Ran out of gas...

[macmac]

Friday I ran the 06 Nomad out of gas.. I just figured you guys might benifit from this tale..

I more or less hoped I could miss getting soaked in a bad T storm and had the yellow light come on at 170 miles indicated. I passed several places to gas up, but just went home.

After the storm and the next time out I hit 198 miles and the bike went dry, well not really, but it stalled and I coasted so far as it would go. Then I woggled the bike as far over both ways as I can hold it, and fired it right back up for a few more miles. Did it again and again pretty soon. But it is only 7 miles to the first place I can get gas..

I filled it as my normal about 1/2" over the well plate on the side stand, and it took 4.2 gallons. Which means my bike won't use 1 gallon no matter what I do.

And that should be enough info to figure my MPG's...

[ells]

I've put in as much as 4.8 gal, to bottom of the neck, without any signs of stalling prior to filling. Your mileage on that tank was remarkable 47 mpg. Something seems out of whack

[macmac]

Well I got soaked for my efforts, as that T storm dumped buckets on my head! I was with in 3 miles of the barn too.. That was some wicked cold rain mista'! In the barn I was trapped, but had a shirt dry in my bags..

Most of the time that yellow light pops on at 170 intermitantly and comes on for real at 178. I thought that meant I could go 40 more miles... Guess not... And then I take on apx 3.2 to 3.5 gallons.

All of that tank full was not one ride... That was several rides with days between each... So some fuel was lost running the engine while backing out of the barn and fooling around with gloves, jackets and things just to get moving first..

In the past most of my riding used the whole tank till a glimmer of yellow flashing told me I would need fuel soon.. So I get better MPG's in a single long ride i believe than this.

This time I had no choice on octane, as the station had regualr and regular only. They have given up on mid grade 89 which is what I used before.

The same thing will happen on this tank full. I used apx 30 miles as a ride, and then rode apx 40 so far, so it will be more days before I see that yellow glimmer and gas up.

As to something strange.... Don't think so. The bike goes like a scaulded cat, and does what it should.

I just did intall a Dunlop SP Sport 5000 car tire which is 25 inches tall, and I am having a few minor issues at over 80+, but am working that out... I have never ever take on 4+ gallons before. I don't ride miuch past that yellow glimmer knowing the fuel pump cools in fuel, so this T storm created a different situation for me. I guess maybe tha was my bath for the year too...

OT: Sometime in the 80's at a primitive event I refused my dinner dish to be washed and tipped it against the side of my lodge. Well it rained, and therafter each time I do dishes it rains. My wife has come down with a pinched nerve in her back and so for days now I have done the dishes and for days it has just poured buckets....

[ice793]

So how much fuel does the nomad hold in tank 4.2 gallons or 5.3 with reserve?I get confused when i read the specs on the tank just curious cause my idiot light comes on at about 135ish miles.

[doctorgski]

The Nomad Tank is 5.3 gal., but I know from running out two times in the past, when "MY" motor stops running the tank will only take 4.7 gal. What this tells me, is I can only draw 4.7 gal. of the 5.3 gal. of gas. Must have something to do with the pick-up tube not going all the way to the bottom of the tank??? I guess thats OK if you know that .6 gal. will be in the tank when you run out, and don't figure how far you can go based on 5.3 gal. (Good tip for ya MEAT on your way to Sturgis next month)
Oh, by the way, my bike ran out the first time at 179 miles, and the 2nd time at 183 miles... ???

[ice793]

thx for the info doc

[Todd]

Interesting info boys....

At the Eastern Rally on Friday, in the mountains riding, I was a hard head and did not gas up before the ride.

As I sweated it out and we pulled into the gas station (I was gonna stop either way) my odo read 198 miles...I put 5.0 gals in my tank....never had a sputter the whole time except in my head.

Best I can figure is that I ran all the way down to .3 left....bet I didn't have much further to go


mac, sounds like you might have another issue going on there.

[macmac]

I dunno 4.2 / 4.6????? Got gas and it goes....

There is NO reserve.... That yellow light comes on, and you better get gas quick.

So far as the pump was concerned it was out and I was stopped. I tilted the bike to the left and sloshed fuel over the hump twice.. That'll work a few times..

[ells]

I'm thinking the 5.3 gal. came along in 2005, 4.2 or something before that. Somebody here knows.

[waterman]

Have to agree with Ells (man I hate that ). The 99 to 04 models had a 4.2 gallon tank and 05 on has a 5.3 gallon. The older carb styles also had a reserve.

[ells]

Hey Waterman, get that bike fired up and head north to the Hills - see you Friday.

Hmmm...

Maybe California bikes are different?

My manual says I have a 5 gallon tank. The most I've ever pumped in it is 4.7 gallons, but that's filling it above the baffle quite a bit.

I've never run out of gas yet, and I never intend to. This is a very bad thing to do to your fuel pump.
Not just because the pump is cooled by the gas remaining in the tank, and running dry allows the electric coils to overheat, but because running the pump dry is bad for the mechanical parts.

I always stop & get gas on the highway, at every 80~100 miles if I can. By then I need to take a leak & get a drink anyway.

Commuting I'll go 120~130 miles, but that's 5 days worth, and I have lots of gas stations along my route so I never wory about running dry. I can easily go 20 miles after my light comes full on, and have gone nearly 40 in a pinch.

[dank]

Mine is an 06. The light consistently comes on with it taking 4.3 to 4.4 to fill 1/3 up the metal neck in the tank. I've gone 20 miles on the yellow and it took 4.8 to fill it. I have no idea if it will actually draw it down a full 5.3 gallons.

[watchman]

The 98 thru 01 Noamds have a 4.2 gallon tank. The 02 thru 04 Nomads have a 5.0 gallon tank. And the 05 to present have the 5.3 gallon tank. You can find this info here in the history of the Nomads.

[jussmatt]

This leads me to ask a 'ponder' question.... Since reading everybody's comments...it seems that the gauge and actual fuel draw is all over the place. Now I can see where mpg might be different...because of riding styles, conditions, modifications...etc... but as far as the amount of fuel in the tank...and how much is actually used.... that should be pretty close to the same for everybody I would think. doc mentioned a draw tube.... I havn't done any real research yet, but I plan to... but if there is a draw tube and it's not installed the exact same in every Nomad, that would account for the differences. Like I said...I'm going to have to do some investigating... If my memory serves me correct... when my light's come on...the most gas I've put in was around 4.8. With a take listed at 5.2 max...then I would guess I'm getting pretty close to being able to use the complete tank.