Roadsmith Aux. Fuel Tank

[Konrad]

I was out on a ride today and my main tank signalled it was about to run dry so I flicked the switch for the aux. tank to refill the main tank. Then a few minutes later I spotted a Pilot station with a good price so stopped in and filled the aux. tank.
A couple of miles down the interstate the 2006 GL1800 coughed and burped, jerked a few times - and QUIT. What the heck? I coasted to the emergency lane and turned the key off for a few minutes then started it up again - same thing, coughing, burping and jerking (as in gas-no gas, gas-no gas). Then I noticed the aux tank pump was still on and the fuel gauge needle was on the pin. I turned it off and waited a few minutes while the 18 wheelers zipped by trying to blow me over. Then it started, did the same stuff for a while but finally smoothed out and ran normally.

If anyone knows - is the pump supposed to turn itself off when the aux. tank is empty?

Is the pump designed to turn itself off when the main tank is full if there is still gas in the aux. tank?

Before today I have always had the presence of mind to turn it off manually when one of the red lights on the aux. switch started blinking.

[leo3wheel]

Let me tell you what happened with the auxilliary fuel tank on our Hannigan trike.

We had an incident that happened to us about a month ago. We were riding our trike in unfamiliar territory, and I switched on our auxilliary fuel tank to top off our main tank. Well, I got distracted and failed to notice that the main tank overfilled. Gas was streaming down the tank and over our hot engine. Not sure how long that lasted. When we noticed, we pulled over, turned the bike off and moved away for some time. Trike was sitting in a pool of gas on the road. We are very lucky to be here to talk about this.

After the bike cooled, we moved it away from the pool, and I was able to start the trike with no troubles. We drove home with a more than full tank. The next day, I washed and waxed our trike. All looked fine.

Well, we later prepared for a PA ride-in, and we discovered that the auxilliary fuel tank pump no longer worked. The motor turned, but the impeller may be shot. Had our dealer order a new pump and hope to get it serviced next week.

[Konrad]

Let me tell you what happened with the auxilliary fuel tank on our Hannigan trike.

We had an incident that happened to us about a month ago. We were riding our trike in unfamiliar territory, and I switched on our auxilliary fuel tank to top off our main tank. Well, I got distracted and failed to notice that the main tank overfilled. Gas was streaming down the tank and over our hot engine. Not sure how long that lasted. When we noticed, we pulled over, turned the bike off and moved away for some time. Trike was sitting in a pool of gas on the road. We are very lucky to be here to talk about this.

After the bike cooled, we moved it away from the pool, and I was able to start the trike with no troubles. We drove home with a more than full tank. The next day, I washed and waxed our trike. All looked fine.

Well, we later prepared for a PA ride-in, and we discovered that the auxilliary fuel tank pump no longer worked. The motor turned, but the impeller may be shot. Had our dealer order a new pump and hope to get it serviced next week.

What happened to us both was potential disaster which a good personal injury could get rich on. (Wish I had a case like that!) Seems to me that's poor design on both tanks and they should include a fail-safe cut-off mechanism to prevent overfilling the main tank in case the operator forgets to cut the switch. Other than that I love the aux. tank.

Are Hannigan and Roadsmith listening?

[mhgoldwing]

I was told on my Roadsmith that the aux pump shut down once the tank was empty. HOWEVER, when you refilled the tank with the switch on it began pumping again.

The coughing and burping was probably due to fuel being pumped into the evaporative canister which then overloaded the system with fuel; so it wasn't starving, it had way too much.

I commented to my installer that I also thought there needed to be a fail-safe on the system. Everyone is capable of a brain f**t. So far I haven't had one.

[Konrad]

I was told on my Roadsmith that the aux pump shut down once the tank was empty. HOWEVER, when you refilled the tank with the switch on it began pumping again.

The coughing and burping was probably due to fuel being pumped into the evaporative canister which then overloaded the system with fuel; so it wasn't starving, it had way too much.

I commented to my installer that I also thought there needed to be a fail-safe on the system. Everyone is capable of a brain f**t. So far I haven't had one.

Thanks - what you say makes sense. Evaporative canister? New one on me.

[mhgoldwing]

It's the black, 1# coffee can sized, thinga-ma-bobby sitting right behind your lower front cowling at the bottom.

[Konrad]

It's the black, 1# coffee can sized, thinga-ma-bobby sitting right behind your lower front cowling at the bottom.

AH! Thank y ou for that meticuously detailed technical explanation and location map. I think I can find it now! :wtg:

[leo3wheel]

Had a nice trip to PA today, but it was my longest day of riding, 464 miles. Was beat when I got home.

Well, solved the mystery with our trike auxilliary fuel tank pump. Before the life-threatening incident when fuel flowed all
over our hot engine, I had always done fuel transfers while driving down the road. That particular day, I got distracted
by strange surroundings and forgot the pump on. Well, after I cleaned up the bike, I tried to do a fuel transfer with
the trike switch on but trike not running. I could hear the pump running, but no fuel transfer. So I thought the pump was damaged.
Well, I tried the pump a couple times while driving to our dealer today, and you know what happened. Yes, the pump worked as
advertised. I filled the auxilliary tank and did a third transfer at the dealer. Again worked great. Trike
must be running for fuel transfers to occur. Oh well, live and learn. Everything appears to be working on our trike. Our
dealer said this is good news, and this was a nice day for a ride. He was right about that.

