Fuel reading full on my new to me 08 GS

[Coppertop]

Hi all, recently picked up a lovely 08 GS. I've had fuel gauge issues before on a 2010 RT where it read totally empty all the time. The strange thing is on my new GS is that the tank reads full when I fill up but then doesn't do anything until there's about 4 litres left, then it will go down 2 bars, and no more. Fuel range says 180+ miles the whole time. Once I fill up it goes back to full. Is my fuel strip toast? Looking at the new version of the part on Motorworks but it isn't cheap so would like to avoid it ideally!

 

[jetjock]

Hi all, recently picked up a lovely 08 GS. I've had fuel gauge issues before on a 2010 RT where it read totally empty all the time. The strange thing is on my new GS is that the tank reads full when I fill up but then doesn't do anything until there's about 4 litres left, then it will go down 2 bars, and no more. Fuel range says 180+ miles the whole time. Once I fill up it goes back to full. Is my fuel strip toast? Looking at the new version of the part on Motorworks but it isn't cheap so would like to avoid it ideally!

Sounds like the GS “ character “ trait . They all do that I believe .

 

[Santa-2512]

Its called FFS

Fucked Fuel Strip

For Fucks Sake

GS - base your range at 150 miles and fill from there

GSA Fuck knows

 

[Bem]

My 650 (800) was a little better, with countdown starting from c. 90 miles.
And just checked in my old Haines library, its a float not a strip.

 

[Santa-2512]

08 is a strip if I recall

06 float
07-10 strip
11-12 float

 

[Bem]

08 is a strip if I recall

06 float
07-10 strip
11-12 float

This is the Rotax twin we are talking about, Haines only shows the one type.

 

[Joepi5]

08 is a strip if I recall

06 float
07-10 strip
11-12 float

My 10 has a float, to my knowledge all the DOHC models have floats.

 

[seahorse]

My 10 has a float, to my knowledge all the DOHC models have floats.

Not the very early ones though, I believe.

 

[Joepi5]

Mine is a january 2010 bike. It doesn't have the breather on the final drive. When searching for parts or when using RSD using my vin it tells me I do have a float.

 

[botus]

my UK spec Jan 2011 build GSA is a strip

buy the Argentinian replacement - better than OEM https://www.fuelsensortech.com/en

 

[Watty100]

The fuel gauge on my 2007 GS was innacurate but consistently so from new, but the low fuel warning light was always OK. Then it had the recall for a new fuel pump at 67k miles on the clock and now the gauge is toast. Fortunately the warning light is still ok, which is all that bothers me tbf.
Reckon on 160ish miles to fuel light with 30 miles to empty when ridden hard, up to 210 miles to empty when in Miss Daisy mode.
I always reset the trip meter when refuelling, old habits die hard.

 

[botus]

The fuel gauge on my 2007 GS was innacurate but consistently so from new, but the low fuel warning light was always OK. Then it had the recall for a new fuel pump at 67k miles on the clock and now the gauge is toast. Fortunately the warning light is still ok, which is all that bothers me tbf.
Reckon on 160ish miles to fuel light with 30 miles to empty when ridden hard, up to 210 miles to empty when in Miss Daisy mode.
I always reset the trip meter when refuelling, old habits die hard.

something seems awry with your paragraph - on one that age, it should be a strip - the light and the gauge are all driven off the same set up

 

[botus]

re the wild readings listed above....

my 2007 one with a strip, gave reliable and accurate info from full to empty - giving decent linear fall with use all the way from full to empty
- from new it allowed the bike to be ridden till 11 miles shows - after the fuel pump recall it would run out at 15 miles. Then the strip died at 13 years

it came alive with piezo lighter trick and still operates off the bike for play time

I was unaware of the ZFE fun when I clipped on the cheaper float sensor (you need the twin socket ZFE high you get with ESA or Cruise on an RT, to have the brains to understand either strip or float signals - allowing you to use either sensor type). At the time the strips were worse than the originals - so went with the NL bods silly addon to convert float to strip logic. Its a disaster with random info top to bottom, struggles with a full load on the side stand and gives up till back upright etc.

BM finally made an updated strip circa 2022 - but the one in my link above does the same thing - allegedly without BM's special reliability / theft opportunities built in

it now shows a method to nobble the low level light nag on third party tools - no idea if it functions, nor why anyone would ever do it - the idea across cars and bikes - around ave use mpg - the light is a reminder to let you know, since it illuminated you have around 50 miles to find a fuel station before life gets uglier

if you can use a float and have the small tank - don't clip on the fuel pump - get the bracket to clip next to the fuel filler - for a far more linear rate of fall on the gauge

 

[davegs]

Had mine replaced lasted two years and a bit,out of watt entry of course, just rely on the trip no more risk of running out.

 

[Watty100]

something seems awry with your paragraph - on one that age, it should be a strip - the light and the gauge are all driven off the same set up

Nothing awry, it is a strip, I'll explain further. From new it would show full for around 90 miles, then drop to 2 bars over the next 15 miles where it would remain until the fuel light came on, anywhere from 160 to 180 mile depending on how hard it had been ridden. I got used to recognising it hitting 2 bars as being almost half a tank left.
After the new fuel pump, it now reads half a tank after filling up, full after 20 or so miles, then seems to randomly drop to 2 bars where it remains until the fuel light comes on at the same mileages as before. I have no idea why this change in readings occurred and as long as the low fuel light works OK then I'm not bothered.

 

[botus]

Nothing awry, it is a strip, I'll explain further. From new it would show full for around 90 miles, then drop to 2 bars over the next 15 miles where it would remain until the fuel light came on,

that's pretty much what the float does when fitted on the pump of small tank bikes when using the NL box of tricks...

if it is a strip - whilst its out and dry, calibrate it with diagnostic gear - and ensure correct fitment in the tank - should then be 100% normal

 

[SnowMec]

When I bought my (early built) R1200GSA-10 I had problems with the fuel gauge.
I was even fooled by it so much that I ran out of gas and thought I had a faulty fuel pump(!!).
The previous owner (a friend who bought the bike new) has had problems with the fuel strip since the bike was almost new. So I chose to convert to a float and it is one of the better modifications I have made to this bike. Now the fuel gauge works and I don't have to replace the fuel strip in the future.

Thread 'Fuel strip to float conversion complete guide.'

Jun 16, 2019

Hi
I have discovered this by mistake...I was working on the ESA r1200gs and it makes change from my suspension posts...
The main thingis it works!
And you don't need any magical devices!!!
So before you start you will need
1 OEM FLOAT TYPE SENSOR FOR YOUR MODEL
anyK25 After 2010 should have one...(not early 2010 gsa this comes with strip)
GSA float is mounted on the pump
GS float is mounted on the fuel cup
This includes models from 2006 to 2010 ADV (I'm working on 2010ADV)
2 Moto Scan App with OBD linkLx
3 basic mechanical skill and tools

FIRST Make sure your tank is fairly...

• Denz0
• Replies: 312
• Forum: 1200 GS Hexhead

• 

 

[Lartoneer]

The piezo lighter trick worked for me. All that said, I am still not inclined to run until one bar. Stop and fuel up early and save any grief!

 

[davegs]

Use the image trip, simply reliable.