[AwwsChwA]

I've run the bike outta gas twice now (My learning curve isn't very steep :roll: )...I finally put two and two together, and realized what the horrible engine sounds were that occurr a few miles before she runs outta gas completely.

Tell me if any of you have had these same noises for the same reason...I'm pretty sure it's detonation that I'm hearing, caused by a very lean fuel mix. The engine starts to tap very loudly, and the whole top half (head/carb) just sounds really rattly and noisy. And of course, as soon as there's fuel in the tank, all the noises settle out and it sounds liek a happy motorcycle again.

So, hopefully I've finally got it engrained into my head (only been riding for about 3 months) that, when I start to hear that loud tapping and I've got about 140 miles on the trip meter, it's time to fill up again.

 

[87gsxrnut]

Try filling up at 130 miles.

- Nut

 

[SuzukiGirl1]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[md2lgyk]

Doesn't your bike have a reserve tank? I've never seen one that didn't.

In 30+ years of riding, I've never run out of gas.

 

[Drake]

No bike actually has a reserve tank AFAIK. What you have is 2 levels that your fuel line can draw fuel from your tank. When you flip the petcock lever around to Reserve, you are drawing from the bottom of the tank, while when it is just on ON, it's drawing from the normal level of the tank which is usually an inch or so up into the tank depending on your tank shape etc. Make sure you aren't running your bike with the petcock in the Reserve position. Nothing worse than having to push or hike to go get some gas when you should actually have another 20 or more miles of fuel in the reserve part of your tank.

 

[inspiron]

My GSX 1400 doesn't have a reserve - it has something besser - A FUEL GAUGE! When it's full (6 gallons), I have 5 bars, and when it's getting low (1.5 gallons) the last bar starts to blink. When the last bar disappears (the gas symbol blinks), I've got about 1/4 gallon left - time to find a gas station ASAP!

I definitely don't want to run out of gas with this bike - first, because at 570 pounds, I don't want to have to push it anywhere, and 2nd, because it'll damage the fuel injectors.

 

[007]

Inspiron, you are making us jealous with that bike.

 

[AwwsChwA]

I do have a reserve. I used it after the bike ran out. While running on reserve, the noises are quieter, but the bike is happy again after there's plenty of fuel in the tank. I think even on reserve, it runs a bit lean. That would make sense, the reserve is probably designed to feed less fuel into the engine so it maximizes riding time in case a gas station is several miles away.

 

[007]

AwwsChwA, is your tank properly fitted to the bike? I imagine if an empty tank starts to vibrate, it will make some ugly noises. A full and thus heavy tank cannot vibrate so easily, plus there is no empty, resonance space inside the tank for noise amplification. Maybe you should tighten up the tank screws, then hopefully there'll be no more vibration and noise.

 

[AwwsChwA]

The tank is properly fitted. It's only one bolt, and the two big rubber supports at the front of it are in good shape and fit the tank tightly. The noises when i'm outta fuel are definitely not tank noises, they come from the engine.