Electrical problems, running light and reserve gas light

[5150jim]

I'm pretty sure they are not connected in any way but I wanted to ask and why post two different post.

I don't think my reserve gas light works because the owners manual say the tank is a 6.3 gallon and the light should come on when I have 1 gal left. The other day I had 197 miles on a tank and I filled it and it used 5.767 gals. Since I've only had the bike for about a month, still finding things out. Any thoughts?

And problem # 2 is the with the running light on the left side. It's kind of weird because the bulb is a two filament but there is only one wire. And that wire is ground. The hot goes to the metal housing. What's up with that? Now I did replace both bulbs but one side works & the other doesn't as a running light but it works when I turn on the signal for a left turn.
So to recap, the right side work all the time even when I have the turn signal on but the left side ONLY woks if the turn signal is on. HELP!!! Please... :help:

 

[dan filipi]

This must be on the 1500?, because I don't know of a reserve gas light on the 1100.
Sorry I can't help on the 1500.

 

[slabghost]

Feed wire to the left running light should connect in the same place as the right. Might be a bad light socket or no power to the running light element. Just guessing as I have no wiring diagram for the 1500.

 

[5150jim]

dan filipi » Mon Aug 10, 2015 3:33 pm[/url]":36ew11k8]
This must be on the 1500?, because I don't know of a reserve gas light on the 1100.
Sorry I can't help on the 1500.

Sorry yes my 1500. And yes, my 1100 has a petcock.

 

[5150jim]

slabghost » Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:10 pm[/url]":z1szvc09]
Feed wire to the left running light should connect in the same place as the right. Might be a bad light socket or no power to the running light element. Just guessing as I have no wiring diagram for the 1500.

I don't see how the socket can be bad since the light come on if I use the turn signal, just not when it's off.

 

[slabghost]

Dual element bulb has two contacts at the base. If one isn't making good contact that element won't work.

 

[5150jim]

slabghost » Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:18 pm[/url]":3aqa4h6r]
Dual element bulb has two contacts at the base. If one isn't making good contact that element won't work.

But that's the weird part. Two contacts but only one wire & it is ground. The other contact has the wire cut off. Now let me say that both side are the same but the right side works and the left side doesn't.

 

[slabghost]

is the same wire cut off the other side? If so a magician must have wired them.

 

[5150jim]

slabghost » Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:26 pm[/url]":1xdu06ko]
is the same wire cut off the other side? If so a magician must have wired them.

Yes (same wire cut off) and yes. Magical...

 

[slabghost]

There is no way this side of magic that a light is going to work with just a ground wire.

 

[Ansimp]

It must be earthing through the socket some how as there is no magic in DC, you need a positive and an earth to have current flow. If using a multimeter or test light hooked up to battery it is possible to get an earth through another incandesant bulb which gives you the impression that it is an earth switched circuit. Turn the park/running lights on and then test your circuits with an earth ground.

 

[5150jim]

Ansimp » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:08 pm[/url]":2q3n80nt]
It must be earthing through the socket some how as there is no magic in DC, you need a positive and an earth to have current flow. If using a multimeter or test light hooked up to battery it is possible to get an earth through another incandesant bulb which gives you the impression that it is an earth switched circuit. Turn the park/running lights on and then test your circuits with an earth ground.

I have a few DVMs & will have to pull the plastic off again to test it but I will test both sides & then compare.
TNX for the input,
Jim

 

[Piper]

When you first turn the key on, all the lights should go on for two seconds as a self test, including the fuel reserve light. The 1500 does have a fuel petcock but it's automatic and vacuum operated. Engine off, fuel off. It's actually just a shut off valve but is called a "petcock". They do go bad once in a while and you should know how to bypass it if necessary, it's very easy. I had one fail on mine a couple years ago. 197 miles and 5.7 gallons is not very good gas mileage. I always get 39-40 consistently even when driven hard.

