Fuel Gauge red section

[Thehotbeast]

Hello Gang,

Here's my stupid question. I have a GS750E(84) I want to know if the bike will ran out of fuel and need to be put on reserve when the gauge needle just hits the red portion of the gauge or at the far left of the red section?

Basically does the red portion of the gauge represent the reserve?

I know I could just test this butt I just don't like to be running out of fuel on the highway.

[rgierer]

My esteemed colleague, it has never occurred to me to turn on the reserve before the bike starts cutting out from running out of fuel. So, I really can't answer your question.
I do find the fuel guages on my GS's to be general information about fuel in the tank and really not a very exact science.

I guess I would encourage you just to run it until it starts to cut out and turn on the reserve and see where the needle is, then buy some gas and do it again 4 or 5 times and see if the needle continues to consistently be in the same place, then you will be the expert, but keep in mind it may be information for that bike on that day and not all that replicable.


Now that I have completed my rant I will look at your question again and see if my response was at all relevant.

[hikermikem]

Basically does the red portion of the gauge represent the reserve?

It would be nice if all fuel gages were so accurate you could relate "actual fuel remaining" to a "visual indicator", such as the RED section of the gage.

However, in my opinion, fuel gages in general are not necessarily calibrated to read that linear. The only way to REALLY know when you need to switch your petcock lever over to reserve is through empirical testing, meaning when you feel the engine just start to die (due to fuel starvation), make a mental note as to where the fuel gage needle is, & that's the "reserve" point you are looking for.

Regards,

[rkubik]

red = reserve

on mine, when the needle approaches the red zone, it's indeed time to switch to reserve.

[Steve]

All this talk about running the tank till the engine starts to hesitate is wonderful ... as long as you know that you have a reserve. :shock:

Before you go out there (without a spare gallon or so of gas) and "run it till it coughs", run your tank low, remove it from the bike, remove the petcock assembly. Visually verify that the reserve function is correct on the petcock. There is a tube assembly that sticks up into the tank. In the ON position, fuel is drawn in through the upper hole. When the fuel drops below this level, the petcock lever must be moved, and it will now draw through the lower hole. I have seen this tube assembly put on backwards, meaning that the fuel was drawn through the lower hole when the petcock was in the ON position. I have also seen this assembly not connected to the petcock and floating around loose in the tank. Either one of these situations would mean a long walk to a gas station.

Besides, it does not hurt to check this every so often, as this is all that Suzuki intended as your fuel filter.
If it is clogged or torn, it will lead to problems, so inspection is helpful.

.

[t3rmin]

In fact the gauges are *not* linear, or so I've heard.

And after all these years they're all probably "calibrated" (un-calibrated? de-calibrated?) a little differently, so you'll only be able to ascertain accuracy by personal experience.

If you're not sure reserve works, carry a gallon gas jug for the first gas testing ride.

[focus frenzy]

a contributing factor on the acuracy of GS fuel gauges is the location of the sending unit.
some have the sender on the right side (my 1000G) and that can influence the level shown when you hit reserve. on my G it will hit reserve on long highwat runs at the 1/4 mark, but when doing the errand running around thing and it has a chance to lean over on the side stand and dump gas over from the lower right side it will hit reserve at 1/8th.

my 1100E has the sender on the left side and if I can get the stupid sender to reliably work it would be more acurate as it is on the same side as the petcock. all I have to do is get it to work for more than a tank at a time so I can map out its points.

[Griffin]

The gas gauge on this model is fairly accurate. When my gauge needle touches the uppermost red bar on the gauge, I know I'm going to have to switch the petcock to reserve in about three to five miles.

Been that way for twenty-two years.

[Greg O.]

I own a 79 750L. The gauge on it is pretty accurate. When it hits Empty, I have about 5 to 10 miles before it will start to sputter. I try to get fuel before I get to that point, but on a couple of occasions have had to hit the reserve. Having said that, each bike can be differant, just as cars can be differant. I once owned a old chevy pickup truck that never read lower than 1/8 of a tank and I had to be careful to get fuel before it got to that point.

Greg O.

[Clone]

Once I hit the red, it is going to sputter and die soon. Once I am on reserve and the needle is in the red, it drops like a rock. There is supposed to be 4L in reserve, but I never try to pull 80k out of there. Once I switch it over, I start looking for a gas station.

[Thomas Kenny]

Of course once you have it down to a scientific certainty, everything will change because somedays we cruise, and sometimes we ride hard....... I ride till it farts then turn to reserve.

[Thehotbeast]

Well guys I did it... ran until the engine died... the fuel gauge was half in the red section... put a little fuel in it and it did it again at the same place so now I know...

thanks Guys...

I guess this will be different for everyone.