Modern Vespa

I've owned my new to me LX150 for one week now and have ridden it every day. The gas light hasn't turned on yet but it's close to empty. How long will it run with the gas light on?

Also, I tried to refuel yesterday. I tried 2 different pumps but neither would pump any fuel. I squeezed but nothing happened. I believe the nozzle was inserted properly. It was a Shell station in CA. Any ideas?

Thanks

What color? Got any pics. The LX series has a history of the fuel gauge not working right. Mine stayed on E for years and now only goes to 3/4 when full . However my yellow fuel light works just fine. When it comes on solid i have almost a gallon left. I did it 3 times so i could see what i had left. Real PIA but it's an even more PIA to replace the sender unit. It's weird but certain colors of the '07 models are affected. Plum ones definitely are. Night Wing on here has a plum one also and he replaced the sender. I don't live more than 20 miles from a gas station here so it's a non issue. They never did a recall so it won't be done for free. We didn't realize they didn't work. I bought mine from CA so i just thought they removed the gas when i had it flown over. Nope, it was full and i proceeded to get gas everywhere. Hope this helps

You have to hold the sleeve by the nozzle up in order for the pump to actually pump anything. When you pump gas into your car, it can insert far enough to do it itself. Scooters, not so much. Be careful of overfueling though. Its pretty easy to do so.

Thanks for your replies. My 2008 LX150 is Portifino Green. I'll be careful not to overflow the gas.

Now that's cute.

It's very easy to over fuel, I kept doing it on my LX when I first got it. The simple solution is just to keep the ignition turned so the fuel gauge moves as you fuel, then you can see how much you've added.

Good idea, but I've found mine pretty unreliable that way. Also be aware that some fuel gauges NEVER show full. Mine, for example tops out at 3/4. If you pay attention to how much fuel it takes to fill when the low fuel light is on, that's a pretty reliable indicator....you can at least be ready to shut down if it doesn't on it's own.

Be aware also, that overflows can head in the direction of the tail light lens. Gas eats that plastic, and it's $$$$ to replace ($60 or so, IIRC). Never hurts to keep a rag handy.

As far as how many miles you have left...not sure, but I'll easily go another 10 on a steady yellow light. After that I start getting nervous.

I know that it takes 1.3 gallons at the 1/4 tank and 1.8 when she is at empty. and as I seem to doubt myself I also have the key in the on position so I can see where it is on the gauge. I think the gauge works well.

I try not to let her go under 1.4 tank. She seems to run a bit better with some fuel in her belly.

That's how I do it. Just watch the pump, usually pump 1.4-1.6 gals. Overfills do happen, don't push it.

Like others have posted, I know the quantity I can put in when on E or close to it. I use my trip meter to help gauge it since my MPG is fairly consistent. To avoid spillage I squeeze the gas handle gently and also pause to use my phone's flashlight to see the fuel down in the tank. If I see a reflection I know I'm about full, or full enough.

Remove pet carrier and hold the handle over the hole.


FAQ: How can I avoid overflowing the gas tank?

Always have a rag in the pet carrier just in case.

I find those pesky gas pump 'handles' to be different from gas station to gas station, some will let me pump gas very slowly, great for scooters, bikes and gas cans and some just don't like me at all. I think the ones at our gas station closest to where I work has the newest pump handles, they are stiff and hard for me to use on the bike or scooter, the gas station across from the plaza is probably the oldest, they don't see me often but their pump handles are nice for filling my bike or scooter, the newer Casey's is not too bad and the 1 by our grocery store in town does not like my debit card and they do not like tiny purchases with debit cards, I rarely have cash on me.
So, try different gas stations in your area, some might have pump handles that are more 'scooter friendly'.

This is the advantage of being a pump jockey when I was 16
Never have trouble filling my tank on any vehicle.

I just put the nozzle all the way and fill it. It automatically shuts off when it reaches the nozzle. Been doing it this way since i bought the bike in '07 and have almost 39,000 miles on him. Never overfilled (except my first fill up before i knew the gas gauge didn't work). Do get an idea of how much you have left when the yellow light comes on steady tho. FLED you should check as well. You have more than 10 miles. Mine has been consistent at almost a gallon left for years now. Every time i fill up i check to see what my mileage is/was.

The obsession of filling the tank until the gauge reads full is the cause of many over-fills. Forget the gauge. Remove the pet carrier or prop the edge up with your gas cap. Position the nozzle over the hole, or propped up pet carrier. Insert the nozzle into the tank. When it clicks off, visually check the level of fuel in the tank. Add a bit more if needed but don't try to fill it up into the neck. If you do, fuel will run out the overflow into the charcoal canister and eventually cause performance issues.

Most scooters can get 100 miles out of a tank. Pushing it to the point that you are walking the bike to the gas station is not good.

Thanks everyone. I'm all fueled up again. No spills. Removed the pet carrier (hilarious) just in case. The first station I'd tried had new stiff pumps that somehow prevented the pumps to release any fuel at all. The next station I tried worked fine. Cheers!

Awesome. Not get out there and ride. Got a lot of mileage to catch up to me (almost 39,000)