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Gas Gauge Problems

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Gas Gauge Problems
From Members Forum

Ok.. When i fill up The lcd display is full. After 60-80 miles of riding the display has only one digit showing. I first thought that Im out of ful so when i filled up again and it only took 2 gals. The fuel warning lamp works so I dont think it can be in the tank. I couldnt find any oxidized or poor connections from the fuel tank. Any thoughts before I bring it to the dealer for warrenty work??
Tommy

Tommy, you say the low fuel warning lamp works but what is it doing in this situation? If it's coming on (it works) then I'd say that its agreeing with the fuel level display and the problem is most likely the fuel sender. Fuel senders (in general) have been known to have erratic behavior. For instance, you can keep riding and when the tank gets lower the fuel level display can pop back up.

Let the dealer handle this under warranty.
_________________
Hal S.

Hal.You hit right on the button. As I ride the digital fuel display does pop back to the correct level, then like magic, its gone again.
As I said earlier, the lamp does come on 11 miles before the main tank is dry. I do believe that its the sensor. Where is it located? behind the dash? I really dread having a dealer open it up. Im sure that they arent as carefull as I am especially putting it back together.
Tommy

Is it flashing? If it is, is it the right or left one flashing? Behmer

Hi. No, it doesent flash. one minuete the display is working and the next it doesent.Has this been a problem for many like the shock and wine/chirp issue? Or is this just my bad luck.
Tommy

Yep...sounds just like mine.
here is what Ive done.

I pulled the tank and removed the float sensor. If you do this the float assembly MUST be rotated around BEFORE removing it as not to cut the wires inside the tank .

Once removed I measured the resistance with my fluke meter and noticed that there were some glitches in the reading.

I carefully removed the float arm from the variable resistor and cleaned the contacts with a pencil eraser. With the eraser being a very mild abrasive it took off all the dirt and deposits. Then I carefully cleaned the 3 fingers from the float arm. I put all back together, filled the tank and only rode it 45 miles. Its now raining in N.H. through the next 4 - 5 days. Ill keep you posted on my findings. If my attempt has failed ill Tell the dealer what my expectations of him are.

Tommy

Those single bar readings on the fuel gauge are a self diagnostic feature incorporated into the bike. Per the manual. One bar lit on the extreme right side of the gauge indicates a bad fuel meter or sender. One bar lit on the extreme left side of the gauge indicates a bad fuel thermister. Now I'm not sure just what the book means by the term "fuel thermister" . But according to what I just read in the manual, it's part of the tank sender unit.In either case, again according to the shop manual,ya replace the sender unit in the tank. BUT, before ya jump to any conclusions, the manual also says to check ALL WIRING having to do with the fuel sender. Now that means in the dash behind the gauge and running down to and including the tank sender unit. Since I haven't run into a problem in this area, I appologize for not being able to be of more help other than refering to my shop manual and what it says to do. Dave!!!.

I thought I'd finished the story!!

so...after i took the sending unit assembly apart and cleaned thermister (that is the small resister on the flat wafer board or printer circuit board) with a pencil eraser, NOT A PEN ERASER, and the little fragile fingers that make contact to the wafer board, I reassembled the the unit, bolted it back to the tank making sure the ground wire under one of the bolts was a good ground free of dirt and oxidation the guage has worked perfectly all summer.

Its very easy to do. Even those of you that never worked on a tech bench is capable of doing this service.

tommy333

Last update: 07:38 PM Thursday, September 14, 2006

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