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Do Can Am Spyders have a Reserve Tank???
- Thread starter steriltech
- Start date
I got caught where gas was not available last weekend and the distance to empty showed only bars, low fuel light was on and still drove about 30 miles until I found gas. Based on the amount of fuel to fill the tank completely full I still had about one gallon left but I was sweating it.
As you should've been!! :shocked: . Only that little an amount of gas left in the tank is getting close to straying into the realm of frying your fuel pump &/or doing even more damage to your injector system/engine!! :yikes: And do you really need to ask me how I KNOW this can occur??
pps: You want details of how this happens?!? :dontknow: Read on if you do - Because it's submerged in the tank, your fuel pump uses the gas in the tank as both coolant & lubricant... so if you let the gas remaining in the tank get too low, below about the last 1/4 of a tank or so and certainly anything much less than when the low fuel warning light should have come on (at just below 1/4 tank - but both the gauge & the light on these things are notoriously inaccurate & unreliable!!
), then your fuel pump IS going to be damaged irreversibly, even if only on a microscopic level to start with!! :lecturef_smilie: . And once your fuel pump's been damaged this way, that damage is irreversible short of pump replacement, and it tends to create further damage & accelerate wear as the pump rotates thru use from there on in!! 
You might not notice the small loss of power &/or fuel economy initially, because it's so small to start with & then it only gradually gets worse, so it sorta sneaks up on you.....
. But once it's started, that damage is there for the (now shortened) life of the pump & it causes wear that gradually gets worse over time, even if it might take anywhere from 5,000 to 20,000 miles or more to start becoming obvious! If you sell your Ryker before it becomes a problem, then you might've dodged that bullet, but eventually, someone's gonna hafta pay for fact that you let the gas remaining in the tank run too low!! :gaah: And let's not forget the damage that can be caused if the pump starts picking up the increasingly concentrated suspended crud left hanging around in what little gas remains in the tank as you run it down, something that's bad enough in modern fuel injected engines with the minute solid particles that can be small enough to sneak thru the filter etc; but anything that's dissolved in the gas that's NOT actually gas is just as bad if not worse!! :shocked: . Microscopic drops of water or other soluble liquids dissolved in the gas will easily pass thru the filters, and once they get into the pump &/or injector system, the heat & pressure can instantly flash them into tiny spots of super-heated steam - even plasma in some instances! And if those happen to hit anything important or get caught between rotating surfaces, they'll instantly blow a tiny crater into it or weld the touching surfaces together as they get squeezed thru the gap, then just as intantly get ripped apart as the surfaces rotate away from each other, leaving tiny but jagged craters &/or peaks on those surfaces that will likely never match up exactly again, instead just gouging a new hole/peak in whatever spot of the opposing surface they hit next time around!!
Those little drops of superheated steam or plasma can also blast holes & craters thru the atomising tips on the injectors too, and chunks out of any other metal or plastic part they might come into contact with!! So not only do you end up with minute chunks of metal or plastic getting ground into everything they touch, but also the injector nozzles can start loosing their ability to properly atomise the gas as it gets injected into the cylinders &/or charge air, meaning bigger fuel droplets that don't burn as well as atomised mist, robbing your engine of power & economy; and those drops can start causing damaging temperature variations that can contribute to creating minute crystalisation spots &/or cracks or hot spots on the cylinder heads & walls, piston rings, piston tops, etc, etc... and that means that gradually, but at an ever increasing rate that will eventually end up well beyond normal wear rates, your engine & injectors, injector system etc slowly chews itself apart from the inside out!! :yikes:
Isn't it just easier to always use your trip meters to show how far you've come since your last fill-up; to try and plan your trip to avoid running low on gas; to never pass a gas station if you're below about half a tank full & don't know how far it'll be to the next fill-up; and if you do ever happen to get as low in remaining gas that the distance travelled since your last fill becomes too high &/or the low fuel warning light comes on, fill up at very the first opportunity?!? :dontknow: And don't whatever you do purposefully run your tank to empty or even much lower than about a 1/4 tank full if you can possibly avoid it! :thumbup:
Just Sayin'
hyea:
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Peter - I agree with every statement you made above and believe me I was looking for gas at every turn of the road for over 100 miles but there was just none available. I certainly didn't mean to endorse such conduct just to point out that there was significant fuel available even when the gauge indicates that you are in trouble. Remember this started out with the OP complaining about the lack of a fuel petcock with a reserve selection available. When I started riding many years ago, every bike had a fuel valve with a reserve setting and many years ago, at least in my case, the valve with a reserve setting went away and was replaced with a gauge. I fail to see the lack of reserve setting as a reason for concern. Also, keep in mind that most of the old petcock's with reserve settings operated by taking fuel from a higher level at normal setting and reserve setting just allowed the fuel to be drawn from lower in the tank. If the bike was ridden for months or years at the higher setting and then the reserve was accessed then the reserve fuel was likely full of sediment, water etc. For that reason I prefer not having a valve that allows switching to reserve.
