I just successfully fitted my first fuel strip after putting it off for a few months.
Reason for holding off was I thought it was way more involved and more painful than it actually turned out. If your handy and confident with tools it is fairly straight forward.
Tools required GS-911, Laptop, vacuum pump and hex tools to strip the tank panels.
A few years ago, my bike was recalled for a replacement fuel pump controller at the local dealers cut a long story short the new pump installation fecked up my fuel strip. It took them four attempts and much toing and froing to rectifying it after they contacted BMW for guidance.
So, I’m feeling fairly smug after sorting it on the second attempt, the only reason I failed the first attempt is because I followed this Youtube post https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Wp_tW0ylo
I am not criticizing this method because if I hadn’t watched it, I wouldn’t have attempted it myself so I am thankful that it was on Youtube.
Not sure where they get the voltage needs to be above 12.5V either as mine seems to have worked at 12.3 (although I stuck my C-Tek charger on it during the process)
So in the video they calibrate the strip outside the tank then fit it after.
This is where I failed because after calibration, I turned off the ignition and disconnected the fuel strip to fit it. In doing so I assume it immediately lost its calibration. As for fitting they did it all through the fuel pump hole which I found almost impossible.
If you remove the filler cap and the top tank panel then lift the metal disc plate under the filler cap it has a return pipe and a rail that the fuel strip attaches to. With the plate lifted you can insert the strip through the fuel hole of the plastic tank and clip it to the rail this way was so easy to do.
Also slot it into the recess at the bottom of the tank this holds the strip in place.
Anyhow second attempt I drained the fuel (again) removed the strip and dried it out in the sun for a while to let the fuel evaporate. Re-fitted it into the tank installed the fuel pump and wiring and calibrated it on an empty dry tank.
Fuelled up with about 10 litres, started her up and after a couple of minutes boom! fuel gauge back and working \0/ \0/
Im not 100% the calibration is perfect and will only find out once I have ridden through the full tank of fuel but so far so good it seems to be giving accurate levels.
Of nine years ownership this is now the third strip so I’m hopeful I will yet a few more years out of it
Reason for holding off was I thought it was way more involved and more painful than it actually turned out. If your handy and confident with tools it is fairly straight forward.
Tools required GS-911, Laptop, vacuum pump and hex tools to strip the tank panels.
A few years ago, my bike was recalled for a replacement fuel pump controller at the local dealers cut a long story short the new pump installation fecked up my fuel strip. It took them four attempts and much toing and froing to rectifying it after they contacted BMW for guidance.
So, I’m feeling fairly smug after sorting it on the second attempt, the only reason I failed the first attempt is because I followed this Youtube post https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Wp_tW0ylo
I am not criticizing this method because if I hadn’t watched it, I wouldn’t have attempted it myself so I am thankful that it was on Youtube.
Not sure where they get the voltage needs to be above 12.5V either as mine seems to have worked at 12.3 (although I stuck my C-Tek charger on it during the process)
So in the video they calibrate the strip outside the tank then fit it after.
This is where I failed because after calibration, I turned off the ignition and disconnected the fuel strip to fit it. In doing so I assume it immediately lost its calibration. As for fitting they did it all through the fuel pump hole which I found almost impossible.
If you remove the filler cap and the top tank panel then lift the metal disc plate under the filler cap it has a return pipe and a rail that the fuel strip attaches to. With the plate lifted you can insert the strip through the fuel hole of the plastic tank and clip it to the rail this way was so easy to do.
Also slot it into the recess at the bottom of the tank this holds the strip in place.
Anyhow second attempt I drained the fuel (again) removed the strip and dried it out in the sun for a while to let the fuel evaporate. Re-fitted it into the tank installed the fuel pump and wiring and calibrated it on an empty dry tank.
Fuelled up with about 10 litres, started her up and after a couple of minutes boom! fuel gauge back and working \0/ \0/
Im not 100% the calibration is perfect and will only find out once I have ridden through the full tank of fuel but so far so good it seems to be giving accurate levels.
Of nine years ownership this is now the third strip so I’m hopeful I will yet a few more years out of it
