Full Tank of Fuel

[bigbadbrucie]

Has anyone ran their RT empty and then refilled with ONLY the capacity that the owners manual states that the tank holds? Is the manual right? Where on the tank did the fuel come to? I’ve never done it, and I’m just curious as to how accurate the manual/BRP is. Anyone???

[Gwolf]

Not a good idea to run the tank completely empty. It is really a bad idea with a fuel injected engine.

[WDAVEY]

The problem (design) of the fuel tank is that there's no long filler neck like on a car/truck. If you shove the fuel nozzle all the way into the opening, the nozzle will trip off long before the tank is really full. I insert the fuel nozzle to just below (1/8 inch) under the plate in the filler neck. Fill slowly to prevent foaming and stop when you see foam at the slits on the plate. No idea how many gallons the tank actually holds, but as mentioned above, it's not a good idea to run the tank completely empty.

[bigbadbrucie]

The problem (design) of the fuel tank is that there's no long filler neck like on a car/truck. If you shove the fuel nozzle all the way into the opening, the nozzle will trip off long before the tank is really full. I insert the fuel nozzle to just below (1/8 inch) under the plate in the filler neck. Fill slowly to prevent foaming and stop when you see foam at the slits on the plate. No idea how many gallons the tank actually holds, but as mentioned above, it's not a good idea to run the tank completely empty.

Thar may be so, but it does happen, and yes, I know how to fill my tank...I’ve been riding it now for 5 years. Like I mentioned, I’m just curious as to how accurate BRP and the owners manual are.

[JayBros]

Read the specifications in your operator's guide and assume it is the maximum capacity. Don't overthink the problem; fuel station pump pressure and nozzle touchiness govern just how much you are going to put in the tank without getting splash-back that will go all over your Tupperware.

[trong]

Thar may be so, but it does happen, and yes, I know how to fill my tank...I’ve been riding it now for 5 years. Like I mentioned, I’m just curious as to how accurate BRP and the owners manual are.

One easy way to measure is siphon your fuel out of the tank until it's empty or until you think it's empty, then measure the amount you put in it. I'm sure you have a couple of 5-gallon gas tanks in your shed you can use.
On my 2013 RTL, the needle at the red mark yesterday, light did not lit up though, and I put in 3.5 gallons and it's up to the filler neck.

[Fatcycledaddy]

It is a little confusing on the new 2020. Manual says 7 gallon tank, I have ran it until there is nothing left reading on the gauge, it went to red, then all the red was gone. I pushed it and rode about 20 miles farther before filling up, and could only get 5.8 gallons in the tank.
So if I still had 1.2 gallons, that is quite a reserve.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

It is a little confusing on the new 2020. Manual says 7 gallon tank, I have ran it until there is nothing left reading on the gauge, it went to red, then all the red was gone. I pushed it and rode about 20 miles farther before filling up, and could only get 5.8 gallons in the tank.
So if I still had 1.2 gallons, that is quite a reserve.

The gauge is only S.W.A.G. ...... JMHO ..... Mike

[Gwolf]

It is a little confusing on the new 2020. Manual says 7 gallon tank, I have ran it until there is nothing left reading on the gauge, it went to red, then all the red was gone. I pushed it and rode about 20 miles farther before filling up, and could only get 5.8 gallons in the tank.
So if I still had 1.2 gallons, that is quite a reserve.

That is probably just about right. I have about 1.5 gallons left of tank capacity when it get 15 or 20 miles past where the low fuel light comes on.
Never have run it out, but have run 20 to 30 miles past the low fuel light. Should be about 50 miles or more left before it runs dry, after the low fuel light comes on.

If I was carrying a couple gallons of spare fuel, I would put it in the tank when the low fuel light comes on and not waiting until it runs out completely. Letting it run dry is asking for trouble.

[2dogs]

No one really knows the capacity of a spyder fuel tank.

[canamjhb]

Kinda related to the question and why the gage shows empty well before ALL the fuel is gone...... The fuel pump is inside the fuel tank and it is the fuel that keeps it cool. It could overheat otherwise. Just guessing, but, this could be by design. And, BTW..... Mike, you stumped me with the acronym S.W.A.G. I think I know what you mean but couldn't figure out swag so I looked it up in the urban dictionary. There were several choices...... She Wants A Guy, Secretly We Are Gay, Sex With A Goat, and a few others............... ...... Damn, I'm too old for this stuff..... Jim

[Peacekeeper6]

I don't get those people who run their tanks of their vehicles all the way to empty and try to find out if the manual is telling the truth about fuel capacity.

As stated above, the residual fuel will slosh around and make that electric motor of the pump surge. The constant revving and overrevving to keep the injectors fed can't be good for it. The fuel is also used to keep the pump cool. This will cause overheating issues and will significantly shorten the life of the pump.

And so what if it's not the correct capacity ?? What're you gonna do, sue the manufacturer ?? What's that gonna accomplish ??

