Fuel light range

[grossohc]

From the fuel light going on how much further could i go ( roughly) before i run out of petrol. As my tripmeter dissapeared when i first got the bike and i keep forgetting to check the miles on the speedo everytime i fill up, i would just fill up when the light comes on.

Gary

[Guest Nogbad]

The problem with this question is how you define when the light comes on. Is it when the light starts to flicker on and off, or when the light is finally brightly lit and constant.

 

On mine, the light comes on between 140 and 170 miles depending on how hard I'm riding, and conditions like headwind, hills etc.

 

After the light came on fully at 155 miles, I once took it out to 178 miles before finding a petrol station. Not good for stress levels. However, when the light began to flicker around 145 miles I reduced speed to 55 and pottered in a high gear to save juice.

 

The only way you will find out is to strap a gallon can to the pillion, ride until the light is on, note the miles and then ride till you conk out.

 

My tripmeter reset knob was missing when I got the bike, so I replaced it. 6 months later it was gone again.

[dlaing]

The only way you will find out is to strap a gallon can to the pillion, ride until the light is on, note the miles and then ride till you conk out.

86348[/snapback]

And even then the next time you will get a different result.

The answer is probably in the 20 to 60 mile range....I would guess about 30-40 miles or about a gallon or about 3 or 4 liters.

I am pretty sure I pushed it over 30miles, and I am pretty sure I ran out in less than 40 miles....but when I saw the light and what I remember are not accurate.

YMMV

[big J]

From the fuel light going on how much further could i go ( roughly) before i run out of petrol. As my tripmeter dissapeared when i first got the bike and i keep forgetting to check the miles on the speedo everytime i fill up, i would just fill up when the light comes on.

Gary  

86337[/snapback]

 

Knowing sods law, about 5 miles from the nearest petrol station.

[Dan M]

From the fuel light going on how much further could i go ( roughly) before i run out of petrol. As my tripmeter dissapeared when i first got the bike and i keep forgetting to check the miles on the speedo everytime i fill up, i would just fill up when the light comes on.

Gary  

86337[/snapback]

 

 

I've gone as much as 25 miles with the light on steady without running out. I'm sure it varies from bike to bike though. A little different bend in the sensor bracket may mean 10 miles either way.

[mdude]

I've regularly filled up immediately when the light comes on, and I find that the tank still holds in excess of 4 litres. Which will give me about 60-80 kms of driving.

[kevdog3019]

I've regularly filled up immediately when the light comes on, and I find that the tank still holds in excess of 4 litres. Which will give me about 60-80 kms of driving.

86452[/snapback]

 

 

I was told I have about 2 gallons left after light comes on...about 80-90 miles for me. My trip knob is off also. Just got the bike. Must be common??? Would be nice to have.

[al_roethlisberger]

On average, most seem to report about 130 miles when the fuel warning light comes on.

 

Now what does that mean with regard to available "reserve" range? Well, that really depends on your current fuel efficiency, and which year bike you have.

 

But the excerpts from the following threads may help. They aren't specific answers, but if you read them both in their entirety, I think you can put together the answer to your question.

 

 

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...53&hl=fuel-pump

 

The marketing says 5.5 gallons for a 2002 and earlier bikes. That might be correct, or close.

 

I know I just dumped a solid 5ish gallons from a jerry-can into a bone-dry tank for my leak test, and that was right up to the neck.

 

I can double check tomorrow.

 

For the 2003 specs, MG lists the following:

 

Fuel capacity: 5.46 gallons (20.7 liters)

Reserve: 1.32 gallons (5 liters)

 

But I have no idea what this means... that is, do they mean 1.32 of the 5.46 gallons is "reserve", or that there is an additional 1.32 gallons on top of the 5.46? I'm relatively certain it is the former though, as with the new internal fuel-pump, and the tank remaining about the same size... I can't see it GAINING another 1+ gallon in capacity rolleyes.gif

 

But in either case, I don't know what 1.32gallon "reserve" means on the newer bikes?? Anyone know? On my old FJ, I had an electric switch/petcock that I had to flip to get to the reserve once I hit "empty" on the fuel-gauge. Do the new(2003+) bikes have such a function? I'm very curious about this, and if the newer bikes avoid the "trapped fuel" issue via the internal pump and it's requisite plumbing.... hrmmm

 

 

As an aside, if I do manage to ruin my tank, I'll probably spring for the new tank with internal pump and just paint it happy.gif

 

al

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...20%20tank&st=30

 

 

OK, here are the results comparing tank capacity.

 

 

2002 - 5.69 US Gallon Total Capacity

 

110 ounces of which is normally "trapped" on the right side of the tank, which is not an effective reserve(see Wasted Fuel Thread)

 

 

2003 - 5.75 US Gallon Total Capacity, 135 ounces of which is "sorta reserve" (details below)

 

 

The 2003 tank has a similar total capacity, within a few ounces, of the 2002 tank.

 

Once filled, the 2003 tank will "run dry" at 4.70 Gallons(601 ounces), leaving approximately 135 ounces "trapped" on the left side of the tank, similarly to the "trapped" fuel on the right side of 2002 and earlier tanks with the external fuel pump.

 

The difference here is that since the 2003+ tanks have the internal pump/pressure-regulator loaded internally on the right side, and hence the fuel draw and return are on the same side(unlike earlier tanks), one can effectively "slosh" the fuel over to the pump side of the tank(right), and get to a significant portion. This represents the "reserve" of the 2003+ tanks. It isn't automatic, and is rather physically manual, but is doable by violently jerking the bike sideways to the right, or stopping the bike and leaning it to the right.

 

Now, here's the clarification on the 2003 reserve. Unless one is just lucky with a "hearty" slosh, or is able to reeeaaaaaaaaaally lean the bike way over to the right, my testing shows that only 59 ounces of the 135 ounces in reserve will slosh over to the right, and be available as an effective "reserve" once you run the tank dry.

 

That leaves 76 ounces still "stuck" over on the left side of the tank.

 

My testing showed that I had to turn the tank nearly a full 90 degrees to get this last 76 ounces to flow over to the right side of the tank, and I think this is unlikely to be replicated in the real world with the tank mounted on a motorcycle. So effectively, this fuel is just as "trapped" and "wasted" as the 110 ounces that are trapped on the right side of the earlier tanks.

 

Unlike discussions of tubes inside the tanks bridging the hump, etc. for the earlier tanks, the only solution for this half gallon is a balance tube. However, this would require some tank surgery, and for at best about 15-20 miles, I'm not sure it's worth it. After all, if you are that desperate, I bet you'll find a way to get that tank rotated nearly 90 degrees rolleyes.gif

 

Anyway, I'll think on it....

 

 

All in all, the new tank should get you a little better range more easily in practice(less continuous sloshing), but not much. It seems the primary advantage will remain a cleaner EFI fuel supply setup, and less susceptibility to vapor lock.

 

 

Bottom line, 2003 tank:

 

- Total Capacity 5.75 US Gallons

- Runs Dry(pumps air) at 4.70 US Gallons

- Reserve(fuel "trapped" on left side of tank) 135 ounces(1.05 US Gallons)

- "Sloshable" amount of reserve 59 ounces

- Leaves 76 ounces "trapped" on left side

 

 

Also, good to know... I measured 45 psi(3.1bar) on the new internal pump EFI loop which is the same spec as the older external pump, so that's good, although the flow of the internal pump seems a bit less vigorous than the unimpeded external pump knownothing.gif

 

I've double-checked, and this is same pressure as delivered by the external pump on the 2002 EFI circuit. So no new fuel mapping should be required by switching from a 2002 to 2003 tank.

 

al