Yep, I too think that whatever one might feel about the lack or otherwise of the 'reserve' petcock, the advantages of modern fuel injection systems largely outweigh the disadvantages (especially on bikes like the Spyder/Ryker) - and I do see/hear a lot of people complaining about how early the low fuel warning light comes on, and some even bragging about how far they can go AFTER that's come on..... all without realising the almost certain potential for eventual expensive damage that they're risking by using too much of that 'reserve' left in the tank after the low fuel light comes on?!? :gaah:
So I really just took the opportunity of hanging another 'do y'all realise' post off the end of your comment - not that I was aiming the saga specifically at you, but it was such a good lead in & a great opportunity, and there are so many out there who just don't seem to realise... or who outright ignore the risks!! :banghead:
Cheers! :cheers:
So I really just took the opportunity of hanging another 'do y'all realise' post off the end of your comment - not that I was aiming the saga specifically at you, but it was such a good lead in & a great opportunity, and there are so many out there who just don't seem to realise... or who outright ignore the risks!! :banghead:
Cheers! :cheers:
This is the first time I've heard about the issue of fuel pump damage from running a tank to empty. Maybe I just haven't been paying attention or it just hadn't penetrated my gravity-fed carburetor brain yet!
I think I remember some scoffing at the idea of carrying spare fuel anywhere in the lower 48. I've personally experienced being stranded in Nevada on 3 different occasions, the first being my trusty old V-Star that did have the manual petcock.
Trying to estimate the remaining miles in a tank can be a bit tricky when battling headwinds, traffic jams, road construction and the like. Filling up at the 1/2 way mark isn't always an option. I've sweated it out but made it more times than I've run out, on bikes and in cages. I don't do it for the thrill of it, but sometimes it's a tossup what to do.
So far, I've not experienced any issues with any of the vehicles that I've run the tank dry on, even though I've kept them years and many miles afterward. I hate to think the subsequent owners had to pay the price of my mistakes.
Thank you for bringing this issue into the discussion!
I think I remember some scoffing at the idea of carrying spare fuel anywhere in the lower 48. I've personally experienced being stranded in Nevada on 3 different occasions, the first being my trusty old V-Star that did have the manual petcock.
Trying to estimate the remaining miles in a tank can be a bit tricky when battling headwinds, traffic jams, road construction and the like. Filling up at the 1/2 way mark isn't always an option. I've sweated it out but made it more times than I've run out, on bikes and in cages. I don't do it for the thrill of it, but sometimes it's a tossup what to do.
So far, I've not experienced any issues with any of the vehicles that I've run the tank dry on, even though I've kept them years and many miles afterward. I hate to think the subsequent owners had to pay the price of my mistakes.
Thank you for bringing this issue into the discussion!
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canamjhb
Well-known member
Quick story..... I was riding my 2014 RTL leading a GL1800 and another Spyder RTL on a multi-week trip. I was a new Spyder owner and obviously not familiar with ALL it's functions. I knew we were getting low on fuel (the Spyders) but was confident we could make it to our destination. I kept watching for a fuel light but didn't ever see one. Pulled into a gas station (finally) and my friend riding the other Spyder asked if I was nuts.....? His fuel light had been on for many miles! It was then that I learned that the RTL fuel light was on the tachometer! I was watching the fuel gage for the light. Silly me! I should have known that BRP would put that warning light somewhere other than by the fuel gage..... Go figure. Jim
cravenfun
Member
Peters' advice also applies to your 4 wheel cages also.
