Noob question about the fuel valve

[txsizzler]

Hello all,

Just a quick noob question about the fuel valve. If I leave it in the Fuel On postion, does this have any effect on the Rebel, or will it do something later on? I try to remember to put it in the fuel off position, but sometimes forget to (will remember about an hour later... then run and switch it off).

Also, is there any easier way to keep track of how much gas you have left in your fuel tank? Without a fuel gauge, it seems really inconvienent to have to open the gas tank to look in it to judge how much gas you have left. Any tips or pointers on this would be highly helpful! :D

[GearJammer]

There's 2 different types of petcocks.....gravity feed & vacuum actuated.

The 450 Rebs have vacuum actuated ones & theoretically, unless the bike is actually running, no fuel is supposed to flow thru the petcock. On the 250's, the petcock is gravity feed, which means that as long as the petcock is in the "On" or "Reserve" position, fuel will flow, bike running or not. You DEFINITELY want to turn the petcock to "Off" after shutting the bike down. I've left a gravity feed petcock "On" after shut-down once & will be much less likely to space it again. Fuel can flow into the carb, find it's way thru the manifold & into the crankcase where it mixes with the motor oil. Not a pretty picture. The gas thins out the oil, the clutch can slip, motor cooling is dramatically reduced, etc. Requires draining the oil, re-filling & for added insurance, drain & re-fill again after the first short ride.

Rule of thumb I follow when getting ready to shut down the bike:

Place in Neutral
Turn petcock to "Off"
Turn key to "Off", remove key

As far as fuel level.......it's always good to check the fuel tank as part of your pre-ride inspection. Top-off when needed or even top-off just before returning from a ride. If you forget or if you're on a long run, more than likely you'll feel the bike start to stutter from fuel starvation, which means that the "Reserve" position on the petcock is called for to make it to the very next gas station. Oftentimes, if this happens, you might be able to safely reach down & just switch the petcock to "Reserve" in time to allow the fuel flow to resume & catch itself without missing a beat....

[rebofga06]

I always reset my odometer when I fill up with gas. I know I can go atleast 162 miles on a tank without hitting the reserve valve. So when it starts getting close ,I start looking for a gas station.

JErry

[txsizzler]

I always reset my odometer when I fill up with gas. I know I can go atleast 162 miles on a tank without hitting the reserve valve. So when it starts getting close ,I start looking for a gas station.

JErry


Thanks GJ and Jerry. I will remember those tips. I figure I will get about the same mpg as Jerry, so I will reset my odometer whenever I hit the gas station, and watch for the 162 miles.

[b4v4]

Good call, Jerry. I've been doing that on all my bikes for years, and have my daughter trained likewise. When I get a new bike, I fill the tank, reset the trip meter, and ride till I hit reserve. Then I know approximately how long that bike will go, and either keep a mental note, or make a label with a labelmaker with the miles and stick it on the speedo face right above or below the trip meter so I know. And I'm definitely with Gearjammer on making a habit of shutting off the petcock on a gravity feed setup. Last year, I had to transport a bike with the front wheel suspended up quite a ways, so the bike was setting as it would if it were climbing a very steep hill. I forgot to shut off the fuel petcock, and when I went back in the trailer at the end of the trip, it smelled ripe of gas. The bike wouldn't start (thank goodness) so I started looking, and the airbox was level full of gas, about 3/4 of a gallon. When I put the bike in the trailer at this angle, it changed the float level in the carburetor, and the float kept the needle valve open accordingly. When I leveled it out, all that gas backed up into the carb and flooded the %&$# out of it.