Out Of Gas????

Discussion in 'Triumph General Discussion' started by Thunderbill, Jun 6, 2022.

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  1. Thunderbill

    Thunderbill Member

    Mar 4, 2022
    23
    8
    San Diego
    Color me confused! Fuel gauge shows almost full, no low fuel light on, I take off on ride, get a couple of blocks and run out of gas!! I suspect that someone stole gas out of the bike but it has a locking gas cap and no leaks found. ?????
     
  2. sprintdave

    sprintdave Nurse,he's out of bed again

    May 25, 2014
    1,491
    750
    Birmingham
    Weird.
    Are you sure you got no fuel at all? Could it just be a blockage somewhere?
     
  3. Wattie

    Wattie Well-Known Member

    Feb 25, 2020
    350
    63
    UK
    Many years ago I was riding for the first time, with this bike, in the rain with a tank bag, I'd just filled up with fuel somewhere in France, put the tank bag back on and set off. 5 mins the bike just ran out of fuel.... turns out the tank bag and rainwater had acted together to form a perfect seal around the fuel cap, causing a vacuum in the tank. While waiting for recovery in a cafe, I thought I'd just remove the tank bag and open the fuel cap, there was an audible rushing of air into the tank and the bike started straight away.
    Now I doubt these are your circumstances but a blocked air feed into the tank can cause the exact symptoms of running out of fuel. Did you try opening the fuel cap? Probably not your problem but thought I'd mention it.
     
    • Useful Useful x 1
  4. Thunderbill

    Thunderbill Member

    Mar 4, 2022
    23
    8
    San Diego
    Nope, tank was empty
     
  5. Eldon

    Eldon Elite Member

    Nov 14, 2018
    4,061
    800
    North Yorkshire
    It's a weird system with no instant correlation to present volume.
    On the 765 street the fuel gauge needs 5 mile or so to register actual content.
    i.e. if you syphoned all the fuel out then the gauge would still read the old value 3/4 full or whatever despite nothing in. This value would show for quite a while.

    When I bought my 765 the shop drained the fuel prior pretty conclusively then failed to refill. I started it outside the shop all good. Once home by trailer I started it in the garage. Within 5 minutes of running it stalled and wouldn't restart; I hadn't even rode it at this point, Saturday teatime: shop shut.
    Fuel gauge was showing 3/4.

    Not one drop of fuel was coming out and once replenished fired up straight away.

    Shop got a rocket on the following Monday morning.
     
  6. andyc1

    andyc1 Lunarville 7, Airlock 3

    Feb 4, 2017
    2,858
    1,000
    N. Ireland
    You put a gas in... thats your problem, your ment to use liquid :p
     
    • Funny Funny x 6
  7. Steve O'Connor

    Mar 9, 2021
    70
    18
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    I recently had almost the opposite experience whereupon my gauge said I had low fuel (but low fuel light not on) I was just leaving for a ride and live literally next to a gas station so
    I ride over to put fuel in and the tank was almost full. I have a 2020 Speedmaster so I cycled through the options for the digital display and it reset correctly.
     
  8. sprintdave

    sprintdave Nurse,he's out of bed again

    May 25, 2014
    1,491
    750
    Birmingham
    I guess the sender for the fuel gauge and low level light has got stuck or wiring issue.
    When did you last fill up, is there any chance you have used the bike but believed the gauge and assumed the tank was full.
    Otherwise could someone have borrowed the bike without you knowing? We did that with my mate's dad's moped once when i was a kid, lol.
     
  9. Thunderbill

    Thunderbill Member

    Mar 4, 2022
    23
    8
    San Diego
    Sender is stuck. 60 mile ride this morning and still on full.
     
  10. surlyone2

    surlyone2 Active Member

    Mar 29, 2022
    154
    43
    New Zealand
    Maybe you've got the magic bike we've all been striving for .. it makes it's own fuel as you ride ?
     
    • Funny Funny x 4
  11. Baza

    Baza Elite Member

    Jul 25, 2020
    2,562
    750
    Home of Amazing Grace
    As Eldon said, and I have just begun to notice, the fuel gauge does take time or a few on/offs of the ignition to get a true reading.
     
  12. Thunderbill

    Thunderbill Member

    Mar 4, 2022
    23
    8
    San Diego
    Relay, maybe?
     
  13. Baza

    Baza Elite Member

    Jul 25, 2020
    2,562
    750
    Home of Amazing Grace
    As Eldon said, and I have just begun to notice, the fuel gauge does take time or a few on/offs of the ignition to get a true reading.
    I don’t think it’s a fault but just how the system works. Like the ABS light keeps blinking until you are up to 15 mph or so.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  14. Eldon

    Eldon Elite Member

    Nov 14, 2018
    4,061
    800
    North Yorkshire
    #14 Eldon, Jun 7, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2022
    Correct.
    It is not a fault but a quirk of the design.
     
  15. Red Thunder

    Red Thunder Crème de la Crème

    Dec 2, 2014
    2,035
    1,000
    High Wycombe
    I had this too, took my bike in for some repairs, tank was almost full with premium fuel.
    Collected the bike a few days later and guage indicated still full
    20 mins down the road and the low fuel warning light is flashing.
    Had to pay for another tank of fuel within 30 miles of previous refill

    Phoned the garage and they said they empty the tank to make it safer to work on
    He couldn't explain what had happened to the fuel though
    That place is closed down now....I wonder why
     
  16. Eldon

    Eldon Elite Member

    Nov 14, 2018
    4,061
    800
    North Yorkshire
    Umm..... in my case the shop said they send all sold bikes out with a full tank, I wonder where the fuel comes from? : unamused:

    First time I became aware of this incorrect reading issue was at a Triumph dealership taking a demo out. I pointed out to the sales guy that it was 99% empty according to the gauge, he assured me it had fuel in and opened the cap. The fuel was very evident just below the filler neck.

    A few miles down the road the gauge corrected itself.
     
  17. Baza

    Baza Elite Member

    Jul 25, 2020
    2,562
    750
    Home of Amazing Grace
    I don’t know if they do it now but the ferry to the Island used to do that, leaving you with just enough to get to the nearest petrol station. Fortunately I could do home to Liverpool on a full 4 gallon tank so they didn’t get a lot out of mine :joy:
     
  18. Thunderbill

    Thunderbill Member

    Mar 4, 2022
    23
    8
    San Diego
    I noted since I've owned the bike that the fuel gauge would take a couple of miles to move to "Full" after I fill up. It is a defect, no doubt.
     
  19. Baza

    Baza Elite Member

    Jul 25, 2020
    2,562
    750
    Home of Amazing Grace
    #19 Baza, Jun 7, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2022
    i don’t necessarily agree. When you first start the bike it will be on the prop stand. Would you expect a true reading then? I think the system is giving itself time in order that it can rule out spurious readings that might occur due to road gradient etc. Now that you know about this idiosyncrasy you can act accordingly.
     
  20. Eldon

    Eldon Elite Member

    Nov 14, 2018
    4,061
    800
    North Yorkshire
    Defect.... no!

    Refer to post #14
     
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