Out of gas at 120km 94 Honda magna | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Out of gas at 120km 94 Honda magna

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If it looks like this it has an auxiliary fuel tank:
Chapter04-20-AuxiliaryFuelTanksmall.jpg


a fuel pump Is needed because gravity can't deliver fuel fast enough to the carbs that are mounted very high relative to the peanut tank.

add: if it has a vacuum controlled fuel valve, that is so it can't flood the engine when it's parked.

... only way for raw fuel to get into the bottom end of a 4-stroker is to over-flow the carburetor, leak past the intake valves if they are closed and leak past the piston rings that are always closed. Will result in your engine oil level being higher then when it started.
Bottom end flood and potential hydraulic is way more likely to happen on a 2-stroke considering the bottom end is wide open to the carburetor and always contains fuel and air, scavenging is the only thing that can push raw fuel out of the 2-stroke bottom end, unless you turn the bike nearly upside-down or it has a drain plug. ymmv.
 
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The Magna has a complicated engine and it's now pretty much a vintage machine, with all the constant maintenance issues that come with it; not the greatest bike for an inexperienced rider.
If you don't even know what a choke is, or what it does, you have a bit of a learning curve ahead of you.
 
Trials said:
If it looks like this it has an auxiliary fuel tank:
Chapter04-20-AuxiliaryFuelTanksmall.jpg


a fuel pump Is needed because gravity can't deliver fuel fast enough to the carbs that are mounted very high relative to the peanut tank.

add: if it has a vacuum controlled fuel valve, that is so it can't flood the engine when it's parked.
Click to expand...
Wow, a factory aux tank. That seems unnecessarily complex.
 
GreyGhost said:
Wow, a factory aux tank. That seems unnecessarily complex.
Click to expand...
Yes it is, same with an electric or vacuum operated fuel pump on a carburetor bike that should function on gravity :/ it sucks.

add: if there was an auxiliary tank and it was removed or if your fuel pump is removed or acting up, you will run out of gas before you are actually out of gas.

Actually it might not even have a choke as such, some CV carbs use a fuel enricher circuit. They add fuel instead of restricting air as would be the case in a conventional choke.
 
What you are experiencing is fairly normal. Owners report hitting reserve at 160 km, with many getting closer to 120ish. Tank is only 14l and you're feeding four hungry carburetors. Mileage will increase on straight highway runs, you're doing short 18km runs, that won't get optimal fuel economy.
If you're really concerned, I'd have the carbs cleaned and more importantly synchronized. I'd also check and replace the air filter and spark plugs.
The 3rd generation magna is notoriously hard on fuel and has a very small tank.

Sent from my SM-A530W using Tapatalk
 
Trials said:
If it looks like this it has an auxiliary fuel tank:
Chapter04-20-AuxiliaryFuelTanksmall.jpg


a fuel pump Is needed because gravity can't deliver fuel fast enough to the carbs that are mounted very high relative to the peanut tank.

add: if it has a vacuum controlled fuel valve, that is so it can't flood the engine when it's parked.

... only way for raw fuel to get into the bottom end of a 4-stroker is to over-flow the carburetor, leak past the intake valves if they are closed and leak past the piston rings that are always closed. Will result in your engine oil level being higher then when it started.
Bottom end flood and potential hydraulic is way more likely to happen on a 2-stroke considering the bottom end is wide open to the carburetor and always contains fuel and air, scavenging is the only thing that can push raw fuel out of the 2-stroke bottom end, unless you turn the bike nearly upside-down or it has a drain plug. ymmv.
Click to expand...
That is only on the first and second generation, in 1994 (3rd generation) they removed the aux tank.

Sent from my SM-A530W using Tapatalk
 
Iceman said:
What you are experiencing is fairly normal. Owners report hitting reserve at 160 km, with many getting closer to 120ish. Tank is only 14l and you're feeding four hungry carburetors. Mileage will increase on straight highway runs, you're doing short 18km runs, that won't get optimal fuel economy.
If you're really concerned, I'd have the carbs cleaned and more importantly synchronized. I'd also check and replace the air filter and spark plugs.
The 3rd generation magna is notoriously hard on fuel and has a very small tank.

Sent from my SM-A530W using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Thank you for verifying that for me. I’m taking it into the service mechanic this weekend I spoke to him and he’s going to check it out but yeah I’m running mainly city streets
 
kruzuki said:
The Magna has a complicated engine and it's now pretty much a vintage machine, with all the constant maintenance issues that come with it; not the greatest bike for an inexperienced rider.
If you don't even know what a choke is, or what it does, you have a bit of a learning curve ahead of you.
Click to expand...

I’ve been running on bikes are anywhere between five and 10 years older but I’ve never had to deal with the choke so this is new for me I’m learning
 
More experienced riders chime in here please, but if that bike is similar to my 98 Shadow 750, with city riding, and warming up the bike in the mornings with choke on, I usually get about 116 before reserve and 120 until empty. iirc my tank is similarly sized.
I'll take a pic of the fuel positions

Brb

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 
Ok
Res up top
Fuel in middle/ off
And down is on

Also, my bike needs a cleaning.
584244fd670c6ceaf6043770381a5b4b.jpg


Looking at your pic though, they look opposite.
I would have thought that they might be similar.

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@adrisen looking closer, I think that if you get another pic from lower down, you might see that they are in fact, the same.
Take one and post when you can.
Again, others more knowledgeable than I, please chime in.
I like to be helpful, but don't want to be incorrect.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 
Joe Bass said:
Ok
Res up top
Fuel in middle
And down is off

Also, my bike needs a cleaning.
584244fd670c6ceaf6043770381a5b4b.jpg


Looking at your pic and comparing to mine, I would assume that down is reserve for you and middle would be fuel. Assuming that those are the way the lever turns from where the off is.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks. I assume mine is the same

I will wipe it down and see if I can read it.
 
Joe Bass said:
More experienced riders chime in here please, but if that bike is similar to my 98 Shadow 750, with city riding, and warming up the bike in the mornings with choke on, I usually get about 116 before reserve and 120 until empty. iirc my tank is similarly sized.
I'll take a pic of the fuel positions

Brb

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Yep. And you only have 2 cylinders with 2 carbs, the magna has 4 of each.

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You guys are telling me this is SO? Yeesh, and I thought my air-cooled, 2 valve per cylinder YX600 with a range of 150km before reserve was bad
 
I usually get about 116 before reserve and 120 until empty. iirc my tank is similarly sized.
I'll take a pic of the fuel positions
Click to expand...

You see my constant delight with the CB500x fuel mileage ...450+ range and reliable over time 60 mpg.
17 liter tank.
 
MacDoc said:
You see my constant delight with the CB500x fuel mileage ...450+ range and reliable over time 60 mpg.
17 liter tank.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's looking like the Magna is good for nostalgia but not a great choice for a commuter (especially for someone that hasn't had a lot of experience with mechanical things). Tbh, I would have been surprised by that fuel economy as well that's why I wanted her to put a few tanks through to see if the problem cleared itself up.
 
MacDoc said:
You see my constant delight with the CB500x fuel mileage ...450+ range and reliable over time 60 mpg.
17 liter tank.
Click to expand...
Between my weight and my diabetes I have to pee every 100kms anyway so it works for me lol


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