Me ?? I just do the KISS method: Once the tank falls below 1/4 tank, go to a friggen gas station, pay the cashier, stick the nozzle in the tank and fill it up.

It's not rocket science, and there's more to Life than worrying about whether or not the fuel capacity printed in the manual is correct.

Maybe it's just me....

[bigbadbrucie]

No one really knows the capacity of a spyder fuel tank.

That’s why I asked the question. My owners manual says it’s a 26 litre tank (6.9 gal), but is it? I’ve never put 26 litres in it. I was wondering if anyone has been able to put the amount of fuel in that the manual says it holds. They would obviously have run dry.....or would they?

[redrazor]

I don't get those people who run their tanks of their vehicles all the way to empty and try to find out if the manual is telling the truth about fuel capacity.

As stated above, the residual fuel will slosh around and make that electric motor of the pump surge. The constant revving and overrevving to keep the injectors fed can't be good for it. The fuel is also used to keep the pump cool. This will cause overheating issues and will significantly shorten the life of the pump.

And so what if it's not the correct capacity ?? What're you gonna do, sue the manufacturer ?? What's that gonna accomplish ??

Me ?? I just do the KISS method: Once the tank falls below 1/4 tank, go to a friggen gas station, pay the cashier, stick the nozzle in the tank and fill it up.

It's not rocket science, and there's more to Life than worrying about whether or not the fuel capacity printed in the manual is correct.

Maybe it's just me....

[Fatcycledaddy]

I don't get those people who run their tanks of their vehicles all the way to empty and try to find out if the manual is telling the truth about fuel capacity.

As stated above, the residual fuel will slosh around and make that electric motor of the pump surge. The constant revving and overrevving to keep the injectors fed can't be good for it. The fuel is also used to keep the pump cool. This will cause overheating issues and will significantly shorten the life of the pump.

And so what if it's not the correct capacity ?? What're you gonna do, sue the manufacturer ?? What's that gonna accomplish ??

Me ?? I just do the KISS method: Once the tank falls below 1/4 tank, go to a friggen gas station, pay the cashier, stick the nozzle in the tank and fill it up.

It's not rocket science, and there's more to Life than worrying about whether or not the fuel capacity printed in the manual is correct.

Maybe it's just me....

I like to know how far I can actually drive on a full tank.
We run all back roads towing a camper when on a trip, and there were several times when we were out west that fuel was not available for over 150 miles. I have filled up, driven the 150 miles only to find the station is closed or no longer there. I was thrilled that I had a cushion to make it to the next station another 50 miles away.
Knowing how far I can go on a tank helps me route my trips accordingly.
There is not always a place to fill up when we get to 1/4 of a tank when running those beautiful byways.

[Steve W.]

Read ... and assume...

Not exactly a scientific approach to answer a question.

I don't get those people who run their tanks of their vehicles all the way to empty and try to find out if the manual is telling the truth about fuel capacity. ... It's not rocket science, and there's more to Life than worrying about whether or not the fuel capacity printed in the manual is correct.

The point is that we are trying to NOT run our tanks empty. It is good to know how much fuel is still in the tank when the gauge is reading "E". It might be fumes, it might be another three gallons. If you KNOW it's fumes, you will KNOW that you need to stop when the gauge is showing 1/4. If you KNOW that there are another three gallons, the stress level is considerably lower. Actual capacity is not really the point, what is left in the tank is more likely the actual question.


Bruce, you now officially have my curiosity up. Some time this week, I will likely set an empty 5-gallon gas can next to the Spyder and siphon fuel from the tank into the can, watching the fuel gauge as it happens. I will stop when the fuel light comes on, switch cans and measure what else comes out after that. I might even start the Spyder to see when the engine quits in relation to how much fuel has been drained. I will then put the contents of the 5-gallon can back in and go to the gas station that is only three blocks away and fill to the top to see how much it takes.

.

[easysuper]

I've never ran her empty but came to darn close twice this summer, ones I put in 5.8 gal and another I put in 5.9.

[2dogs]

That’s why I asked the question. My owners manual says it’s a 26 litre tank (6.9 gal), but is it? I’ve never put 26 litres in it. I was wondering if anyone has been able to put the amount of fuel in that the manual says it holds. They would obviously have run dry.....or would they?

The only safe way I know of is like some others have mentioned. Move the spyder to a position where there's a confirmed low spot on the tank. Like the front wheels on a ramp. Siphon out all the gas and then fill it to the neck where it's about overflow. Or, buy just a gas tank and fill it up. Personally I don't care how much it holds. I just want to know how much I have left.

[EdMat]

Not exactly a scientific approach to answer a question.

The point is that we are trying to NOT run our tanks empty. It is good to know how much fuel is still in the tank when the gauge is reading "E". It might be fumes, it might be another three gallons.

.

Since it seems every tank full it might change a bit I'm not sure anyone knows how to answer.

