81 GS450S - Engine knocks when low on fuel

[Anonymous]

Valve adjustment isn't that bad. You shouldn't do it without a competent maintenance manual though. I have the Clymer, got it off eBay, but it skips many topics such as how to do specific tests and maintenances. It tries to cover too many bikes: something like ten years of production and three different engine sizes plus model styles. I'd see if there's a Haynes that is more specific. You might still wind up going with the Clymer, but you might seriously consider investing in the 1100E chain drive manual also. I have one for my other bike. It covers many more topics. Comparatively, the 450 book is sadly thin. The index is also crap, but that seems to be a continual problem with Clymer. There are only 36 top-level topics. You want to look up "instrument cluster" or "horn" -- too bad, it's not there. Grrr.

Michael

[DMPLATT]

If I understand this correctly, if I'm running out of fuel, not just low, if my engine is making strange sounds it may be more than just running out of fuel?
My bike sounds perfectly fine and the plugs look great. I just have heard the same sounds AS I was running out? Had this before on another bike. Thought that was normal fuel starvation?

[Anonymous]

dmplatt,

I think your fine. I believe everyone is saying that under normal (if there is such a thing) fuel starvation your engine very well make weird noises and this is most likely completely normal.

My concern stems from me thinking that this noise is happening too soon. That and other small things that just make me think my carbs are just not tunned right. I have no idea when the last time any real tunning has been done to them. I did remove them from the bike and crack them open this spring and to my untrained eye they looked remarkably clean. I was going to attempt some sort of rebuild then, but they looked so clean I just sprayed them a bit with carb cleaner and reinstalled them. The bike runs just as well as it ever has for me after that, but that still isn't great.

Cheers!

[bgmart450]

Both of our 450's do that knocking. Once I ran near outta gas right after I changed the oil. I made the mistake of going left to a Target for oil thinking I was a qt low (cheaper than most gas stations) and then having to go back to the right where the gas stations were. I barely coasted into the station. My stupid petcock needs a wrench to be turned otherwise res would have been the answer there.