Fuel gauge is this notmal

[dub 24]

Hi all I have a 2010 twin cam with the float fuel sender set up. There is something I've been meaning to check with you all. The low fuel warning light comes on and tells me I have 75 / 80 km left yet I still have 2 bars plus the lower thicker bar still showing on the display.
Should I have this many bars showing with a low fuel light warning ?
The top bar normally disappears fairly quickly and I'm left with this as you can see from the photo. When I fill up I can get somewhere between 6 and 8 litres of fuel in. If anyone can shed some light on the cause and a remedy please I would be extremely grateful.
Cheers
Dub 24

 

[Santa-2512]

Not sure if you can recalibrate with a GS911 - that would be my first port of call

But looking at your pic, its not far off, if you take the big block as the reserve portion

Mine goes at 48-52 if i recall

 

[Ian J Hartley]

So the bike is telling you it’s getting low on fuel. You have 3 visual warnings. Gauge level, Range remaining and flashing Fuel light. All 3 are within range of accuracy that a float level can give. Maybe you also have your trip set so you know the bikes overall range, which would make 4 clear indications of fuel remaining in the tank.

Maybe there are few petrol stations in Ireland and you would like to tinker with your bike to get a more accurate reading so that eventually you get to push the bike to the next available petrol station.

When my bike tells me it needs fuel, I usually stop at the first available petrol station, not bothering to question whether the fuel gauging system could be more accurate.

 

[dub 24]

So the bike is telling you it’s getting low on fuel. You have 3 visual warnings. Gauge level, Range remaining and flashing Fuel light. All 3 are within range of accuracy that a float level can give. Maybe you also have your trip set so you know the bikes overall range, which would make 4 clear indications of fuel remaining in the tank.

Maybe there are few petrol stations in Ireland and you would like to tinker with your bike to get a more accurate reading so that eventually you get to push the bike to the next available petrol station.

When my bike tells me it needs fuel, I usually stop at the first available petrol station, not bothering to question whether the fuel gauging system could be more accurate.

Ian I have been a member of this forum for a few years and although I,ve never met you I have always upto now held your responses to all queries in high regard as you are very clearly well versed in the mechanics of Bmw's. Your response today however leaves me lost for words. I have in the past witnessed certain forum members respond to queries in a negative and condesending manner, you are the last person I would have expected this from.

 

[dub 24]

Not sure if you can recalibrate with a GS911 - that would be my first port of call

But looking at your pic, its not far off, if you take the big block as the reserve portion

Mine goes at 48-52 if i recall

Santa-2512 thanks for taking the time to respond .The GS911 as far I could see only recalibrates the fuel strip type..

 

[Ian J Hartley]

Ian I have been a member of this forum for a few years and although I,ve never met you I have always upto now held your responses to all queries in high regard as you are very clearly well versed in the mechanics of Bmw's. Your response today however leaves me lost for words. I have in the past witnessed certain forum members respond to queries in a negative and condesending manner, you are the last person I would have expected this from.

Fair point! Sorry!.

My comments where somewhat “tongue in cheek”.

But you are trying to identify a problem that does not exist. Therefore, no solution.

 

[botus]

20ltr tank on the std ones

full is 20ltr
half is 10ltr
thus 60 miles to go would be around 2 bars
you can ride till no bars - when calibrated correctly - it should have 5-10 miles left whilst showing its out

the calibration of a fuel strip is painful - must be 100% dry takes 4 mins stress testing the strip - and shouldn't need doing - the float is a more wild way to do it - it should sit on the filler neck of the small tank bikes - within last few weeks we have one that had gone strange and he eventually found it had become unclipped from the filler neck and was in the bottom of the tank....

 

[dub 24]

Fair point! Sorry!.

My comments where somewhat “tongue in cheek”.

But you are trying to identify a problem that does not exist. Therefore, no solution.

No panic Ian all good mate

 

[dub 24]

20ltr tank on the std ones

full is 20ltr
half is 10ltr
thus 60 miles to go would be around 2 bars
you can ride till no bars - when calibrated correctly - it should have 5-10 miles left whilst showing its out

the calibration of a fuel strip is painful - must be 100% dry takes 4 mins stress testing the strip - and shouldn't need doing - the float is a more wild way to do it - it should sit on the filler neck of the small tank bikes - within last few weeks we have one that had gone strange and he eventually found it had become unclipped from the filler neck and was in the bottom of the tank....

Thanks Botus for your reply. Yep I'm ending up with roughly 80km with the two bars remaining so it would seem all is normal
Cheers mate

 

[TLSgazza]

Hi all I have a 2010 twin cam with the float fuel sender set up. There is something I've been meaning to check with you all. The low fuel warning light comes on and tells me I have 75 / 80 km left yet I still have 2 bars plus the lower thicker bar still showing on the display.
Should I have this many bars showing with a low fuel light warning ?
The top bar normally disappears fairly quickly and I'm left with this as you can see from the photo. When I fill up I can get somewhere between 6 and 8 litres of fuel in. If anyone can shed some light on the cause and a remedy please I would be extremely grateful.
Cheers
Dub 24

I don't understand the bit where you say you can get 6-8 litres in. Surely that means you still have at least 12-14 litres in your tank.
Please elaborate.

 

[dub 24]

I don't understand the bit where you say you can get 6-8 litres in. Surely that means you still have at least 12-14 litres in your tank.
Please elaborate.

Yep your spot on I posted the thread after a 15 hr shift. What I meant to say is the opposite I have at a guess approximately 6 to 8 litres in the tank and can only get a maximum of 12 to 14 litres in on a refill. The gauge when the light comes on says roughly 75 to 80 km left which equate roughly to 4 to 5 litres of fuel so I'm out by 2 litres give or take as I get late 40's early 50's to the gallon and I do fill up very quickly as I've always been afraid of running out on the motorway on the way home . This isn't the main issue per say what I wanted to know was the number of bars left when the light came on and Botus confirmed all is normal.

Sorry for the confusion

 

[GSite]

Had several 1200 Hexheads, with tank floats, they were all pretty similar to yours, but my curremt GSA seems to have one bar plus the thick one at the bottom when the light comes on.

Quote

 

[TLSgazza]

Yep your spot on I posted the thread after a 15 hr shift. What I meant to say is the opposite I have at a guess approximately 6 to 8 litres in the tank and can only get a maximum of 12 to 14 litres in on a refill. The gauge when the light comes on says roughly 75 to 80 km left which equate roughly to 4 to 5 litres of fuel so I'm out by 2 litres give or take as I get late 40's early 50's to the gallon and I do fill up very quickly as I've always been afraid of running out on the motorway on the way home . This isn't the main issue per say what I wanted to know was the number of bars left when the light came on and Botus confirmed all is normal.

Sorry for the confusion

Well in that case you have a good reference and a pretty accurate guage showing range left. You now know you don't need to panic and rush to the nearest station as soon as your fuel light comes on having 50-60 miles still in the tank.

 

[Pootler]

The warning on my F750 comes on at 2 bars and also the 2nd bar goes down quickly managed 50 miles on it and still some left.

 

[dub 24]

Well in that case you have a good reference and a pretty accurate guage showing range left. You now know you don't need to panic and rush to the nearest station as soon as your fuel light comes on having 50-60 miles still in the tank.

For sure mate thanks

 

[dub 24]

The warning on my F750 comes on at 2 bars and also the 2nd bar goes down quickly managed 50 miles on it and still some left.

Cheers mate for that