inaccurate gas gauge?

[badwithcomputer]

How inaccurate is your Katana's gas gauge?

For the first time, I just drove my Katana until i felt uncomfortable letting the gas needle go any further. I had hit 243kms and the needle had made it through the red zone and was close to resting on the opposing stopping post. It did not make any motions to switch to reserve (spitting, sputtering etc) so i pulled into a gas station and put 17.56 liters into it. It's a 20 litre tank?! From what i've read most people get a warning to switch to reserve when the needle hits red or is it different for everyone?

[05RedKat600]

5.1 gallon tank = 19 liters or so. Is your Petcock on Reserve? If not, sounds like it's leaking and you need to rebuild it. Should have run out of gas and had to switch to reserve.

[badwithcomputer]

I very recently had the tank off to install the tank bra and wire up my 12v charger. Petcock has always been pointed in the 6 o'clock position and no leaks while off the bike. OR do you mean that the leak has negated reserve and now the ON position simply is a straight shot all the way down to empty?

I understand its the vacuum of the engine that pulls the gas into the bike through the petcock, so its possible there is a leak under vacuum, but not a leak while the engine isn't running?

[05RedKat600]

6 o'clock is ON. Sounds like you need to rebuild your petcock as something isn't right. Should have needed to turn it to 3 o'clock at about 4 gallons.

[badwithcomputer]

4 gallons?! or 4 litres? 4 gallons is a substantial amount of gas left!

I had a rule in my head to remember the position of the petcock for when i need to use reserve and its "twist forward to keep going forward." which would be 9 o'clock. I think prime is at the 3 o'clock position but that's neither here nor there, I obviously have an issue with the little guy.

Thanks for confirming!

[05RedKat600]

4 gallons?! or 4 litres? 4 gallons is a substantial amount of gas left!

I had a rule in my head to remember the position of the petcock for when i need to use reserve and its "twist forward to keep going forward." which would be 9 o'clock. I think prime is at the 3 o'clock position but that's neither here nor there, I obviously have an issue with the little guy.

Thanks for confirming!

You misunderstood. After using 4 gallons (15 liters), you should have to turn it to reserve. Yes, I was wrong, It should have been 9 o'clock LOL!

[badwithcomputer]

we were on the same page atleast! thanks again!

[05RedKat600]

we were on the same page atleast! thanks again!

[Trip]

bah... didn't read it all...

Mine seems dead on, starts sputtering shortly into red while on flat roads. I don't even take the gauge for what it is when I'm in the mountains, obviously. Anyone ever integrated a digi fuel gauge? Never really researched them, wonder if that'd be dead on accurate in all driving conditions or if it uses a float as well.

[05RedKat600]

You misunderstood. After using 4 gallons (15 liters), you should have to turn it to reserve. Yes, I was wrong, It should have been 9 o'clock LOL!

3 o'clock is prime, 9 o'clock is reserve.

No way, really?

[Trip]

No way, really?

We'll you had it screwed up in the first place... And I edited RIGHT back... Now how about a USEFUL opinion on the digi gauge...

[Kreylyn]

We'll you had it screwed up in the first place... And I edited RIGHT back... Now how about a USEFUL opinion on the digi gauge...

The fuel gauge is designed to show you an estimate of how much fuel you have available for the on position. It does not include the reserve. For this purpose, the guage is very close to accurate. You can tweak it's accuracy by adjusting the angle of the bend on the float arm inside the tank. Mine is pretty dead on that the guage hand is just fully past the red when reserve is needed after I tweaked it a bit.

If your wanting instead to have a fuel guage that shows you the main and reserve fuel levels... then a digital one might be an option. I don't know of anyone who has done it yet that would/could offer any specific feedback.

Krey