 

[5150jim]

Piper » Wed Aug 12, 2015 4:53 am[/url]":2uzsoflj]
When you first turn the key on, all the lights should go on for two seconds as a self test, including the fuel reserve light. The 1500 does have a fuel petcock but it's automatic and vacuum operated. Engine off, fuel off. It's actually just a shut off valve but is called a "petcock". They do go bad once in a while and you should know how to bypass it if necessary, it's very easy. I had one fail on mine a couple years ago. 197 miles and 5.7 gallons is not very good gas mileage. I always get 39-40 consistently even when driven hard.

Great info. I'll go check that in a min. Also yes, I would like to know how to by-pass the shut off valve if needed. And last but not least, two days ago (when I filled up) I got 41.5 mpg. I wasn't sure what I should be getting. But today my daughter & I are heading down to Sacramento & I'll check it again to with just freeway miles. It is 90 miles one way from here in Chico.

Okay I did go out & check the light & it does come on for about 2 sec then goes out, so it works!!! TNX, now I should take a can of gas with me some time & see how many miles I get before it comes on. But I wonder if there might be anything in the bottom of the tank that might get in the carbs if I run it that low?

 

[Piper]

The fuel petcock is right in front of the filler cap. There is a short fuel line from the fuel filter to the petcock. (visible in the picture) There is another fuel line from the petcock that goes to the engine. Just remove the short hose from the filter to the petcock and connect the hose that goes to the engine to the fuel filter out. If the petcock fails, it's the same symptoms as running out of fuel.
My fuel gauge is very conservative, when it's all the way to the left as far as it will go and your palms start getting sweaty, it still takes less than 5 gallons. I always fuel at 180-190 miles and it always takes 4.5 gallons. I've only ever seen the low fuel light a couple times and don't remember how much it took to fill it.
I wouldn't worry about anything in the bottom of the tank. I change the filter once a year at the start of the season. The options for the petcock if it fails are, get a new one from Honda that's been redesigned and isn't supposed to fail, about $100, or get a rebuild kit for the old one, about $25 on ebay.

1500 Petcock

• Piper
• Aug 12, 2015

1500 Fuel Filter and Fuel Petcock

 

[5150jim]

Piper » Wed Aug 12, 2015 3:43 pm[/url]":2olkmfmf]
The fuel petcock is right in front of the filler cap. There is a short fuel line from the fuel filter to the petcock. (visible in the picture) There is another fuel line from the petcock that goes to the engine. Just remove the short hose from the filter to the petcock and connect the hose that goes to the engine to the fuel filter out. If the petcock fails, it's the same symptoms as running out of fuel.
My fuel gauge is very conservative, when it's all the way to the left as far as it will go and your palms start getting sweaty, it still takes less than 5 gallons. I always fuel at 180-190 miles and it always takes 4.5 gallons. I've only ever seen the low fuel light a couple times and don't remember how much it took to fill it.
I wouldn't worry about anything in the bottom of the tank. I change the filter once a year at the start of the season. The options for the petcock if it fails are, get a new one from Honda that's been redesigned and isn't supposed to fail, about $100, or get a rebuild kit for the old one, about $25 on ebay.

1500 Petcock

• Piper
• Aug 12, 2015

1500 Fuel Filter and Fuel Petcock

Thank you for the info. And today I found out the hard way that the light never comes on. I was an area where there was no gas stations & 207 miles on my odometer & it happened. Out of gas. Fortunately a young biker stopped (because I had my 4-way flashers on) & rode home grabbed a gas can jumped in his car & brought me 2 gal. of gas. I tried to pay him but he wouldn't take my money.
I did have a problem with my cruise control on the way home. It was sent at 65 mph & from time to time it would go to 71 then back down to 65. Not sure why.

 

[Piper]

Well, at least now you know. I would set 180 miles as the limit. Nice of the other rider to help you out. I probably would have done the same.

 

[5150jim]

Piper » Thu Aug 13, 2015 5:02 am[/url]":1s39ltk1]
Well, at least now you know. I would set 180 miles as the limit. Nice of the other rider to help you out. I probably would have done the same.

180 was what I was thinking also. :yes:
And I told him I was going to pay it forward.