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A bit confused about the empty gas tank

Afan

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My fuel gage just changed to the last, blinking line. But it supposed to be enough to get to work, 60 miles. I was in a hurry a bit. But it was so many semis and other cars on the interstate I was a bit "heavy" on the throttle so I run out of gas before I reached my work place. Luckily I run out of gas maybe quarter mile before a gas station so I pushed it a bit. Sadly, the quarter mile had 2 "hills" I had to push - it was very hard workout! :D

But, the confusing thing was, that after I filled the tank up it showed me that I put only 3.1 gallon?!? Not 3.7.

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And I'm pretty sure I run out of gas because the engine stopped working and I was coasting for next couple hundreds feet, and then the oil light went on on the dashboard.

What am I missing?
 
When you fill the tank, how full is it? Do you fill it until fuel level is right at the top of the neck, about to run over, or do you stop filling when ever the pump shuts off? If you expect to put 3.7 gallons in, the fuel would probably need to be level with the top of the neck, nearly running over, and with the bike straight up and down on the center stand.

I’ve put in 3.55 gallons on two occasions, but I had not yet run out of gas.

There’s always the possibility that the pump volume is not accurate.
 
was the ground next to the pump level (so many are not)? was the bike on its side stand or center stand? so many variables are included in filling up/adding gas to the bikes, plus the amount each pump can be off when pumping (can be legally off by 0.3% by volume...not much but a little).
 
Not to mention inclines. I've been close to losing engine fueling a couple times, just hoping to get to a more favorable angle of incline. At that point I had enough gas above the fuel pump intake to soldier on a bit further. Perhaps not good for the fuel pump to run all the way to the last drop as then it's not being cooled by tank fuel.

And then there's station pump calibration. Ever put more gas in the tank than the tank can actually hold? Avoid that station ; }
 
Not to mention inclines. I've been close to losing engine fueling a couple times, just hoping to get to a more favorable angle of incline. At that point I had enough gas above the fuel pump intake to soldier on a bit further. Perhaps not good for the fuel pump to run all the way to the last drop as then it's not being cooled by tank fuel.

And then there's station pump calibration. Ever put more gas in the tank than the tank can actually hold? Avoid that station ; }
If engineers haven’t improved fuel pumps to run without needing fuel to cool them by now, what have they been doing all these years?
 
I wonder how much "slosh" a hose/filler can hold when not fully drained from the last customer's fill-up. Surely not that much ; }
 
When you fill the tank, how full is it? Do you fill it until fuel level is right at the top of the neck, about to run over, or do you stop filling when ever the pump shuts off? If you expect to put 3.7 gallons in, the fuel would probably need to be level with the top of the neck, nearly running over, and with the bike straight up and down on the center stand.

I’ve put in 3.55 gallons on two occasions, but I had not yet run out of gas.

There’s always the possibility that the pump volume is not accurate.

When I fill up the gas, when the pumps shuts of I would try 2-3 more times. After 3rd time I'm sure it's full. Couple times, when I was riding long distance, I poured a bit more, up to the metal part inside the tank.
But, I thought, if it says in the specs that the fuel tank capacity is 3.7 gal. that means it's 3.7 when you fill it up "normally", not overfill?!?
 
was the ground next to the pump level (so many are not)? was the bike on its side stand or center stand? so many variables are included in filling up/adding gas to the bikes, plus the amount each pump can be off when pumping (can be legally off by 0.3% by volume...not much but a little).
Leveled. And on the centerstand.
Still 3.7 and 3.17 is a huge difference...
 
If engineers haven’t improved fuel pumps to run without needing fuel to cool them by now, what have they been doing all these years?
Probably eating donuts or spending their time on automotive.
 
When I fill up the gas, when the pumps shuts of I would try 2-3 more times. After 3rd time I'm sure it's full. Couple times, when I was riding long distance, I poured a bit more, up to the metal part inside the tank.
But, I thought, if it says in the specs that the fuel tank capacity is 3.7 gal. that means it's 3.7 when you fill it up "normally", not overfill?!?
Well, in the end I think pump shut off is a huge variable. I never use it. I fill very slowly at the end until one more little dribble will run over the neck.

But, I totally agree that 3.7 and 3.17 is a large discrepancy.
 
Anyway, you can probably guess what my gal told me after having I had to hitchhike for gas one time on a backroads trip a long time ago...
 
Well, in the end I think pump shut off is a huge variable. I never use it. I fill very slowly at the end until one more little dribble will run over the neck.
Likewise. And with aftermarket dualsport or dirtbike tanks and bikes with big-mouth fillers it's a bit different yet...
 
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Well, in the end I think pump shut off is a huge variable. I never use it. I fill very slowly at the end until one more little dribble will run over the neck.

But, I totally agree that 3.7 and 3.17 is a large discrepancy.
So, you're saying that the tank IS 3.7 gal., up to that crescent-like lip at the bottom of the neck, but the fuel pumps do not allow me to fill it up? And then I have to play a bit to get the gas to the neck point? Hm... I thought it's not smart to fill it up up to that lip/crescent thing, that is overfilled when reach that point.

I learned something today... :D
 
I
So, you're saying that the tank IS 3.7 gal., up to that crescent-like lip at the bottom of the neck, but the fuel pumps do not allow me to fill it up? And then I have to play a bit to get the gas to the neck point? Hm... I thought it's not smart to fill it up up to that lip/crescent thing, that is overfilled when reach that point.

I learned something today... :D
I think Honda tells owners to fill the tank only up to that metal plate below the fill hole. If that provides the full 3.7 gallons of fuel capacity or not, I don’t know. I do know that I have filled mine well above the plate, to the very top of the neck 215 times now, and never had any problems with it being that full. I fill it up to the neck so I get maximum range from each tank full.
 
Yeah, you're going to burn the extra bit before you get far from the gas station anyway...
 
Yeah, you're going to burn the extra bit before you get far from the gas station anyway...
Right. I learned long, long ago never to fill the tank and then park the bike. The gasoline expands from heat and overflows from the tank. Only fill up when you’re ready to roll. Then go.
 
I think Honda tells owners to fill the tank only up to that metal plate below the fill hole. If that provides the full 3.7 gallons of fuel capacity or not, I don’t know. I do know that I have filled mine well above the plate, to the very top of the neck 215 times now, and never had any problems with it being that full. I fill it up to the neck so I get maximum range from each tank full.

Thanks, I feel good now about the "overfilling" :D
 
Right. I learned long, long ago never to fill the tank and then park the bike. The gasoline expands from heat and overflows from the tank. Only fill up when you’re ready to roll. Then go.
Another very useful one from "Tips & Tricks"
:D
 
That happened me recently when out on the Strom for the day. I had the Wife as pillion so the going was very relaxed. I started with a brimmed full tank and 400Kms to go. The Strom had never previously done that distance on a full tank but that day I was going to see what it could do. All was going very well. 380Kms had been covered and the range on the console was showing 48kms left albeit the warning had come to fill. However the last bar wasn't flashing as it should do, and that combined with the range convinced me to keep going. I smelled a rat when the range was still showing 48 after a further 15kms...............

Well it died about a kilometer from home. Its not fun (approaching 70) to push a heavy bike alost 500metres to the petrol station, even with a little assistance from the good Wife (whose face also told a story). Fortunately the slopes were mild but the heart rate was up there. I won't even go into the embarassment when some Wing owners stopped to assist. My thanks to them.

So. Lessons learned. Never trust the fuel guage sender. Stop playing silly buggers. Promise made to Wife to fill in time in future. :rolleyes:
 
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