GS500E acting like it's out of fuel

[dan.porter15]

I'm having a persistant issue with my 1992 GS500E, which has been happening ever since I purchased the motorcycle late last year.

Every time I fill up my tank and reset the trip meter, when the bike gets near 80 miles it will just cut out on me like there is no fuel in the tank. It will do even less miles if it's not on reserve, so recently I've just been riding the motorcycle in reserve so I don't have to keep visiting petrol stations.

When I open the tank and have a look inside, there is still loads of fuel in the tank and when I go to fill up it will only take £5, sometimes more.

I just recently had a full service on it in May which included valve clearances, new fuel piping and the carbs were syncronised.

Around May I also put a new oil filter in and I always put enough oil in the bike, I also switched out the spark plugs for some new ones.

I've read a few other posts similar to mine but I can't seem to find anyone else with the same problem as me.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Chris45]

[dan.porter15]

I'll be riding along and I can sort of feel the bike lose power and I'll slow down and roll to a stop. When I try to start again I just get the noise of the bike trying to turn over.

As soon as I either push the bike to a petrol station, or get a mate to drop some fuel off for me the bike starts up fine and I can ride for another 80 miles or so!

Thanks for your reply!

[jaffa90]

Is the tank breathing when riding as suggested?

Next time just listen and open the fuel cap.

[temeluchus]

Could be the fuel tap gauze is clagged up, which would prevent it from letting in the last bit of petrol.
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[P.]

Rip the fuel tap apart, clear/change filter and rebuild the tap.

[Polarbear]

I don't know the bike so these are generic checks.

Blocked fuel filter or gauze. Enough head in the tank and it will pass enough fuel. When it drops to a certain point it cant push past the crap.

Fuel tap full of crap.

Fuel pump not working (does it have one?) relying on gravity.

Fuel from tank, (fuel pump?), pipes, fuel tap, (filter?) carbs.

Not a lot to check really.
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[Andy_Pagin]

Wot Polarbear said really. Pull apart and clean out everything fuel related between the tank and the carb. After twenty five years it will probably all be a bit mucky. Might even be fuel lines collapsed internally.
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[ADSrox0r]

I'd go with a sludged up gauze on the tap inside the tank. Easy enough to pull out and check but if it's not draining properly you'll need to siphon out the petrol to remove the tap.
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[J.M.]

GS500 should have a PRI or something on the fuel tap. Would try that to see if it's any better.

IIRC there's two fuel taps on the bike. One at the bottom of the tank, with 2 hoses leading from it (main + reserve) and then they go into a fuel tap on the left side of the bike to select between main, reserve or prime.

Prime should just be a straight through line. If that works, it's probably the tap on the side of the bike that needs cleaning. If that doesn't do anything else, probably the tap on the tank itself that needs cleaning.

Or if you can't be bothered to clean it, the tap for the fuel tank is like £10-15 on eBay.
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[chris-red]

My Money is on the Fuel tap too, they are shit. Set it to 'Pri' and see if it fixes it.

If it does either rebuild the tap or leave it on Pri.
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[davebike]

Possible water or dirt in tank Tap is remote not on tank but on frame below

Drain tank remove and check both outlets are clear don't mix up pipes or main and reserve will not work as expected !

While tank is off check vacuum pipe from tap to carb
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[dan.porter15]

Thanks for all your helpful replies!

I'll keep it on PRI until the weekend and have a look at the fuel tap at the weekend, I'm guessing I just empty the tank of fuel and just start to clean everything and see how I get on.

Another issue is that if say for instance I pull up to the traffic lights and let my bike idle for a bit, eventually the rev will drop and the bike will cut out. Maybe part of the same problem?

Thanks again!

[Chris45]

As mentioned above, just sounds so typically like fuel starvation. Before stripping anything down I would check the fuel tank breather pipe, and tank filler cap first. Is there a rushing sound when you open the tank cap? Also check the vacuum pipe (if appropriate).

Other than that it's a tank off job and fuel tap refurb. Couple of hours - including Tea Break!

Chris.
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