5 Miles on Reserve?

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Dan1950

Dan1950

1974 MK II Roadster
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The last time I rode Trixie I ran out of gas on the main fuel tap as I was cruising about 60 MPH. No problem, I reached down, turned the port side tap on and viola' the engine picked right back up. Since I was just a few miles from home, I went to my house 1st before riding about 4 blocks to the neighborhood gas station, one of the few in town that has non ethanol premium gas. After tending to business at home I headed for the gas station. About 1/2 way there, the engine again died having run out of the "reserve" fuel. Not knowing the lean left trick to slosh a bit more fuel over the tunnel to make the few remaining blocks to the gas station, I borrowed some gas from a nice lady that was just finishing up mowing her lawn, thus making the remainder of the distance to the gas pumps.

Upon tearing down the bike for winter rebuild projects I inspected the fuel taps. As expected the starboard side had a short plastic standpipe under the screen. The pipe does not appear long enough to reach above the tunnel. To me, it appears to not really be serving any purpose. I can see no way for the gas on one side of the tunnel to be drawn to the other side once the "reserve" tap is turned on.

Am I missing something here? Seems to me I would get a similar "reserve" fuel supply by eliminating the standpipe, letting the tank tunnel serve the purpose of holding some fuel in reserve on the opposite side. I am considering putting a taller standpipe on the main tap.
 
Last edited:
Dan1950 said:
The last time I rode Trixie I ran out of gas on the main fuel tap as I was cruising about 60 MPH. No problem, I reached down, turned the port side tap on an viola' the engine picked right back up. Since I was just a few miles from home, I went to my house 1st before riding about 4 blocks to the neighborhood gas station, one of the few in town that has non ethanol premium gas. After tending to business at home I headed for the gas station. About 1/2 way there, the engine again died having run out of the "reserve" fuel. Not knowing the lean left trick to slosh a bit more fuel over the tunnel to make the few remaining blocks to the gas station, I borrowed some gas from a nice lady that was just finishing up mowing her lawn, thus making the remainder of the distance to the gas pumps.

Upon tearing down the bike for winter rebuild projects I inspected the fuel taps. As expected the starboard side had a short plastic standpipe under the screen. The pipe does not appear long enough to reach above the tunnel. To me, it appears to not really be serving any purpose. I can see no way for the gas on one side of the tunnel to be drawn to the other side once the "reserve" tap is turned on.

Am I missing something here? Seems to me I would get a similar "reserve" fuel supply by eliminating the standpipe, letting the tank tunnel serve the purpose of holding some fuel in reserve on the opposite side. I am considering putting a taller standpipe on the main tap.
Click to expand...
Any standpipe will deny you fuel.. As you mention, best bet is to have two taps without, and let the central hump divide it for you...
But you'll still need to be aware how far that residual amount will get you...
Failing that, carry a siphoning tube to get it all to one side!
 
I went w/o the standpipe years ago when I replaced the taps with the some having none. No regrets either, but I watch the tank level closely..... not that I go very far anymore. ... The one good thing about getting old and crippled up is one never goes far enough to really be concerned with running out of fuel. 'Petrol' to you guys across the salty lake.
 
EstuaryBoy said:
Any standpipe will deny you fuel.. As you mention, best bet is to have two taps without, and let the central hump divide it for you...
But you'll still need to be aware how far that residual amount will get you...
Failing that, carry a siphoning tube to get it all to one side!
Click to expand...
The main tap has a small plastic tube pressed lightly into the tap under the screen. I can remove it. I think I'll log some mileage testing in the spring taking a small amount of fuel to get me to a gas station when I run out the "reserve" left on one side of the tunnel.
 
Dan1950 said:
Am I missing something here? Seems to me I would get a similar "reserve" fuel supply by eliminating the standpipe, letting the tank tunnel serve the purpose of holding some fuel in reserve on the opposite side. I am considering putting a taller standpipe on the main tap.
Click to expand...
Agree and recently, I started installing reserve petcocks on both sides on Norton. If you run the main side dry (side you use as main), you still have the other as a true reserve and the main side is a true main.
 
What petcocks? If you have a plastic standpipe they don't sound like the stock petcocks. You should get more like 15 miles on reserve. If you remove the standpipe altogether you will get less.
 
marshg246 said:
Agree and recently, I started installing reserve petcocks on both sides on Norton. If you run the main side dry (side you use as main), you still have the other as a true reserve and the main side is a true main.
Click to expand...
And it will make use of gas left on the main side with a standpipe adding a few more miles of gas.
 
batrider said:
What petcocks? If you have a plastic standpipe they don't sound like the stock petcocks. You should get more like 15 miles on reserve. If you remove the standpipe altogether you will get less.
Click to expand...
The main has a standpipe. The reserve doesn't. Because of the way the Norton tank is made, the standpipe leaves a lot of gas in that side. Most Triumph tanks use the same petcocks with no such trouble. I don't know what was original, but what AN sells for Norton is what every Triumph, BSA, and Norton I've had used.
 
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batrider said:
What petcocks? If you have a plastic standpipe they don't sound like the stock petcocks. You should get more like 15 miles on reserve. If you remove the standpipe altogether you will get less.
Click to expand...
5 Miles on Reserve?

The plastic screen will screw out to reveal the plastic standpipe.
 
Have had no trouble with the stock setup. Those taps are BAPs or copies. Once you go on reserve the main petcock is mostly done. There should be plenty of gas left on the reserve side (if that tap had been off). Are your petcocks reversed?
 
batrider said:
Have had no trouble with the stock setup. Those taps are BAPs or copies. Once you go on reserve the main petcock is mostly done. There should be plenty of gas left on the reserve side (if that tap had been off). Are your petcocks reversed?
Click to expand...
No they are not reversed.
 
Hi,
Out of interest I noticed my roadster had a short stand pipe on one side. I assumed it was an incorrect tap fitted by a previously owner so I removed the stand pipe (as discussed).
I can’t see what possible function it serves as the hump in the tank prevents the last amount of fuel from crossing over to the other side. I assume that should be the reserve fuel. In other words, the stand pipe simply makes a certain amount of fuel totally unavailable unless the bike is tipped on its side.
Has anyone measured the amount of fuel available when reserve is selected with and without a standpipe?
al
 
Alan L said:
Hi,
Out of interest I noticed my roadster had a short stand pipe on one side. I assumed it was an incorrect tap fitted by a previously owner so I removed the stand pipe (as discussed).
I can’t see what possible function it serves as the hump in the tank prevents the last amount of fuel from crossing over to the other side. I assume that should be the reserve fuel. In other words, the stand pipe simply makes a certain amount of fuel totally unavailable unless the bike is tipped on its side.
Has anyone measured the amount of fuel available when reserve is selected with and without a standpipe?
al
Click to expand...
I run with two taps without stand pipes and use the left side as reserve which gives me around 1.5 litres.

Dave
 
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