Fuel reserve...worth checking how much you have.

[Mikep328]

  I just got around to doing that today on my 400.  I put it in the normal fuel position and drained the fuel.  Then I switched it to the reserve position to see how much more fuel there would be.  Turned out there was NONE.  So I pulled the petcock.  The plastic filter/ tube assembly was totally jammed in the tank fitting, as if the plastic had expanded over the years - I had to work it out with pliers.  And it was obviously not seated properly in the petcock so the petcock was just picking up fuel from the bottom of the tank at all times.

So I ordered a new filter tube/the two gaskets from DSS.  I'd been meaning to check this since I bought the bike nearly two years ago but once again found that "meaning to" do something never seems to actually get it done!

[Mikep328]

Installed the new filter (genuine Honda).  The old filter was a pattern part apparently and did not fit properly.  I poured two liters of petrol in the tank, turned the petcock to the "normal" position and no fuel came out; turned it to reserve - good strong stream.  So now I know I have a properly functioning "reserve" although I still don't know how much fuel is in the tank when reserve is called for, which was the point of the exercise in the first place. 

[TrickyMicky]

Maybe I've got this arse upwards, but, if you put 2 litres in the tank and nothing flowed from the "normal" position, keep pouring measured amounts until it does flow, that will give you the amount in reserve.

[exvalvesetdabbler]

If you slipstream a box van on a quiet A road, you should easily do 40 miles on reserve. Always used to happen on a Sunday afternoon when all the rural petrol stations were shut or you could only get 4*.


Dave.

[Mikep328]

"Maybe I've got this arse upwards, but, if you put 2 litres in the tank and nothing flowed from the "normal" position, keep pouring measured amounts until it does flow, that will give you the amount in reserve."

Absolutely right but I don't have a gas can (or a garage to keep/store tools, etc).  The bikes and car are in parking slot 3/4 mile away from the house.   When I drained the tank I drained it into 3 wine bottles I picked out of a local rubbish bin and poured them into our Mini's gas tank as they filled.  I kept two wine bottles filled with gas under the bike's cover and that's all I had to pour back in!

[honda-san]

FWIW, our 400/4's (which all have standard fuel tap arrangements) have pretty well exactly 3 litres reserve, 11 litres main (so 14 litres total).

[Mikep328]

Thanks!!