Low mileage on reserve

Dawgboy

Dawgboy

Active Member
Think I may have figured out why my reserve is useless (I get about a mile after switching over). I have an inline Pingel fuel filter mounted under the tank between the petcock and the coil cover. I suspect there isn't enough head to force the fuel through the filter media with this configuration. I am going to swap the line around so the filter is just before the carb and see if that makes an improvement. If not, I will pull the filter out of the housing and give that a try.

Anyone else have issues with the reserve and an inline filter?
 
LDO

LDO

The Cleaner
Troop Supporter
Not necessarily with the reserve but just in general, I've never had any success with using an inline filter on my bike. Always 'felt' like the bike was being starved of fuel.....My .02cents.
 
Dawgboy

Dawgboy

Active Member
LDO said:
Not necessarily with the reserve but just in general, I've never had any success with using an inline filter on my bike. Always 'felt' like the bike was being starved of fuel.....My .02cents.
Click to expand...

I can't say I have ever noticed a starvation. Bike runs well and is very responsive. My range sucks though... I start to panic if my odometer hits 90 and I can't see a fuel pump.
 
Chopper Dave

Chopper Dave

SIICK!!!
I have had my Pingel fuel filter on since last year....no problems at all....of course...I normally don't let my bike run down to use the reserve..so I wouldn't know how the reserve is....
 
DRBarnhart

DRBarnhart

Insert title here...
I've never used an inline filter, don't see any reason to! :down:

Every winter I clean out my tank and clean off the tank filter. :up:

No problems... :cheers:

Dennis
 
LDO

LDO

The Cleaner
Troop Supporter
Get yourself one of those camping fuel bottles (1 liter = approx 33 ounces) cost is about 15 bux or something like that. See Raywood's camping gear thread.

Fill up your bike, and ride it till you go to reserve, then ride it till it runs dry. Do this in an area you are familiar with involving the type of riding you normally do. Now you know what your approx. 'range' is.

Then you won't have to sweat bullets when you hit 90 on the trip meter.
 
LDO

LDO

The Cleaner
Troop Supporter
Chopper Dave said:
I have had my Pingel fuel filter on since last year....no problems at all....of course...I normally don't let my bike run down to use the reserve..so I wouldn't know how the reserve is....
Click to expand...
Seems like the chopper guys have alot more room for inline filters than the pro-street fellas.

I've tried several times with my Mastiff and have never been happy with the routing.
 
Shredder

Shredder

Active Member
My reserve nets me about 4 miles, as Dawgboy says, when I get close to 100 miles I start looking for a station.

shredder
 
Chopper Dave

Chopper Dave

SIICK!!!
LDO said:
Seems like the chopper guys have alot more room for inline filters than the pro-street fellas.

I've tried several times with my Mastiff and have never been happy with the routing.
Click to expand...
I just ran mine the same place Gas Man did when he had his chop...being that he never had any problems either.....yeah forgot you have the Mastiff LDO...doesn't look like there is alot of room as you were saying..
 
Dawgboy

Dawgboy

Active Member
Chopper Dave said:
I have had my Pingel fuel filter on since last year....no problems at all....of course...I normally don't let my bike run down to use the reserve..so I wouldn't know how the reserve is....
Click to expand...

With your configuration you have a couple of inches of vertical offset from the petcock and the filter which would give you a bit more pressure. Maybe thats all it takes...
 
avdhunter

avdhunter

Active Member
I get just enough gas from the reserve to restart the bike ... put in gear .... let off the clutch ... then ... stranded!!!!!!!! oohhh and I have NO external filter!
 
Z

Zenman

Member
Same problem. I experimented a bit think'in my petcock screen was plugged (all good), then crap in bowl (all good) and then I noticed the tank was on vacuum when I unscrewed the cap - turns out to be a sticky valve in the cap which is talked about in a few spots on the forum - have not function tested the mileage yet but confident I'll get more than 100 yds on reserve now!
 
K9Anniv

K9Anniv

Well-Known Member
LDO said:
Get yourself one of those camping fuel bottles (1 liter = approx 33 ounces) cost is about 15 bux or something like that. See Raywood's camping gear thread.

Fill up your bike, and ride it till you go to reserve, then ride it till it runs dry. Do this in an area you are familiar with involving the type of riding you normally do. Now you know what your approx. 'range' is.

Then you won't have to sweat bullets when you hit 90 on the trip meter.
Click to expand...
Good advice LDO!:up: I'm doing this ASAP, as I haven't "field tested" the range on my new K9 yet, and it would be good to know this before heading out on any long trips this summer and getting.."surprised"!:eek::bang::rant:
 
C

chaingunner

Guest
Hmmmmmmm, I ran mine on reserve last year and I made it like 12 miles to a gas station. This year I hit reserve at like 169 miles of very conservitive riding, and ran out 3 miles later..... aaaaaaaaaahhhh! had to push! But the one thing I changed was putting in a pingel in line in the same area you did.

Keep us posted, that would be interesting.
 
Kodiak

Kodiak

Member
I have had to push twice now. I get to 150miles and have to switch to reserve, get another mile and run out. Put me in a real bad spot last time on the freeway during heavy traffic with no shoulder on either side. Lucky I didn't get dinged or flattened. Definately expected a bit more out of my reserve. Sucked that the nearest gas station was right by the local HD dealership. Happened on a weekend with everyone riding around. Dozens of HD riders passed me by as I pushed, not a one gave me a second glance or slowed , one dude on a wicked BDM passed by looped around and asked if I was all right. It's funny, I have owned a bunch of different makes of bikes, liked them all Honda to Harley, and I wave at everyone on two wheels. Wish other riders wouldn't let jealousy turn them into dicks.
 
Throttle

Throttle

Member
2007 Bulldog - 138 Miles and out of gas .. We have a low fuel light thou. I just thought, the 4.6 gallons would go further assuming 40 miles to the gallon. I guess, I didn't fuel up completely before I started.
 
M

montana

Active Member
I drained my tank last weekend. I was surprised how little gas was in my reserve. According to my owners manual it holds .40 gallons but it seemed to be a lot less. I think I'll drain my main tank and see how far I get on the reserve. My guess is after few laps around my cul-de-sac and I'll probably be empty.
 
myanoch

myanoch

Active Member
I checked mine the other day.
leveled the bike drained the fuel on it,switched to reserve
and drained another gallon out of tank
This is on a coyote with a 3.8 gallon tank
 
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