Reading full and empty

[Grim Rider]

2001 R1150GS - fuel gauge suddenly started playing up after filling up today. Read completely empty then gradually bars started appearing on gauge until full, at which point reserve light came on and stayed on. Now when start bike up gauge does same thing but reserve light always on. Checked connector under tank and found a wire broken - it is bare and does not seem to have any insulation on it. Have re soldered wire and gauge now seems to be working but reserve light still on.
Welcome any ideas! Thanks

 

[Fanum]

I think that bare copper wire is the earth return for the potentiometer slider of the fuel level float.

I don't have the wiring diags. to hand, but I've got a feeling that the low fuel warning light is triggered by another feed/earth.

Do a googly search on 1150 wiring schematics and you will be able to see it all laid out on paper......or it's here somewhere as a PDF I think.

Whichever it is, the bared wire goes into the end connection on the multiplug.....off the top of my head ISTR the other wire is fairly thick and is green

 

[Grim Rider]

Thanks for the reply - have to do some miles tomorrow so will just stick some black tape over the reserve light and take another look later in the week

 

[Grim Rider]

The saga continues....

Rode the GS up to Applecross and across to Inverness yesterday and back home today (1100 miles in all). It is definitely beginning to feel its age and will need some tlc soon as several things stopped working during the ride:

Speedo stopped working (metal tang in speedo drive broken off);
Fuel started leaking from around the white plastic connections in the fuel filter plate;
I was wrong - fuel gauge not working now, just shows full all the time (while reserve light on all the time);
One fog light stopped working after a minor coming together with a deer on the Lecht (deer walked away seemingly unharmed);

Most strangely though are electrics - after I stopped for fuel at Fort William I noticed the lights weren't working, in fact none of lights, indicators or horn were working with ignition on. When I start the bike none of the lights or indicators work apart from brake light, unless I sound the horn which also works. After pressing the horn, the lights work!!? This happens every time I turn the ignition off. I have no idea why this is happening or what is going on!

The last problem may be connected with the above. Stopped at Carters Bar - bike restarted fine but within riding 50 yards all electrics died. Coasted to stop at bottom of hill to find 1. No mobile signal (!) and 2. Battery completely dead - could put a spanner across terminals and absolutely nothing.

Eventually got bike back to Jedburgh and found replacement battery in John Deere parts department - rode it home 250 miles without using lights etc in case whatever killed the battery did the same to this one.

I have had quick look over wiring and terminals and cannot see anything different from how it has always looked. Would really welcome suggestions, has been a difficult day!!

 

[ahebron]

Sounds like it could be an intermittent break in the loom?
Dead battery could have been dying and faulting the electrics too.
Nothing like a good mystery!

Adrian

 

[Fanum]

Sounds like it could be an intermittent break in the loom?
Dead battery could have been dying and faulting the electrics too.
Nothing like a good mystery!

Adrian

That was my thought as well....the classic "overly tight cable ties near the headstock" breakdown.

It even sounds like there is a bit of a cross-connection going on there

 

[Grim Rider]

The first thing I checked was the headstock cables as had a strange problem with my K1200RS when lights stayed on all the time and it was because of this, but I did loosen them off when I got the GS and they look fine now. Wondering whether best to just replace entire loom given age of bike?

Battery was a MotoBatt and about three years old, never given any sign of trouble before. Had not changed anything electrical recently but bike does also have auxiliary fuel box and a number of extra lights.

 

[Grim Rider]

Did some more checking today - ignition wires seem fine, definitively not catching or pulled. Lights still come on only when horn sounded, but horn sounds even when horn relay and fuse for horn disconnected. When I disconnected the horn itself still needed to press horn button to get lights on! Will try taking left hand switchgear part to see if problem in there.

 

[MikeO]

Have a look under the battery cage on the left side. The cage is rubber mounted and chafes away at the loom, the main core of which routes under it there.

My last Adv suffered a short to the fuel pump circuit there, but the symptoms you describe could be caused by a few worn bits of insulation and cross circuiting.

