Running on reserve
09-11-2012 | 01:56 PM
#1
Thread Starter
insane
Squid
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 27
From: Timisoara, Romania
Running on reserve
I have a problem with my Hawk: when i'm running out of gas, on reserve, the engine is running in one cylinder. After i fill the tank, everything is ok, the engine is running well.
I change the carbs, clean them, check the fuel lines, engine make the same when i ran again on reserve fuel.
Please gimme an idea to solve this problem.
I change the carbs, clean them, check the fuel lines, engine make the same when i ran again on reserve fuel.
Please gimme an idea to solve this problem.
09-12-2012 | 01:21 PM
#4
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 700
It may not have reserve, but we all know what he is talking about, there's no need to be sarcastic without attempting to offer an answer.
Start from the tank and check everything back to the carbs. Fuel filter, petcock, blow out both fuel lines, check carbs again, etc. Something is causing one Carb not to get fuel when the level gets low
Start from the tank and check everything back to the carbs. Fuel filter, petcock, blow out both fuel lines, check carbs again, etc. Something is causing one Carb not to get fuel when the level gets low
09-12-2012 | 01:50 PM
#5
Administrator
MotoGP
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,402
From: Kempner, TX
Secondly.... there is ONLY one in tank port for fuel to flow from.. IF fuel is flowing from that port, it is flowing to the petcock, ..period...
IF fuel is not flowing to a single carb as you guess, then it has absolutely NOTHING to do with a tank reserve,, which is what the original poster asked about.
09-12-2012 | 03:44 PM
#6
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
There is one line from the tank to the petcock... Either there is fuel flowing, or not... It's not going to flow in just half the pipe, going to one carburator... That's simply not happening...
So, either there is a problem that is happening all the time, but made worse from low fuel, or there is a problem at or below the petcock, which actually have little to do with the level of fuel... My money is on the petcock... A torn diaphragm could easily do wierd stuff with low flow...
09-12-2012 | 06:25 PM
#7
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 700
I wasn't refering to you as the one being sarcastic Marquez.
As for him talking about reserve, if there is no reserve then pointing that fact out is useless. The way I see it is that he thinks reserve is the low fuel light, and while there is no partitioned fuel for reserve that he was using that phrasing to convey the point of him being low on fuel, hence "when I'm running out of gas".
The petcock may only have one line, but when the fuel level gets low it is possible that the fuel could be running down the hose with least resistance. Maybe its clogged, or slightly kinked, or something else that doesn't affect fuel flow when the weight of a full tank is helping the vacuum and petcock.
As for him talking about reserve, if there is no reserve then pointing that fact out is useless. The way I see it is that he thinks reserve is the low fuel light, and while there is no partitioned fuel for reserve that he was using that phrasing to convey the point of him being low on fuel, hence "when I'm running out of gas".
The petcock may only have one line, but when the fuel level gets low it is possible that the fuel could be running down the hose with least resistance. Maybe its clogged, or slightly kinked, or something else that doesn't affect fuel flow when the weight of a full tank is helping the vacuum and petcock.
09-12-2012 | 06:42 PM
#8
Administrator
MotoGP
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,402
From: Kempner, TX
But you win,,,, we should have IGNORED the posters questions and just went off on what WE thought he "meant" or should have asked.
Hey if it works for you, go for it.. Me, I'll keep on trying to actually address and inform the poster on what he asked, as well as possible solutions.
To the OP... Use a vacuum source to the petcock and check for fuel flow at the petcock, and then at each carb.
Do it with a full tank..
and then again when it's into the last 1/5 gal that turns on the low fuel warning.
09-12-2012 | 07:06 PM
#9
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,053
From: NYC
That is odd that it react that way when the tank is low. V-king, to make it clear, does it start happening as soon as the low fuel light comes on?
Beyond that, you may actually be out of gas and using stuff in the lines and float bowl and one carb just runs out first. These bikes have small tanks so you really gotta go get gas when the light comes on.
FWIW... Just because a bike doesnt have a reserve written on a petcock, doesnt mean that it doesnt have a "reserve" which is just the end of the tank wheather swiched to or signaled by a light.
Beyond that, you may actually be out of gas and using stuff in the lines and float bowl and one carb just runs out first. These bikes have small tanks so you really gotta go get gas when the light comes on.
FWIW... Just because a bike doesnt have a reserve written on a petcock, doesnt mean that it doesnt have a "reserve" which is just the end of the tank wheather swiched to or signaled by a light.
Last edited by smokinjoe73; 09-12-2012 at 07:11 PM.
09-12-2012 | 07:29 PM
#10
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 636
From: Baltimore, Maryland
How have the two fuel lines been routed that go from the petcock to the carbs?
I remember reading of a "recall" type repair needed on VTR's with fuel lines that go through the holes in the carb brackets. It made a bend in the fuel lines or something?
Mine were routed through the holes but had enough slack not to kink.
I remember reading of a "recall" type repair needed on VTR's with fuel lines that go through the holes in the carb brackets. It made a bend in the fuel lines or something?
Mine were routed through the holes but had enough slack not to kink.
09-13-2012 | 12:32 AM
#11
Senior Member
Superstock
Superstock
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 293
My personal fave was when you thought you had reserve left, and it sputters on the freeway, and you reach down to flip to reserve, only to realize that you had forgot to flip it back from reserve the last time you filled it. 