[AeroPilot]

Kind of like the specs on cubic ft of storage capacity on an SUV, the rounded corners and crannies that techincally make up the total capacity cannot be utilized.

On the Spyder tanks, head space to allow for fuel expansion, and the space below the fuel pump inlet are part of the calculated capacity (listed at 6.9 gals for my 15 RT, 7.1 gal on wifes F3T) will never be considered on our trip plans for fuel stops.

Just got back from Lamonsters Spyders in the Ozarks, and had some head wind and cross winds that limited our average fuel economy to around 37 mpg running mostly at 66 mph.

We fueled up usually before 200 miles on the odometer, and coming home had one fuel-up after getting off I-44 in Galena, MO when my fuel light was on (but still on the last bar).

I fueled-up with 5.2 gals, and the wife took 5.156 on her F3T. We still had over 1.5 gal "capacity" but probably only a gallon of usuable fuel ---but lots of miles of smyles!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Kinda related to the question and why the gage shows empty well before ALL the fuel is gone...... The fuel pump is inside the fuel tank and it is the fuel that keeps it cool. It could overheat otherwise. Just guessing, but, this could be by design. And, BTW..... Mike, you stumped me with the acronym S.W.A.G. I think I know what you mean but couldn't figure out swag so I looked it up in the urban dictionary. There were several choices...... She Wants A Guy, Secretly We Are Gay, Sex With A Goat, and a few others............... ...... Damn, I'm too old for this stuff..... Jim

:roflblack .... Mine is very old school ... Semi-Wild- A**- Guess ....... Mike

[JayBros]

IMO there are just so many factors and combinations thereof that TO ME it isn't worth worrying how much gas the tank actually holds. What is important is what I've been doing since I last filled the tank when the low fuel light comes on. If I've been blowing along an interstate at, say 65-75 then the trip meter may read 180-190 and I may be good for 25 or so miles before any pucker factor arises. OTOH, if I've been toodling around backroads at speed limits below 60 the trip meter is going to read 225 or so and I can easily go another 25-30 before becoming concerned. This weekend I turned 68K on the clock and the most I've ever put in the alleged 6.9 gal tank is 6.38 and I rode 215.4 miles on that tank with an average of 33.8 so I was obviously hauling along as my average mpg since day 1 is 36.7. What I find most annoying is that I find it very difficult to say I am filling the tank as close to full as possible on each tank because of the pump volume and nozzle flow and when I look in the tank at that point where I think it's as full as it needs to be because I have no reference point inside the tank. I've never filled it to the point where the fuel level is right at that baffle where the nozzle goes in. I always get to the point where I stop because I don't want fuel sloshing out and all over the Spyder.

[Gwolf]

If you are really concerned about running out because of long stretches between gas stations, carry extra fuel. My old Sportster had an over-size fuel tank on it, but still, only held 4.2 gallons and the .2 was not really usable. I could drain it almost dry with the reserve switch on. I was traveling through a lot of National Forests and parks where it was long stretches between gas stations. I carried 4 of the large MSR aluminum fuel bottles full of gas with me. Went some long stretches, but never ran completely out of gas the whole 20 years I rode it. If I was riding the Spyder up in the Adirondack Forest or out west, I would also carry the fuel bottles on it, even though it will go over 100 miles farther then the old Sporty with a full tank. How much fuel you carry does not depend on the tank size. It depends on how much trouble you want to go to in order to have extra fuel.

[Peter Aawen]

Not exactly a scientific approach to answer a question.


..... Some time this week, I will likely set an empty 5-gallon gas can next to the Spyder and siphon fuel from the tank into the can, watching the fuel gauge as it happens. I will stop when the fuel light comes on, switch cans and measure what else comes out after that. I might even start the Spyder to see when the engine quits in relation to how much fuel has been drained. I will then put the contents of the 5-gallon can back in and go to the gas station that is only three blocks away and fill to the top to see how much it takes.

.

THAT is what will cause damage to the fuel/injector pump and likely also your injectors! Even just running it lower than the last couple of quarts is not a good idea; but running it until it quits is DEFINITELY not the thing to do EVER, especially if you have a choice & it's avoidable!

Replacing a fuel pump because the tank was run dry just once too often (could be the fifth time; could be the first time, who knows?!) is bad enough; but have you ever thought about what happens to the rest of the engine when an 'improperly cooled & lubricated injector tip' blows off & drops into the cylinder while the engine is still running... even just for the next second or so before it all comes to a grinding halt...

Just sayin'

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

That’s why I asked the question. My owners manual says it’s a 26 litre tank (6.9 gal), but is it? I’ve never put 26 litres in it. I was wondering if anyone has been able to put the amount of fuel in that the manual says it holds. They would obviously have run dry.....or would they?

My fuel records show back in Mar & Apr 2016 I put 6.92 & 6.93 gallons in with a tank mileage of 202 and 203. I don't remember running out and having to push my RT to the gas pump, but I must have been close!