I have cut an old soft plastic chopping board apart and used a piece to protect this area on my new bike...

Mike

 

[Grim Rider]

Thanks Mike, shall have a look at this tomorrow.

 

[Cook1e]

No suggestions except maybe "burn it, it's a witch!"

However, the attached may help with the investigation...

LINKY

Good luck!

 

[Grim Rider]

No suggestions except maybe "burn it, it's a witch!"

When I was sat next to the bike in Jedburgh (having found that the Green Flag service I had through my insurance policy only covered recovery for 10 miles) and trying to work out the best way to get me and the dead bike, leaking petrol home, I was very tempted to put a match to it

Thanks for the link, shall study it.

 

[MattW]

Could be corrosion in one of the big earth junctions - do a search on here.
There's one in the loom under the tank at the right (I think - a while since I read about this) and one underneath the battery tray. The usual suspect is the under tank one - it corrodes into a big green furry mess). Its covered by the loom sheathing so might take some finding but I've definitely seen pictures of it on here (might have been posted by Steptoe).

 

[Grim Rider]

Many thanks to those who have offered suggestions - I have not found answer and am away for a week now but shall be back on it next week until it is fixed!

 

[Grim Rider]

And it continues....

Well, this week I went over the bike, replaced the speedo drive, fixed the broken spotlight, went through all the wiring cleaning up earths and tightening all connections and stopped fuel leak from sender unit with epoxy putty (replaced fuel filter while I had it apart).

Bike started fine and everything seems to be working properly now, except that fuel level still reads full and reserve light is on. But on first journey out bike stuttered several times when I got up to 40 and then died after 4 miles and would not restart although turning over fine. Felt like fuel problem. Checked all connections and everything is connected, no kinks etc. (Fuel pipes all replaced in last two years).

AA tested fuel pump at relay and said only drawing 1 amp when should be drawing 4-5? So going to replace fuel pump and sender unit and see how it goes then....

 

[MattW]

Well, this week I went over the bike, replaced the speedo drive, fixed the broken spotlight, went through all the wiring cleaning up earths and tightening all connections and stopped fuel leak from sender unit with epoxy putty (replaced fuel filter while I had it apart).

Bike started fine and everything seems to be working properly now, except that fuel level still reads full and reserve light is on. But on first journey out bike stuttered several times when I got up to 40 and then died after 4 miles and would not restart although turning over fine. Felt like fuel problem. Checked all connections and everything is connected, no kinks etc. (Fuel pipes all replaced in last two years).

AA tested fuel pump at relay and said only drawing 1 amp when should be drawing 4-5? So going to replace fuel pump and sender unit and see how it goes then....

Absolutely sure you didn't kink a fuel line or tank breather when you reassembled the tank internals (will it run with the fuel cap open)?

 

[Grim Rider]

I have checked and double checked, had tank and fuel sender off a couple of times; this is what I thought must have happened as it seemed too much of a coincidence after I had replaced fuel filter but can find no problem, no kinks etc. even checked to make sure I had put filter in right way.

Tried it with fuel cap open but no difference, will not start at all now although can hear fuel pump running. Thanks for the thoughts anyway Matt. Have got hold of a fuel pump, just need to source sender unit now.

 

[Grim Rider]

Today ch aged fuel pump and fuel sender unit. Checked all connections; still will not fire and fuel gauge read full. Took apart again to replace fuel filter again in case this was causing problems (last thing I changed before it stopped working) but still not firing, just reading empty now. Any further ideas welcomed!

 

[MattW]

Today ch aged fuel pump and fuel sender unit. Checked all connections; still will not fire and fuel gauge read full. Took apart again to replace fuel filter again in case this was causing problems (last thing I changed before it stopped working) but still not firing, just reading empty now. Any further ideas welcomed!

Did you reconnect the flow and return fuel hoses from the tank to the black plastic hard lines correctly (to the right hard line?).

 

[Grim Rider]

Did you reconnect the flow and return fuel hoses from the tank to the black plastic hard lines correctly (to the right hard line?).

Yes Matt, have coloured cable ties on them to make sure I get them right!