1150 fuel light.

[daj]

Hello all,

I'm new here and also to the world of the GS (loving it - btw).

Just a quick question. When is my fuel light supposed to come on? I was told when I'm down to 2 bars (by the previous owner) and I think the little book says 3.

I have had it down to 1 and still no light!

I did see it com once when I was low on fuel and parked on a slope, so I guess the bulb is OK. It went off again when I levelled the bike.

Is this normal are they tricky?

Thanks for the help

daj

 

[Steve]

Seems to vary from bike to bike. For some it's 2 bars, some 1, and some, like mine, no bars.

The light is supposed to be more accurate than the bar readout on the RID. When it comes on, you've got 30 - 40 miles left.

 

[Ted]

Fuel light

Had the same thing on my GS 18 months ago. In the end got a fuel can and strapped it to the carrier. Then went for a ride when the fuel was low(2 bars) just rode it till I felt it start to hold back. Hopefully the light will have come on and set the trip when it dose.
Then add the fuel and fill up at next garage. If It hasnt come on book it in and have it checked/ calibrated. At leased you will know for sure if its working and if so what the range is.
Mine is on at 1 bar and got 35 miles before it started to run out.

 

[Tarka]

My low fuel light comes on just after the last bar has gone.


And usually just after I`ve passed the 'Next services 30 miles' sign....

 

[Sea Lion]

Mine comes on at one, not long before it's down to 0.

 

[trotsky]

On the flat and straight mine lights up about the time the last bar disappears. I haven't looked too closely at the two happenings to establish a precise "A follows B" relationship. Going round corners and weaving in and out can result in interesting "it's come on, it's gone off, it's come on again" moments.

At that point my wee book says I have four litres left. Last week I did this to make removal of the tank more simple (less hernia inducing) and it ran for 20 commuting miles after that light came on. At that point I began to worry about powering the engine on the stuff full of dog hair and old half sucked Spangles that is reputed to live down the bottom of petrol tanks. When I filled up I put about 28 litres of fuel into the nominally 31 litre tank (ending up with a short session of "pour and wait for level to fall back down the filler neck before pouring again") which suggests that the figures are about right.

 

[cookie]

it's actually got nothing to do with the bars, as such.

orange lamp is operated by a seperate wiper type switch, part of the float mechanism, which runs alongside another one with more segments that switches the RID guage bars onf/off (with a 10 second delay AAMOI).

i guess if they are slightly differently aligned physically from bike to bike, then the lamp will light at different bar readings.

hope that makes some sense to you, it's pretty muddy from here

 

[daj]

Well, thanks for all that fellas.

I might try the petrol can test, just so I know.

Cheers

 

[Possu]

With the normal 22 litre tank, mine came on with 4 litres left, no bars showing.

With an Adventure tank fitted, I did not want the light coming on too soon - I wasusing mt the 22 litre tank internals, so I "bent" a slight downward radius in to the float arm to delay light activation. Worked a treat, light comes with 4.5 to 5 litres left & no bars showing.