Erratic fuel gauge, 2006 GSA

[IanC]

My gauge has never been truly linear. But just lately it's taken a turn for the worse. It shows empty after maybe 200 miles (probably 10 litres left).

As I understand it, mine has an arm and float (did they change to a conductive strip for a while?). Could this be sticking? Or it a sensor problem? Or any other suggestions?

And which side is it? Any downsides to opening it up (e.g. resealing problems?)

Fuel pump controller's still good after 72,500 miles Don't want to disturb it if possible!

 

[IanC]

Looks like it's a first??

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Fuel pump controller's still good after 72,500 miles Don't want to disturb it if possible!

06 was a very good year

 

[leasky]

I also have an 06 GSA and I have the exact same problem.

I have had it looked at under warranty and been told "there is nothing wrong with the gauge - they are all like that".

 

[swissrob]

an accurate fuel guage .. forget it. its a load of shite.

just reset the trip each time then you know whats really happening

 

[IanC]

No it was good (if not perfect) for 70,000 miles, only just gone senile! Makes me think the float's sticking, leaking, or something?

But even more bizarrely I keep "running out", and filling up with only about 27 litres! Get going again by laying bike on LH side. If there was a balancing tube between lobes I'd guess it was blocked, but I don't think there is!

Any ideas?

 

[adfc]

my experience with fuel tank...

No it was good (if not perfect) for 70,000 miles, only just gone senile! Makes me think the float's sticking, leaking, or something?

But even more bizarrely I keep "running out", and filling up with only about 27 litres! Get going again by laying bike on LH side. If there was a balancing tube between lobes I'd guess it was blocked, but I don't think there is!

Any ideas?

Hi there IanC,

my 2008 GSA had the "usual" fuel gauge problem... when i filled it up, all read well... but when the fuel was below half the tank, when i tilted the bike, or when i put it on or off the central stand, the fuel went "up or down" on the Board Computer... never could trust it... BMW could not resolve the problem, even with 3 specific visits to 2 different BMW dealers.

It seems you have the problem i had on the 08GSA... faulty tank fuel reading... my humble opinion...

 

[IanC]

Thanks. But mine really is running out (i.e. coming to a stop), and then only taking 27 or so litres to fill up. So this aspect isn't a gauge problem! As I mentioned, I can get mobile again by laying the bike on it's LH side. No idea how long this fuel would last as obviously I head straight for the nearest pump then. Happened 4-5 times now.

Incidentally, when I passed through Nigeria in 2010, I actually 'got' 36 litres in!

 

[trainman]

No it was good (if not perfect) for 70,000 miles, only just gone senile! Makes me think the float's sticking, leaking, or something?

But even more bizarrely I keep "running out", and filling up with only about 27 litres! Get going again by laying bike on LH side. If there was a balancing tube between lobes I'd guess it was blocked, but I don't think there is!

Any ideas?

haynes manual mentions a transfer line or pump, but no pictures or details, not a maintained item and is not powered by electric, so there is something but not sure what!
i take it you dont have a vacuum forming (ie bike ok if filler opened)

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

Moves fuel from one side of the tank to the other,


SUCKING JET PUMP WITH LINES

 

[IanC]

Ah, that looks like it!

I reckon that might explain why the fuel gauge also is behaving differently all of a sudden, assuming the float's only one side.

Anyone know how this is meant to work? Does it keep both sides balanced, or only pump fuel when the level drops to a certain point, which would make sense? I guess if I'm lucky I might just have a broken wire, bad connection, or something.

 

[trainman]

Ah, that looks like it!

I reckon that might explain why the fuel gauge also is behaving differently all of a sudden, assuming the float's only one side.

Anyone know how this is meant to work? Does it keep both sides balanced, or only pump fuel when the level drops to a certain point, which would make sense? I guess if I'm lucky I might just have a broken wire, bad connection, or something.

found this
http://www.beemerboneyard.com/16147694699.html

i dont think its electric, it looks pressure or vacuum powered, if you go on the motorworks site and look on used parts under 'additional fuel pump' they have some for sale

 

[Brown_Dog]

No it was good (if not perfect) for 70,000 miles, only just gone senile! Makes me think the float's sticking, leaking, or something?

But even more bizarrely I keep "running out", and filling up with only about 27 litres! Get going again by laying bike on LH side. If there was a balancing tube between lobes I'd guess it was blocked, but I don't think there is!

Any ideas?

Hi IanC

I was wondering whether you have had any luck in sorting out this problem?

I have the same problem. Has been like it almost from new and my dealer has looked at it several times now, the last time they had it a week, and its still not sorted!!
I have been saying all along that as tipping the bike over gets it going again and when I fill up can only get 25 litres in, it must be how it gets the fuel from one side of the tank to the other!!

I think because they have had so many fuel pump controller related problems, with the problem we have they are missing something.

The sucking jet fuel pump not working would make a lot of sense.

I'm going back to the dealer this week


Cheers
Tony

 

[IanC]

Tony

Well I haven't solved it, but I do know a bit more now!

I fitted a new Sucking Jet Pump (£51) only this Friday, but sadly the problem persists. As far as I can tell the SJP is only a venturi driven by the return flow from the injectors (the surplus fuel), no moving parts. I've checked this flow and it's quite a lot, which in a way seems to be the problem, as in effect this is indirectly transferring fuel from left to right. Whether the SJP is transferring ANY from right to left or not, I'm unsure, but either way it's LESS than is being transferred from left to right. Which explains why after the first laying-down it's not too long (~6 miles?) before you need to repeat.

I got 270 miles after filling up (I have done the filler-neck mod) and put in 28 litres today after my 'range' and gauge both read zero. Had intended running to a stop, to get exact figures, but thought it unwise as I was on the motorway, with intermittent hard shoulder....

