Low Fuel Inicator Issue Pan 1300

Hi all,

I have had my Pan ST1300 2006 for 2 months now and riding to work on Friday my fuel was down to the last flashing bar showing 40 miles I thought fine. I left work and was showing 35 miles so as I had to drive ten miles to get home I thought I would be fine and would park the park and fill up in the morning.
After leaving work all of the sudden the bike started to splutter and I could tell it was about to run out of fuel the gauge was flashing and showing 33 miles, I was lucky as there was a perplexing station just round the corner so I pulled in and topped the bike up, if I was not so near to a fuel station this could have caused me a big issue, so my question is when you get down to the last bar how many miles should it count down to before you run out of fuel showing 33 on mine then running out could have been more of an issue than it turned out to be, guess on mine I won't let the bike go below 33 miles on the last fuel bar, thanks all.

One bar and anything less than about 350 on the display means you should fill the tank at the earliest opportunity and start looking for gas at two bars next time.

--Mark

How much fuel did it take to fill ?

29 litres thanks

Thanks Mark

That's empty all right !

covcrew said:

when you get down to the last bar how many miles should it count down to before you run out of fuel

Click to expand...

I'm including a PDF file of the relevant pages from the US Owners Manual, about the fuel gauge. It may be illuminating.

Sound as if your gauge is a bit inaccurate. A couple more full tank fills to properly confirm that, but there is probably a way to adjust the float arm or the sending unit.
Or else, just fill much earlier. 29l is the full rated capacity.

v8-7 said:

That's empty all right !

Click to expand...

Yikes! Sure is! I had to push my ST about 1.5 city blocks (key stuck in gas cap) and that was less fun than you might think.

I'd fill at two bars and watch how much gas it took and what on the trip odometer. I wouldn't get any braver than that unless I was carrying a can of petrol just for the last bar test!

I don't think I've ever been in a position where I was down to two bars. Usually I fill up at three. At what point do you risk the fuel pump sucking more air than fuel?

My experience was similar, but I shut it on and off a few times with shorts rides which "resets" the value so it indicates a little more inaccurately (which the manual tells you so). I ran it out on the way to the gas station thinking I was burning off the last of it and checking to see just how far you can go on an "empty" tank (like the Seinfeld episode). Turns out it's about 3 km short of the gas station. :banghead:.

You might believe it as being somewhat accurate if the tank is live and has run down to that point and you MAY actually have xx miles or km to go to empty (I did say MAY). If you shut off and restart do NOT believe it for distance to empty, go get gas.

Like most others I now fill when it gets to the last two bars, but definitely as soon as it gets to one.

covcrew said:

..

... so my question is when you get down to the last bar how many miles should it count down to before you run out of fuel showing....

Click to expand...

This is the exact wording in the manual: "The indicated available driving distance is by calculation depending on the driving conditions, and the indicated figure may not always be the actual allowable distance. When the fuel gauge near to E or when E segment blinks, fill fuel promptly. "

It has been my experience that the displayed miles available figure is overly optimistic. I have run out of fuel twice with 17 and 24 miles remaining. DO NOT TRUST THE DISPLAY.
Pushing an ST on the side of the road spoils the whole afternoon.

Unless I am doing an IBA ride I refill when I hit 2 bars left this does two things:
1. I don't run out of fuel
2. It keeps the fuel pump from overheating

Thanks for the feedback everyone very interesting.

ST Gui said:

At what point do you risk the fuel pump sucking more air than fuel?

Click to expand...

That would be the point about half a minute before the engine quits.

You get down to one bar after the thermistor in the lower tank is exposed to air, which leaves you about 1.3 gallons. There's still an estimated half gallon when the ECM gives up on trying to estimate the remaining range and blanks the display. You'd really have to be running on fumes before the fuel pump actually starts sucking air.

Reference: CLICKY

--Mark

Blrfl said:

You'd really have to be running on fumes before the fuel pump actually starts sucking air.

Click to expand...

I asked the wrong question. What I should have asked is how low can the level get before the pump is no longer cooled by fuel and is at risk of being damaged.

Your link answers that question too. Thanks! I'll try not to ever let the level get below two bars.

ST Gui said:

I asked the wrong question. What I should have asked is how low can the level get before the pump is no longer cooled by fuel and is at risk of being damaged.

Click to expand...

The thermistor sits about two inches above the fuel pump housing, so there's a pretty good margin. You don't lose all cooling when the level gets below the pump because the fuel flows through the entire thing, motor and all, but in that kind of environment, more is always better.

--Mark

Mine went down to one bar and displayed 45 miles remaining, which then would fluctuate into the high 30's to high 40's depending on speed/load, etc. I put on another 30 miles and it still displayed about 30 miles remaining. Upon filling it up to the "ring" inside the tank neck while on the center stand it took 6.69 gallons.
Seems pretty accurate overall.

Thanks for this input. I have normally waited until one bar or just after it starts flashing. I'm rethinking this from what i have now read. I think that i will use the 2 bar mark and never push it after the one bar shows up.

Mantaray23

If I understand this thread correctly, at 1.3 gallons the last bar will begin to flash once the thermistor is exposed to air. So if you're consistently getting 42mpg. One could reset his trip meter to zero and theoretically safely drive 42 miles. Leaving approximately a quart left. I realize this is pushing it however I have run out like others using the indicated estimated mileage. Also do we know how much of the 7.66 gallons is usable?

FL-STRIDER said:

If I understand this thread correctly, at 1.3 gallons the last bar will begin to flash once the thermistor is exposed to air. So if you're consistently getting 42mpg. One could reset his trip meter to zero and theoretically safely drive 42 miles. Leaving approximately a quart left. I realize this is pushing it however I have run out like others using the indicated estimated mileage. Also do we know how much of the 7.66 gallons is usable?

Click to expand...

No need to reset the trip mileage, the display changes to a mileage countdown and it does take into account the changing of engine speed and mpg's. The only thing you have to be careful about is a hard corner, strong bump or rocking it sideways while putting it on/off the side/center stand can momentarily cover up the sensor and cause th eocmputer to reset thingking you have another 1.2 gallons.

Useable capacity? I've put 7.43 gallons in after pushing the bike to the nearest gas station. YMMV!