[Konrad]

Had a nice trip to PA today, but it was my longest day of riding, 464 miles. Was beat when I got home.

Well, solved the mystery with our trike auxilliary fuel tank pump. Before the life-threatening incident when fuel flowed all
over our hot engine, I had always done fuel transfers while driving down the road. That particular day, I got distracted
by strange surroundings and forgot the pump on. Well, after I cleaned up the bike, I tried to do a fuel transfer with
the trike switch on but trike not running. I could hear the pump running, but no fuel transfer. So I thought the pump was damaged.
Well, I tried the pump a couple times while driving to our dealer today, and you know what happened. Yes, the pump worked as
advertised. I filled the auxilliary tank and did a third transfer at the dealer. Again worked great. Trike
must be running for fuel transfers to occur. Oh well, live and learn. Everything appears to be working on our trike. Our
dealer said this is good news, and this was a nice day for a ride. He was right about that.

I too tried it with the ignition off and being mostly deaf I couldn't even hear the pump running - dead silence. I have stopped at a grocery in the middle of a transfer, engine off, pump switch still on but indicator lights off. No transfer. But when I'm ready to ride again, the transfer continues. At the next time of transfer, I'm going to stop, turn off ignition, then go past it to the accessory switch and flick the aux. tank switch and see what happens.

[trucker]

6. How does the auxiliary gas tank work?
We offer an auxiliary fuel tank on the Goldwing models.

The GL1800 has a separate 5 gallon fuel tank that fills through a filler neck mounted in the body. We recommend running your front tank down until the low comes on. Then, simply flip our switch up and two LED lights will come on. The fuel is transferred up to the front tank in about 10 minutes. You will notice one of the LED lights went out. This confirms that all 5 gallons have transferred to your front tank and you are full again.

[Konrad]

6. How does the auxiliary gas tank work?
We offer an auxiliary fuel tank on the Goldwing models.

The GL1800 has a separate 5 gallon fuel tank that fills through a filler neck mounted in the body. We recommend running your front tank down until the low comes on. Then, simply flip our switch up and two LED lights will come on. The fuel is transferred up to the front tank in about 10 minutes. You will notice one of the LED lights went out. This confirms that all 5 gallons have transferred to your front tank and you are full again.

Thank you but we already knew that. The question is what happens under certain conditions when you forget to flip the aux. tank switch to OFF. Or if you flip in ON too early. Curious minds wish to know.

[trucker]

Konrad
Well I guess you'll just have to write to Roadsmith and ask them those questions.

[cerand2828]

Happened to me once, just outside of Savannah, GA. Fuel level was down to about 1/4 tank (I do know what the instructions say). Flipped on the aux pump, anyhow, got involved in traffic and exits. And a few miles after exiting...cough, cough, sputter,,,engine dies. We pull off the road, I smell gas, and see the pump light(s) on. Turned pump off, felt pretty foolish, got the trike into a shady area. Waited 10 min and cranked up the trike, drove big circles in a nearby Publix parking, sputtering for 5-6 min. Engine cleared up and we rode on.

Aux pump worked after this incident, but not working now. Talked to Roadsmith dealer's shop today. They think my pump was left on and burned out. New pump $95. Installation not difficult. Haven't had a chance to test pump yet.

Take care, Randall

[trucker]

Seems to me Roadsmith should come up with auto shut off.
But you have to remember that GW holds 6 gallon of gas ................low gas light suppose to come on when 1 gallon of gas is left in tank.
Auxillary tank hold 5 gallons of gas.
When I went to school 5 & 1 made 6..........turning pump on before low gas light comes on and with 1/4 tank of gas = overflow.

[Konrad]

Seems to me Roadsmith should come up with auto shut off.
But you have to remember that GW holds 6 gallon of gas ................low gas light suppose to come on when 1 gallon of gas is left in tank.
Auxillary tank hold 5 gallons of gas.
When I went to school 5 & 1 made 6..........turning pump on before low gas light comes on and with 1/4 tank of gas = overflow.

Makes sense to me!

Has anyone ever put the complete 5 gallons in the aux. tank? I've always put in only 4.5 gal to leave expansion room for the heat of summer. Been kind of afraid that with the full 5 gallons it might expand and overflow.

I'll be very happy if someone tells me I'm wrong !

[DonFor]

Don't know that you can fit the full 5 gallons, about 41/2 gallons it starts to run out the filler tube. another thing you should wait till the gas light comes on @ about 1/8 of a tank and then start transfer. It takes about 10 minutes to complete transfer. Do you have the 2 little red lights that are on when transfer of gas starts, and one light goes off to let you know when transfer is done? My roadsmith was set up that way. Hope that helped with your problem. Happy triking

[Konrad]

Don't know that you can fit the full 5 gallons, about 41/2 gallons it starts to run out the filler tube. another thing you should wait till the gas light comes on @ about 1/8 of a tank and then start transfer. It takes about 10 minutes to complete transfer. Do you have the 2 little red lights that are on when transfer of gas starts, and one light goes off to let you know when transfer is done? My roadsmith was set up that way. Hope that helped with your problem. Happy triking

Yes, I've always stopped filling the aux. tank at 4.5 gal to allow expansion room. My indicator lights are setup same as yours.