I've also thoroughly cleaned the tank and strainer on the pump. I've not taken bike to dealer (CW Motorcycles) but spoken to them a few times on phone, and basically they don't know - I had to explain that the SJP wasn’t electrically driven! So I'm at a loss at the moment. What have they tried with yours? Did they replace the controller? At least that would be one more part I could eliminate from my enquiries! Next suspect I think might be the Pressure Regulator, and then maybe the Fuel Pump itself? BTW who is your dealer?

It's a very bizarre/annoying problem, which you could ignore and just live with a reduced range/capacity, but I'm determined to get to the bottom of it! Seems unusual no-one else has had AND fixed it. I'm in touch with a guy in US on ADVrider who also has this problem, but not solved it.

BTW mine has 73,000 miles on the clock, and the problem’s only surfaced in the last thousand or so.

Parts fiche may be useful.

Keep me posted!


PS Please BMW, tell me what would be so wrong with a balancing tube with some quick-connects???!

 

[Brown_Dog]

Hi Ian

Thanks so much for your quick and informative reply.

Sorry to hear you're still having the problem.

It's really p***ing me off now.
I haven't really done too much investigating myself as my bike is only 18 months old and still under warranty so I thought they would fix it no problems
13500 miles on it now. I've had problems from the beginning. (Still think its the best bike ever though
:cool )
Having started looking for more information about it was how I came across your post.
I'll check for sure what the dealer replaced when I call them tomorrow and let you know.
My dealer is Cotswold BMW in Gloucester, where the bike came from.

When I got the bike back last week I filled up, bars on the gauge went up before I'd left the forecourt. Good start. This hasn't always been the case!!
Range went to 360 miles. About right.
Reset the trip.
All was going well. 50 mile range left (getting nervous now)
Would never let it get this low normally.
Riding home from work, the light came on at 43 mile range. Yep, sounds good.
42 miles and it STOPS
Just as before. I was so mad.
Jumped off, lent it over, fired it up and off I went. So nowts changed.
Trip was 290. MPG reset at fill up was reading 52.

There is no way I'm giving up on this. We should be able to use the 33 litres we carry around!!

I have had it cut out on me in the fast lane on the motorway at 70mph with a range of 70 miles showing!!

On one 10 mile trip to the dealer (they asked me to bring it in as soon as it happened) I had to get off and do the lean 4 times

Will get back to you soon with more info mate.

Cheers
Tony

 

[Brown_Dog]

Thanks for the links too.

 

[IanC]

Well Tony, I hate to say it, but I'm glad you have the problem! Sorry, don't mean that, but I'm glad BMW have one they have to sort out under warranty

My nightmare scenario is taking it to the dealer, and they just start replacing one bit after another, culminating with a very large bill! The anticipation of thinking it may be fixed and then the bike dying on you is not nice, turning me into a nervous wreck! I've also been in touch with a guy in Melbourne who had the problem on a vanilla GS he'd fitted with a GSA tank. He thought that might have been relevant. He replaced the Fuel Pump Controller, with no improvement.

Have to say my gauge readings are a little different from yours - I generally show zero range/fuel before running out, but I keep going, knowing that there's more fuel in there. This could be due to different floats, sensor strips, etc.

Please don't give up til they've fixed it, for both our sake's!!! Any info much appreciated.

 

[PaulW21781]

I think this is also affecting me, again my bike is also 18 months old (Anniversary job) with just under 22k on the clock.

It gets to about 200 miles on the trip counter, 1/2 a tank on the guage, then suddenly just goes straight down to 1 bar of fuel. (for the record, I'm now on my 3rd fuel sensor, as it's been replaced twice now).

I only came across this thread the other day, and thought, out of interest, I'll try the leaning trick. Leant the bike over (220 miles on trip, 1 bar on fuel guage again) and it went up to 4 bars full. Rode for a bit (say 10 - 15 miles) and it went stright to 1 bar again.

I did also see how far I could get to a tank (running till stop), with the trip counter reading 60mpg, it did 342 miles according to the trip counter. From 205 miles the fuel guage said 1 bar, from 260 it was saying emtpy with range showing ---, then at 342 it did indeed stop. Thankfully I wasn't too far to a petrol station, so pushed it and filled it to the brim... 27 litres...

Bloomin annoying

Not sure though how to approach the dealer with this one, they have been extremely helpful in the past with other things, but the only way I can really get the problem to replicate itself, is to just let them have the bike with a full tank of fuel and ride it till it dies. Something I can't do, as the bike is the only form of transport I have.

 

[Brown_Dog]

Well Tony, I hate to say it, but I'm glad you have the problem! Sorry, don't mean that, but I'm glad BMW have one they have to sort out under warranty

My nightmare scenario is taking it to the dealer, and they just start replacing one bit after another, culminating with a very large bill! The anticipation of thinking it may be fixed and then the bike dying on you is not nice, turning me into a nervous wreck! I've also been in touch with a guy in Melbourne who had the problem on a vanilla GS he'd fitted with a GSA tank. He thought that might have been relevant. He replaced the Fuel Pump Controller, with no improvement.

Have to say my gauge readings are a little different from yours - I generally show zero range/fuel before running out, but I keep going, knowing that there's more fuel in there. This could be due to different floats, sensor strips, etc.

Please don't give up til they've fixed it, for both our sake's!!! Any info much appreciated.

Hi Ian

Just wanted to let you know, I have been in contact with BMW again, not just my dealer!!
Without going into what my email said, my bike is going back in on Tuesday 27th March as they have some things they would like to try!

So fingers crossed.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers
Tony

 

[jstancampiano]

I am having the same problem here in the US. I am waiting to see what you guys come up with.

Thanks,

Joe