Reserve Question

[jimnvalk]

On my way home yesterday i hit reserve for the first time.  I usually try to fill up sooner.  I still showed 3 bars on my gas meter and had only gone 151 miles.  When I stopped to fill it up she only held 4.8 gals.  The manual says we have a 6.87 gal tank with reserve of 1.6.  Is this ok or do I need to look into it?  Thanks for the advice.

[Valkpilot]

On my way home yesterday i hit reserve for the first time.  I usually try to fill up sooner.  I still showed 3 bars on my gas meter and had only gone 151 miles.  When I stopped to fill it up she only held 4.8 gals.  The manual says we have a 6.87 gal tank with reserve of 1.6.  Is this ok or do I need to look into it?  Thanks for the advice.

Reserve should be more like 1.1 gallon according to Honda's promotional specs, posted at Dag's site: www.valkyrienorway.com

Your petcock may be starting to fail.

[RainMaker]

Might be the petcock, but normally a bad petcock starts your problems at about 2 gallons down instead of almost 5. I've heard that plus it was what happened on my son's Tourer. 

I have never gotten my tank full - it's almost impossible unless you modify the vent hole in the filler neck and even then, I don't think you can put 6.9 gallons consistently in the I/S tank.  Mileage wise, you were just over 30mpg in hot weather with a lot of wind.  That doesn't sound out of the ordinary.

So, this doesn't sound too abnormal except for the 3 bars showing on the fuel gauge when you hit reserve.  Fuel gauges are just estimators, IMHO.  Mine will go down half a tank on the gauge but be 3.5 gallons down.  That last half tank goes really fast.  But it does go all the way down to one bar flashing a few miles before I have to actually go on reserve.

I'd just fill it up and see what happens for another tank or 2.

RM

[jimnvalk]

Thanks for the input, I will watch it the next few tanks and see what is going on.

[HayHauler]

Disco, what was the name of the part you put on at HogHead's wrench party?  The screen for the petcock thingy?

This might be Jim's problem.  If it is clogged near the bottom it would act just like he is describing.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[Rocketman]

Since you're talking about a fuel gauge and ~6.9 gal, I assume it's an Interstate.  If you hit reserve before you burned up 5 gallons, you have a problem.  Whether it was a one-time thing or not, I can't say, but it sounds like time to pull the petcock and check it out.  It sounds as if it's not opening fully.
Additionally, as another Valkyrie rider found out, if you've never used reserve before, the first time you use it, you may find that some crud has built up in the reserve tube, and now you've washed it down into the valve and the carbs.  I highly recommend checking it out immediately.

Mark

[Disco]

Disco, what was the name of the part you put on at HogHead's wrench party?

That would be the Screen Set.  Part #4 at this link.  Honda Part Number 16952-MBY-003

While we're at it, assuming the petcock has never been rebuilt, I recommend you also get a Cover Set.  That's Part #5 on the same fiche.  Honda Part Number 16953-MBZ-B51

[jimnvalk]

Disco, what was the name of the part you put on at HogHead's wrench party?

That would be the Screen Set.  Part #4 at this link.  Honda Part Number 16952-MBY-003

While we're at it, assuming the petcock has never been rebuilt, I recommend you also get a Cover Set.  That's Part #5 on the same fiche.  Honda Part Number 16953-MBZ-B51

I am wanting to change my valve covers to the ones that say 1500 on them.  I think valkpilots have them.  Did those come off of a 1989 goldwing aspencade?  Did you use the wrinkle paint on yoursor did you have them powder coated?  Thanks for the info i will order those this week

[Disco]

Yes, VP has them.  They were on the Jet Bike when he bought it.  I'm not positive about their exact origin, but that sounds right.  The HDL micro-fiche didn't help me narrow it down.  That may suggest those specific ones are no longer available new.  VP's are wrinkle painted. 

Houdini has a different set of 1500 'wing cylinder head covers and they are nice, too.  I believe he rattle-canned those with gloss black.  Chuck? 

[Houdini]

Houdini has a different set of 1500 'wing cylinder head covers and they are nice, too.  I believe he rattle-canned those with gloss black. 

1989 Aspencade valve covers with the chrome inserts instead of gold.  Rattle-canned with gloss-black header paint.  FYI - you have to get the GW bolts to do this mod, the Valkyrie bolts are too short.