Gas lubes and cools the in-tank fuel pump. E doesn't mean enough. Treat the 1/4 mark as empty and you will tremendously lessen any fuel pump issues in any fuel injected vehicle.
Repair shops love E lighters, makes for steady work.
I've taken many a FI fuel pump to 250k miles in vehicles on the OEM pumps.
The days of gravity fed carburetors and switching to reserve are long gone.
Gas lubes and cools the in-tank fuel pump. E doesn't mean enough. Treat the 1/4 mark as empty and you will tremendously lessen any fuel pump issues in any fuel injected vehicle.
Repair shops love E lighters, makes for steady work.
I've taken many a FI fuel pump to 250k miles in vehicles on the OEM pumps.
The days of gravity fed carburetors and switching to reserve are long gone.
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That's really good to know. I thank you and Peter for bringing that to my attention. I'll take that advice seriously from now on.
RangerRick
Member
I had a Yamaha Raider, and that had a small sub-tank under the seat that held the fuel pump, when the fuel from the main tank ran out, then as this tiny tank was drawn down the low fuel light came on. Doing this was a sure way to shorten your fuel pump's life. I would never let any modern vehicle get to the point where the pump is is exposed to air and loose the cooling of being immersed in fuel
Star Cruiser
New member
The manual states the Fuel Tank Capacity is 27.00 litres (7,13 US gal) & Reserve Fuel Capacity is 4.50 litres (1.19 US gal)
I don't think it's such a bad question.
My answer is:
There is no Fuel petcock switch. Your fuel range indicator will tell you how many km or miles you have left, depending on if you are set to Metric or Standard. When you get to the last 4.50 litres (1.19 gal) you will have hit your "Reserve". You will be able to tell by the 3 dashes (- - -) where you range is normally indicated.
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On my 2021 Spyder RT I have yet to see the low fuel warning light come on. I never let it go beyond about 150 miles before stopping to refuel. Usually once I hit 100 miles I am in need of a short break, so stopping to fill up is the best solution. If I were ever planning on being in a part of the country where I might have to go a considerable distance for a gas station, I would buy a couple of those safe to fill with gas bottles and keep an extra gallon with me at all times.
It never hurts to add to the knowledge pool, but do be aware that you're responding to a thread that started in 2015 and where the last post prior to yours was put up almost 2 years ago.
Even that post you quoted was put up back in June 2022! :shocked: So,
ldpost: it ALWAYS pays to check the date of the first post in a thread AND the dates of at least the last few posts before replying! :thumbup:That said, the V-twin Spyders only ever had a gas tank with a usable gas volume of about 20 litres - it's only the 1330 powered Spyders that got the larger gas tank; and even then, I'm not all that sure that any Spyders before about 2018 at the earliest (or was it 2020?) even had a 'Fuel Range' indicator to tell you how many km or miles you have left.
Mind you, regardless of how the manual puts it, as you've sorta alluded, that statement of the gas tank's capacity should more correctly be shown/stated something like this: "the 1330's Fuel Tank Capacity is 27.00 litres (7,13 US gal) & OF THAT 27 litres, Reserve Fuel Capacity is approximately 4.50 litres (1.19 US gal) after the Low Fuel Light should come on."
So the 1330's really only have a SAFELY USABLE Gas Quantity of about 22 litres - running your tank much lower than that is only asking for trouble; maybe not instantly, but definitely eventually, if not inevitably! :lecturef_smilie:
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BajaRon
Well-known member
Oldies but Goodies!
Some things get better with age. But not necessarily forum threads...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tOOyKkkWT0
Some things get better with age. But not necessarily forum threads...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tOOyKkkWT0
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I GREW UP IN THE 50's & 60's...BEST TIMES EVER...THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS LINK...larryd
EdMat
Well-known member
Coming up as Video Unavailable with Video is Private underneath it.
Bugga! It worked for me early this morning, just a few hours after Ron posted it (it's fairly late Tuesday night here in my part of Oz now!
) Lotsa 'oldies' but goodies in there! :thumbup: Doesn't work now tho... Private Video msg. :dontknow:
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BajaRon
Well-known member
Bugga! It worked for me early this morning, just a few hours after Ron posted it (it's fairly late Tuesday night here in my part of Oz now!
I don't get it either. I changed the link and it now works again.
EdMat
Well-known member
Yep, working....................Thanks
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