09-13-2012 | 12:34 AM
#12
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 179
From: Altus, OK
There was nothing sarcastic about my answer. My bike does the exact same thing when I am about to run out of fuel. I have done it twice, running with msr bottles trying to see how far I can stretch a tank of fuel. And the op is correct, when it is running out of fuel it will run on one cylinder untill that carb bowl is dry also.
09-16-2012 | 10:43 PM
#14
Thread Starter
insane
Squid
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 27
From: Timisoara, Romania
That is odd that it react that way when the tank is low. V-king, to make it clear, does it start happening as soon as the low fuel light comes on?<br />
<br />
Beyond that, you may actually be out of gas and using stuff in the lines and float bowl and one carb just runs out first. These bikes have small tanks so you really gotta go get gas when the light comes on.<br />
<br />
FWIW... Just because a bike doesnt have a reserve written on a petcock, doesnt mean that it doesnt have a "reserve" which is just the end of the tank wheather swiched to or signaled by a light.
<br />
Beyond that, you may actually be out of gas and using stuff in the lines and float bowl and one carb just runs out first. These bikes have small tanks so you really gotta go get gas when the light comes on.<br />
<br />
FWIW... Just because a bike doesnt have a reserve written on a petcock, doesnt mean that it doesnt have a "reserve" which is just the end of the tank wheather swiched to or signaled by a light.
<br />
My Sh is a 97 model with a 05 fuel tank. The problems i am talking start soon as i repace the tank (16 l with 19l).<br />
I think that maybe one of the fuel line is getting squeezed when i place the tank in position. It start hapening when i run on reserve' or ,to clear things out for other forum members, when the fuel light is on <img src="/forums/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" smilieid="1" class="inlineimg" />
09-17-2012 | 09:21 AM
#15
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,053
From: NYC
So that could be part of the issue. The 05 tank is supposed to hold a fuel float where your 97 only came with a low fuel sensor. I just did big conversion in my 98 tank to a CBR600RR fuel float and can tell you the interior shape is slightly different between the 2 tanks.
What I believe is you ARE running out of fuel but still believing the low fuel light which in a sense doesnt know what its talking about.
To fix it you would just need to bend the arm a bit up to actually leave you some gas after it lights up.
What I believe is you ARE running out of fuel but still believing the low fuel light which in a sense doesnt know what its talking about.
To fix it you would just need to bend the arm a bit up to actually leave you some gas after it lights up.
09-17-2012 | 01:16 PM
#16
Thread Starter
insane
Squid
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 27
From: Timisoara, Romania
So that could be part of the issue. The 05 tank is supposed to hold a fuel float where your 97 only came with a low fuel sensor. I just did big conversion in my 98 tank to a CBR600RR fuel float and can tell you the interior shape is slightly different between the 2 tanks.
What I believe is you ARE running out of fuel but still believing the low fuel light which in a sense doesnt know what its talking about.
To fix it you would just need to bend the arm a bit up to actually leave you some gas after it lights up.
What I believe is you ARE running out of fuel but still believing the low fuel light which in a sense doesnt know what its talking about.
To fix it you would just need to bend the arm a bit up to actually leave you some gas after it lights up.
If you read carefully the problem is that the bike is running on one cylinder when in tank remains the reserve quantity of fuel - 5 liters.
09-17-2012 | 01:38 PM
#17
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,707
From: Essex, UK
Which cylinder isn't working when the fuel gets low?
Puzzling as the one fuel tap feeds both carbs - Did you also install the later fuel tap that bolts onto the subframe
or have you rigged it up like this
http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewto...p?f=30&t=18533
When was the bike last serviced for plugs etc . Maybe it could be a coil on the way out??
Puzzling as the one fuel tap feeds both carbs - Did you also install the later fuel tap that bolts onto the subframe
or have you rigged it up like this
http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewto...p?f=30&t=18533
When was the bike last serviced for plugs etc . Maybe it could be a coil on the way out??
Last edited by Wicky; 09-17-2012 at 01:45 PM.
09-17-2012 | 01:54 PM
#19
Well take off, eh.
SuperBike
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,204
From: QC, Canada
<br />
<br />
My Sh is a 97 model with a 05 fuel tank. The problems i am talking start soon as i repace the tank (16 l with 19l).<br />
I think that maybe one of the fuel line is getting squeezed when i place the tank in position. It start hapening when i run on reserve' or ,to clear things out for other forum members, when the fuel light is on <img src="/forums/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" smilieid="1" class="inlineimg" />
<br />
My Sh is a 97 model with a 05 fuel tank. The problems i am talking start soon as i repace the tank (16 l with 19l).<br />
I think that maybe one of the fuel line is getting squeezed when i place the tank in position. It start hapening when i run on reserve' or ,to clear things out for other forum members, when the fuel light is on <img src="/forums/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" smilieid="1" class="inlineimg" />
Anyway, back to the problem. Sounds more like an electric issue. As soon as the light comes on, you run on one cylinder. If I read you right. This is probably not the best advise to offer, but when in doubt, I usually go back to basics, an check by hand and eye, everything that can cause a short. Use a volt meter and begin with the most common denominator....the battery, fuses, etc. As I said, from my understanding, you seem to have an electric issue.
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