It had to happen eventually

[tanneman]

The bike ticked over to 17000mls today but what I did not have in mind is for the fuel strip to fail just before 17000mls. Just filled the bike up and a few miles further gone is the fuel level. Reading the threads on ADVrider the past weeks it mentions that BMW in North America does not replace the fuel strips any more. Apparently a fix will be available soon . As for my own predicament I'll give BMW a call on Monday.

 

[technotony007]

what is a fuel strip?

regards

Tony

 

[Pukmeister]

I just had my fuel strip replaced at just under 17,000 miles also. £199 including calibration (ouch).

 

[tanneman]

BMW in their wisdom decided to use a fuel strip that needs calibrating when installing. It is a non moveable part resistor and heater element combined. The electronics pulses the heater and the resistance is then measured which gives the computer an indication of the fuel level. The more fuel there is the cooler the heater and less resistance. Very accurate but in the application here it is flawed. Be it as it may but the cause for failing could be that the element needs to be pulsed continuously which is not good in a closed fuel cell or the chemicals in the fuel breaks the element down and it eventually fails. The fuel gauge starts reading optimistically or holds steady at a certain fuel level and then fails completely. More on fuel strip failures here.

So some guy had enough of it and decided to try to fix the problem himself. Read all about it here.

I made the call to BMW and was told that they know about the problems with the fuel strips and would give me an extended goodwill. I'm very chuffed with my local dealer's service. It is going in on Wednesday to have it fixed. From what I understand is that the 2010 models onwards have a float if what I read on ADVrider is to believed. Can anybody confirm this who has a twin cam GS or RT.

 

[rodders]

Mine is a 2010 3oth aniv and has a float.

 

[Martyn H]

The GS 1200 range & the 1200RT have reverted to a float. The R1200R still has the dreaded strip.

 

[tanneman]

Thanks for the info. I will have a word with the service guys at my local to ask what type they are installing. As the construction of the fuel tank is the same from the MU to TU models I would assume that the float type can be retrofitted.

 

[tanneman]

Some good and not so good news. The fuel strip was open circuit iaw f**ked. The replacement was done free of charge under goodwill. So its all working now. I'm very happy.

The float type sensor cannot be retrofitted to the MU models. The float sensor and fuel pump comes in one assembly, yours for about £600. Although the fitting is the same, the software isn't. The BMW system of updating SW will not download the updates to a chassis number not originally fitted with the equipment. So me and all the other tossers who has got these MU models will have to put up with it. I will certainly not fork out near £200 when it is a well documented problem with the design of the manufacturer. There is a few tips though to lengthen the life of the fuel strip although this is not guaranteed. Use good quality fuel, use the bike regularly so the fuel strip works frequently, if the bike has been lay up for some time refill the fuel tank all the way to the top or fill up the tank before you put it away for any considerable time.

Last but not least, I had the F800R as a loan bike and what a surprise it was. I really like it. Nippy, light, responsive throttle and good handling for a road bike. Good seat and the false fuel tank has a very usable shaped form for hanging off in the corners. Very comfortable pegs to seat to handlebar dimensions for me (5'10'' although some might find the pegs too high). They should race the thing in a one make series. Only downside is you do catch a lot of flies with it and its got a small fuel tank. Well anything less than a GS Adventure has got a small fuel tank.

 

[marky.d]

Mine is a 2010 3oth aniv and has a float.

so is mine and has a fuel strip

That has been replaced twice, 4600 miles and the 1st replacement failed straight away, then had it replaced in America at the start of Bilko's 2012 Alaska trip, extended good will as it was just out of warranty

 

[tanneman]

Maybe we should ask BMW to enable the float sensor to be fitted to the MU models not only on the GS but the RT, R and what other range they have fitted it. Maybe that will solve the problem but at what cost to us or BMW?

 

[Pukmeister]

Surprised to find the fuel gauge now counts down in individual blocks with the new fuel strip, previously it dropped to half then counted down in blocks. Maybe the new strip & recalibrate came with a software change, or maybe the old strip worked differently?