Fueling

[huntly2]

Hello,

I was wondering what the proper technique is when filling up the gas tank? I have been reluctant to place the hose all the way down the small filling hole wondering what would happen when the level comes up. Will the pump stop like when filling my car or will there be a spill? All my other bikes had a much bigger opening and I could hear as well as see the level rising.

[Quanto12]

Pump should stop like in your car,it does for me! But you gotta keep in as far as the bottom of the neck,or you might have a little splash back for some reason!BMW suggest not to fill the tank higher than to the bottom of the neck anyway! I'm kind of stuburn and add a little more,but to do so you have to creep the gas in,wich can be touchy sometimes.

[AdamWebber]

If you aren't in a place that requires emissions testing, do the canisterectomy.
http://www.r1200gs.info/howto/ccremoval.html
By removing the charcoal canister, you can remove the rubber insert in the gas tank and increase your volume by about 0.5 gallons. I fill mine to the bottom of the metal lip. One time I filled it higher and found gasoline leaking on the ground through the hose where the evaporative canister used to be. Not very much but it was a waste.

[marc]

If you stick the filler completely into your tank the gas will shut off when "full" as long as the pump is properly working, just like your car. But.... you will leave a minimum of 1/2 gal worth of space in your tank. The most you'll be able to fill on a bone dry tank doing it that way will be just over 4.5 gal for a standard GS.

I stick the gas nozzle into the tank and put it on automatic until it shuts off. Then I hold the california foreskin (vapor recovery sleeve) back with one hand while holding the nozzle high enough that I can see the end and squeeze the pump handle ever so gently to continue adding fuel. I can get a minimum of an extra 1/2 gal doing it that way. It's easier with some pumps than others. On some I can get a slow trickle of gas. On the others I have to give a lot of very short spurts as otherwise the gas comes out too fast.

I don't consider the tank full until the level is slightly above the bottom of the fill opening. There's still plenty of air space after that point.

[PunchBuggy]

This is kind of off topic but it is a royal pain to fill the tank. The vapor shield on the nozzle bangs into the tank cap. I am worried I will bend or break the lid trying to get the shield past it. Has anyone broke one?

[marc]

Yes, folks have reported breaking the cap at the hinge, so be careful. Through trial and error I've found it easiest for me to fill the bike from the right side with the handlebars turned to the left. Find out what works best for you.

[PBGS]

You should put the bike on the center stand to fill it.

[ca1ic0cat]

I did the canisterectomy and fill mine up into the neck regularly. Not as far as the hole in the side of the neck though. I do get some vapor leaking if I put the bike in the garage on a full tank, but no fluid spills.

I have found that filling on the centerstand allows more fuel capacity.

I hadn't heard that the rubber insert in the neck can be removed. Do you just pull it out?

One thing to remember: it's best to have some metal to metal contact between the filler hose and the gas tank. That reduces the chance of static buildup and the resulting spark. It is static sparks, not your cell phone, that cause fires at gas stations. I'd bet that the CA nozzels have a proper ground path even though the "foreskin." In NY we just have a metal nozzle and a rubber disk that you can pull back easily.

I've heard that the "don't top off" rule is really the gas stations way of getting more customers through and preventing spills. But if I did that with my Toyota FJ (yeah, wrong forum) I'd be about 2 gallons short on an 18 gallon tank.....