Fuel Gague Problem

Collected GS on 7th, and it is really "TEPID" apart from one thing well apart from the hard seat, must save up for a comfier one.

Problem is with fuel gague not working as described in the manual, excuse the tomb, but it may help to fully explain the problem.

Collected 070906.

Fuel level bars were indicating about half, roughly level with temperature bars when warm, then bars dropped one by one whilst riding until down to none,
(no fuel warning light came on as p 3 56 in Riders manual)
Filled tank up on sidestand to fairly near top, indicated one bar down from top when full
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Run Out 080906
Ran bike North York moors etc normal runs, and some blasts up the A1 at continuous 70 mph, , bars go down one by one, when 2 bars no orange warning light, when one bar – no orange warning light.
Ran for about twenty five miles on no bars, no light came on then filled up with fuel, this time on centre stand.
Took 17.7 litres and did 168 miles, works out at 47 mpg I think which I think is about right for mixed driving conditions.
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This would indicate to me that there was still at least five litres of fuel in the tank when there were no bars showing on the fuel level indicator, and as the orange warning light doesn’t come on until there are about 4 litres left in tank perhaps light may be OK, (although I hav not seen it come on this may be why)

Filled up tank again to top , fuel gague when full to neck of tank, level indicator still not showing full set of bars on indicator.
Showing minus one from top I think.


Bike is Sept 99 1150 GS with 8,300 miles.
Anyone had any similar faults. :whatthefe

I've got a 2003 1150, I've had this before. Remove the plastic panel on the R/H side under the petrol tank, it just pulls off. Under this is a largish terminal connection, pull it apart & spray with WD40 or similar. Put it back & pull it apart a couple of times. Hopefully this will cure it.

Thanks for that I have done as you suggested, the connection pins did look dry and very slightly oxidised, cleaned them up as well as WD40.
Will test it out tomorrow.

Bananaman,

You have missed the part in the manual that says:

"fuel gauge provided for entertainment purposes only!!"

My R1200GS 06 fuel gauge always acts strange:

Fill right up to brim and drive off: all bars show 2mins later top few bars go out!

sometimes the bars go down one by one othertimes it goes straight down.

Sometimes I can do 100miles with only the last bar showing before yellow light and countdown milage starting.

The only good thing about the gauge is that the countdown seems fairly accurate, usually starts with about 47miles to go.

My bike will do about 275miles when the tank has been filled (completely filled ie takes a long time at pump until petrol level is at the cap)

Hope this helps

Ian

ianm00 said:

Bananaman,

You have missed the part in the manual that says:

"fuel gauge provided for entertainment purposes only!!"

My R1200GS 06 fuel gauge always acts strange:

Fill right up to brim and drive off: all bars show 2mins later top few bars go out!

sometimes the bars go down one by one othertimes it goes straight down.

Sometimes I can do 100miles with only the last bar showing before yellow light and countdown milage starting.

The only good thing about the gauge is that the countdown seems fairly accurate, usually starts with about 47miles to go.

My bike will do about 275miles when the tank has been filled (completely filled ie takes a long time at pump until petrol level is at the cap)

Hope this helps

Ian

Click to expand...

..Yes, exactly the same as mine, you sort of get used to it. The gauge on my old 1150 was much more accurate, but I do like that countdown to empty, that the 1200 has...

Thanks for info chaps, and I thought a BMW fuel gauge would be spot on.

I cleaned the connector as "Eliminator" suggested, and tested again today. Bars counted down progressievly to no bars showing, after 190 miles but still no amber warning light on panel.
Anyway filled up again in Helmsley and all bars full to top of panel when started up again.
Have done 64 miles since and is dropping to next bar occasionally, so the bar problem seems to be fixed, (i.e. not showing full bars when full)

Have still not got the amber / orange low fuel light coming on so that might be a blown bulb or something else.

MPG by the way seems to be quite reasonable again, did 200.1 miles on 18.1 litres.
Which works out to 51.13052 mpg I think according to the little grey cells, .........................(I cheated actually and used a calculator),
just hope I did it correctly as I appear to be getting more mpg than my 850 did, which is a nice surprise.

Anyway am passing BMW tomorrow so will let them have a look.
Will post results.

The type of fuel also makes a difference, mine was up and down like a brides nightie if I used Morrisons petrol but fine on jet, Shell, Texaco, Esso, the suggested cure is mostly effective but if the problem persists, the wiper inside the tank will need a clean, easy to do.

Run it right down & the light will probably come on, just make sure you're carrying some petrol. Sometimes my light comes on with 1 bar, other times comes on with 0 bars showing.

Bulb??? just a guess

flooky said:

Bulb??? just a guess

Click to expand...

Bulb is possible for lack of yellow light. But in addition to the yellow light there is the countdown milage. Does either of these come on?

Thinking about it, when you turn on the ignition and the bike goes through the check sequence the yellow light comes on during this. If it works then it cant be bulb??

Ian

Never thought about the light coming on at startup ,
Just checked and there is no fuel light on at all, (red battery charge light flashing abs checking lights and green neutral light all on) so it seems as if it's a blown bulb at fault.

Good point about fuel type / slider mechanism as well on the bars indicator problem. They seem to be working correctly after cleaning the connector block though, will keep watching though.

Anyone know if it's an easy job to get the dash out? Had a look on the CD Manual and it looks straight forward, however it does not give a lot of detail really.

I am afraid of electrics so don't want to go there if it's too complicated :goof
but perhaps I could replace the fuel light bulb !

Forgot to post the result, Allan Jeffries BMW in Shipley sorted it out, works fine now, light comes on after one bar which is what I expected a fine BMW machine to do

ianm00 said:

Bulb is possible for lack of yellow light. But in addition to the yellow light there is the countdown milage. Does either of these come on?

Thinking about it, when you turn on the ignition and the bike goes through the check sequence the yellow light comes on during this. If it works then it cant be bulb??

Ian

Click to expand...

Your talking about a 1200 - the bike under discussion is an 1150