Fuel guage problem

[Pyke]

My 01' 1150GS got a fuel gauge problem.

On full tank it shown 1 bar less than full. Cruising sometimes it goes to full bars.

When I rode over 160 miles, the bar went on funny, whether it is 1 bar, 2 bars etc.

I've cleaned the connection & put in petrolem jelly, result still the same.

It is do with accuracy of fuel gauge within the tank.

Do I have to take the fuel gauge out of tank, do something summat about this gauge.

Any advise on the fuel gauge on the tank - it is sealed unit or repairable. Also, how much for a replacement fuel sensor and gasket.

Thanks

Pyke
~~~~~~~
01' 1150GS

 

[MikeO]

Clean the 4 pin connector again, use a small round file with emery wrapped around it until the metal on all the contacts is bright - it's almost always the connection there that causes the problem. Plus you can try this before delving into tank removal/disassembly etc...

Mike

 

[Guzzler]

Oh man, not another one.

First off the fuel gauge sending unit is part of the plate assembly. So if you want to get a new one, you get the whole assembly (rather costly).

Second, it is not the best designed thing. And generally not very accurate.

Third, you can try cleaning the connector, again. But the odds is that it isn't going to do much.

Fourth, you can try taking out the plate from the tank and look at the sending unit. More than likely, it will look just fine.

You best bet... Do nothing. Use your trip odometer to figure out when to fill up. More than likely, it will remain functional at low fuel levels (your warning light is a fair indicator when to fill up). Oddly, it just might fix itself after awhile, after a couple fill up's. Mine does this almost every year. Shows one bar shy of full for sever fill ups, then one day it will start working properly for a long time, then go back to showing one bar shy. Repeat.

I speak from almost 3 years experience with this damn thing. I have replaced the RID. Replaced the sending unit. Torn apart and fiddled with the sending unit. Taken apart the electrical connector (verifying good contacts). You name it, I have done it.

I have worked with the dealer with this too. It isn't fun.

Now if you have gauge that only shows a half a tank (when you know it is full), you will have either a bad RID or sending unit. Hopefully it will still be under warrenty.

 

[Jimb]

Clean it

Why have you put jelly on the connector all that will do is insulate it, clean it off with alcohol or switch cleaner then clean th pins AND sockets with switch cleaner on a pipe cleaner, it'll be OK then.

 

[Frank Warner]

Cleaning contacts ...
Use a PENCIL eraser! You only want to clean oxidation off the contacts not remove metal. Using a point’s file, emery paper .. well for connectors that is way too much. For switch contacts that carry large currents you may need to remove metal deposits so there use the emery paper/points file.

Protecting contacts....
Connector’s contacts get 'dirty' by oxidization. Remove the source (air) and the problem is very much reduced. The same method as used on the battery terminals can be used on the contacts.. a clean stable grease that excludes air and has no harmful components.

On the K series the petrol level sensor is a plastic float on an arm that moves a contact on a wire wound resistor. you can move the float using your hand to see the effect.. best down with a near empty tank - less resistance to moving the float (and less petrol on your hand). You could take voltage readings on the sensor output and see what the range is .. could be useful to track the source of variation over time.