Ran out of gas - on the freeway!

[Rasputin]

So you know I am right then is what you are saying.

[BA80]

Look, I don't want to argue, that never worked out well for me on this board. I'm just saying what I experienced when I was working on mine.

So, ok your right if that's what you need.

[BA80]

Naw, maybe you are right but as I remember........last week.... I tried draining the tank on prime but all the fuel wouldn't drain out the petcock until I turned it to reserve. I'll check again tomorrow and if I'm wrong I'll come back and show you my embarrassed face. If I'm right I'll make a video for y'all.

[DGXSER]

If you have a dry tank, or a spare petcock, look over the fuel paths. Start at the filter, it is divided in half. One side has a much higher lip than the other referring to the screen area. One side also has a nozzle, so the filter only goes on one way. Each side flows into a different inlet hole/port on the petcock body. Now look at the fuel path when the handle is turned to the PRIME position. You should see that the fuel inlet is from the filter side without the lip, same as RESERVE, and it goes out the most forward nipple. Making it drain the tank dry. The light will still come on, but the engine will not stumble till your completely out of fuel.

[Bonz]

My red light comes on, I have about 9 miles until she stumbles... the red light is to tell you reserve is coming up, when it stumbles that means turn to reserve. The red light helps keep me from being surprised when reserve arrives.

[Rasputin]

If you remove the filter tower and blow thru the spigot marked 1 on the petcock "On will flow thru the larger of the two holes in the top of the petcock. If you blow thru the spigot marked 1 on reserve it will flow air thru the smaller of the two holes in the top of the petcock. If you set it to prime the air will flow out of the smaller hole in the top of the petcock but you will have to blow into spigot 2 to do it.
As reserve and prime are both fed from the same side of the filter tower it has to be the same.
Not trying to be a dick here but I am holding a petcock which is off the tank right now and it has just been cleaned and a rebuild kit put in it.

[CaptonZap]

Are you guys arguing about two different petcocks, the Standard and the Special?
CZ

[Rasputin]

Are you guys arguing about two different petcocks, the Standard and the Special?
CZ

It is not an argument CZ. It is a discussion involving petcocks and the fuel routing of said units. Any or all participants may be proved wrong but each has good reasoning behind their opinions.
As Ba80 was mentioning his recently repainted tank I assume he is talking about a special. As Dgxser mentions a SH tank I also assume it is a special he is talking about. I know I am looking at special petcocks so I am pretty sure I am talking about specials as well. Others have mentioned the "Red Light" so I am pretty sure most of us are on the same page as that is a special model only item.
Maybe you would like to check out the standards to see if they are the same and be a part of the "discussion"

[WMarshy]

...Not trying to be a dick here but I am holding a petcock...

Dont let you wife catch you holding it while in front of the computer. You may have some 'splaining to do

[eddielo]

Lots of good informative stuff here but let me tell you, when the red light came on, or maybe I should rephrase, when I *first noticed the red light come one* it was too late as the engine just shut off. Being a new XS owner, I am not experienced enough to reach down and set to reserve. Rather, I just put it in neutral and coasted about 100 yards to the nearest shaded area. I may not be experienced with the XS but I am experienced in freeway emergencies. Except when dismounting and remounting, I *never* put my back to the flow of traffic. My instinct for survival was definitely on!

[DGXSER]

Understood Eddielo. In that situation, I would definitely also have gone for making myself safe before messing around with the fuel valves. Typically, the engine will begin to run a little rough, stumble just a bit. You can usually get maybe a mile out of it running like that before it craps out. Yes, I have forgotten to turn on my petcocks before.

[clcorbin]

I've owned my 79 since 89. I've never seen the fuel light come on (or the blinkers to self cancel for that matter...). My first indication of an issue is when two of the four cylinders start to run a bit rough. I quick flip to reserve fixes that and it is then very much time to find a gas station.

Due to a bit of stupidity on my part, I have also (ONCE!!!!) run this heavy mother of a bike bone ass dry. I ended up having to push it along the interstate in Albuquerque for about 3/4 of a mile to the nearest exit and gas station. It was a cool day when I started, but a HOT day before I was done!

And just for the record, my '79 standard hits the reserve point right at 4.25 gallons and bone dry took 5.28 gallons to fill it. That is a number I don't plan on measuring again...

[GLoweVA]

Pics are worth a 1000 words

Here's an old thread that has some pics to help you see what's going on.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showpost.p...0&postcount=13

[fredintoon]

It's different on 3 wheels

- - - Others have mentioned the "Red Light" so I am pretty sure most of us are on the same page as that is a special model only item. - - -

Hi Rasputin,
My Special has a Standard tank with the Special's thermistor sender in it to work the bike's Red Eye.
Also the Standard tank's gas taps have been de-vacuumed with their handles swapped over so that ON is actually OFF.
When I did this I was reliably informed that RES became ON and PRI became RES.
Then I was just as reliably informed that yes ON was now OFF but the other two were both RES.
It's never been convenient for me to check these opposing views against reality so what I do around town when the evil Red Eye opens is stop and buy gas.
What I do in the country is stop and fill up from the 10 liter jerrycan I carry in my front luggage rack.
Things are different on a rig.

[skids]

Maybe you would like to check out the standards to see if they are the same and be a part of the "discussion"

Wow, enciting a riot! way to go...