Dave, nice write up !!
-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Biasotti [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 6:05 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Fuel Gauge
I thought I would let the list know of a problem with the fuel gauge
that was driving me batty the past month, as you will all eventually
have the same problem.
The problem was the fuel gauge would sometimes read full when it wasn't,
sometimes it would read correctly and other times it wouldn't. When I
removed the sender unit it all checked out fine and functioned correctly
when I moved the float up and down.
The dealer said just replace the whole assembly, which was $178 + tax.
Well, I finally found the problem, which was simple to fix and cost
nothing.
There are 3 wires, black for ground, red for the float rheostat and
(yellow or white - I forget) for the sensor that turns on the yellow low
fuel light. The whole assy is mounted to an "L" bracket, then to a
flange on the right side (as you sit on the bike) of the fuel tank. This
whole assy can be pulled out of the tank once you unplug the green
coupling on the left side of the tank.
The red wire is routed thru a hole in the "L" bracket, which is very
sharp edged and had cut thru the insulation and was grounding to the
bracket when it was positioned just so. I had to look very closely to
see that wire had been exposed (about the thickness of a razor blade
cut). I theorize that as the gas level changed, it would move the wire
so sometimes it would ground and other times it wouldn't.
I desolder the red wire and also the light sensor wire (as it was being
cut thru by a separate hole it was routed thru), put shrink tubing over
the affected wire and used a small grinding wheel and file to take the
sharp edges off the holes in the "L" bracket.
Reassembled and problem solved.
So if your fuel gauge starts acting up, you know what to look for or if
you have you fuel tank exposed next time, may want to do some
preventative medicine.
Cheers,
--
Dave Biasotti // Fremont, CA
