Fuel level sender fuel strip to float upgrade

[Bendy toy]

To avoid hijacking @Olsin77's bike repair thread.

Is there any definitive information about fitting a float type fuel level sender to a bike which has a fuel strip fuel level system.

I understand the bikes after 2010 had the float system. However my 2008 GSA is inflicted with a fuel strip that I would be happy to lose.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Can't be done. Ecu pins/connections are different and so is the software. BMW don't even offer it as an option.

 

[Bendy toy]

Presumably, those that appears to have done it in @Olsin77's thread never had a fuel strip in the first place.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

No idea, I don't know the thread.

 

[Bendy toy]

It was this one (getting hijacked) hence the new thread.

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/398465-2012-Gs-twin-cam

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Looks to me he put a float onto a float bike but it is a GS float hence it reads wrong. They are very different connections between the two. Strip is a heater circuit and a temp circuit. Every so often the strip gets heated and the temp circuit reads how far down it is cooled so knows where the top of the fuel is. Float is just a resistor. It wouldn't be impossible to hook the float through something like an Arduino and mimic the output to whatever the float outputs signal wise. At a guess the ecu will be expecting something between 0v and 5v. You could probably also do it old school with a reference circuit.

 

[nicholsonj2252]

Looks to me he put a float onto a float bike but it is a GS float hence it reads wrong. They are very different connections between the two. Strip is a heater circuit and a temp circuit. Every so often the strip gets heated and the temp circuit reads how far down it is cooled so knows where the top of the fuel is. Float is just a resistor. It wouldn't be impossible to hook the float through something like an Arduino and mimic the output to whatever the float outputs signal wise. At a guess the ecu will be expecting something between 0v and 5v. You could probably also do it old school with a reference circuit.

You are spot on - I had a 2005 GS tank with a float valve and I fitted a 2012 GSA tank with a float valve (both had the same two pin external electrical connection). I was thinking of swapping the Electronic part of the float valves around as they are just a 2 pin plug in connector and a snap in module , but keep the correct float arms and see if that works ? Any thoughts ? What about my original idea of just altering the float arm so it goes deeper into the tank to see if I can force it to read empty a bit later . Not into electronics - mechanical fitting is my thing ;-) so talk of Arduino although I know what it is is beyond me......

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

You don't want to mess with the strip anyway they are garbage!
Don't see why bending the float down wouldn't work. It would show full for a lot of the time but that isn't any big deal. Other alternative would be to lengthen the arm to give the float more swing. Probably wouldn't be easy to work out the length but you could trial and error it.

 

[Bendy toy]

You don't want to mess with the strip anyway they are garbage!

I have one - hence this thread.

The floats for post 2010 bikes are probably the same mechanism with simply a longer arm on the GSA. However as @Marki says its no big deal if the tank reads full for a long while. The problems arise when the tank is close to empty so setting the float to hit zero when you have a litre (or less) remaining is a good plan.

Im no electronics person but I don't want the cost of a new fuel strip and calibration only to find it goes titsup a few months down the road as they usually do. I'll look at @Marki's suggestions.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

The problem with the old and new never mind gs and GSA is they are different shapes as well.

 

[Packer]

Is it worth the trouble? Fill up, set trip, ride and enjoy, at a comfortable mileage on the trip fill up again, repeat.

 

[nicholsonj2252]

Problem I have is if I fill the tank up it reads correctly as full but after around 180 miles it says it is empty when in fact is is still half full - hence the idea of trying to get the float arm deeper into the tank to stop it reading empty too soon .

 

[nicholsonj2252]

Is it worth the trouble? Fill up, set trip, ride and enjoy, at a comfortable mileage on the trip fill up again, repeat.

Problem is I have a yellow flashing warning light and petrol indicator after just 180 mile when I still have half a tank of petrol

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

If you aren't actually bothered about the gauge there is a simple circuit you can do to fiddle what is shown. It basically shows full all the time. In your case though nicholson I think it is worth having a go at bending the arm.

 

[nicholsonj2252]

Sorted - took the old fuel pump assembly complete with original float vale out of original tank . Compared GSA assembly with old assembly and float valve arm on original was shorter and angled differently . Altered original to same angles as GSA one and re-fitted with filler cap removed so I could see inside tank . With a few more adjustments I had it sitting in the correct position and it now reads empty correctly albeit it it stays at full right down to half - but not worried about that - it was getting a correct reading for empty and not showing empty when i still had a full tank that i wanted .

 

[Bendy toy]

I want that in my bike. But its infested with a wanky fuel strip so I'll probably have to fit the spoofing resistors and carry a spare fuel can.