went somewhere along the lines of the fuel pick up being too high in the tank, a common enough problem in older Guzzi's and easily fixed. However this is a really hairy problem to solve. How do you get the use of that extra gallon of fuel from the RHS of the tank. I once had a Honda CB175 and the tank actually had a link pipe between the two sides, of course the older Guzzis have twin linked fuel taps and I have heard of some folks useing this as a twin reseve by only turning one reserve tap at a time. I'm thinking about it.

One of the ways to help with the fuel problem was to get the Fuel Injection remapped so that the fuel is used more efficently.

So the bike was booked in for a thorugh going over which included the throttle position sensors, primary enriceners and a remap.

Unfortunatly I haven't had much chance to evaluate the improvements though initially the throttle response lower down the rev range feels alot crisper, probely cause it's not now being drowned in petrol. I'll let the fourum know more in a couple of more rides.

Neville

[bento]

hmmm, i get a solid 120-30 miles out of a tankbefore my light blinks on. i've never even worried about this wasted gas thing.

[TX REDNECK (R.I.P.)]

With the stock seat I was ready for a break after 130 miles.