K11 Owners Group

kp52r11 · Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 15

I just purchased a 1995 K1100RS. According to previous owner fuel gauge stopped functioning sometime ago.

Does anyone know where to start?
I was looking up to see the sending unit is damaged or broken.
How do I check for that?
Is the sending unit (floater) accessible from top via fuel cap or it is located at bottom?
Does it make send to check the gauge first? If so what is the best way to do this?

I am looking for instructions, previous experience, and/or directions to first isolate the problem area before taking everyhing off of the bike.

Thank You

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:45 pm Post subject:

1st- check fuse #2

John
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kp52r11 · Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 15

Fuse is fine

Flying Duck · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:54 pm Post subject:

Does your low fuel light in the instrument cluster work? If that's coming on around 150 or 160 miles then it's probably the gauge, not the sender.
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kp52r11 · Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 15

Fuse is fine

Saltcreek · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:57 pm Post subject:

In most cases you can test the sending unit by grounding the wire to it which should peg the gauge. In this case I think that would be dangerous because the connection is inside the tank. Both the Clymer and the downloadable manual cover this procedure.
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1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold Sad

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Jim · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:26 pm Post subject:

If the light is working, but the gauge isn't, check the connector in the wires going to the gauge - I think you just have to pull the knee "pad" to get to that connection. I think I'd suspect the gauge before the sending unit.
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1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
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jr'sbmw · Big Brick Rider Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 54 Location: Fl

I have had to replace 2 senders on my 97 Lt in the last 6 yrs. To troubleshoot, take the right side cover off. You should find a 4 wire connector with white, brown, green and yellow wires. Disconnect it. You will be testing first on the male part of the plug that goes to the gauge

I went out to my Lt to refresh my memory. Turn the ign key on and touch a ground to the yellow wire in the MALE plug either with a jumper wire or a test light. If the gauge is good, it should go to full.

To test the sender, attach an ohmmeter to the yellow and brown(grd) wires of the disconnected FEMALE connector. Remove the 4 screws and remove the gas cap. Reach in the tank and move the float arm up and down. Use a wire to move the float arm if the tank is full of gas so your hands don't get soaked. Most senders move from full to empty through a range of approx. 105 ohms to 25 ohms.

In my case, it was the sender. I disassembled the sender to find the problem. A fine wire is wrapped around an insulator to make a variable resistor and a wiper swing arm moves over that wire as the fuel level changes to change resistance, moving the fuel gauge. That fine wire was broken in several places.

I paid about $85 for the first sender and over a $100 for the second. The sender goes in the bottom of the tank with 4 screw and a O ring.

jr'sbmw · Big Brick Rider Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 54 Location: Fl

Addition test info. If you lift the rear of the tank a little, you can find the lead coming off the tank sender to the 4 wire plug. Also, the first test on the male plug to the gauge(has female pins) and the sender female plug(has male pins) just so there isn' confusion. Correction. Ohms should have been approx 25 to 150.

Tim (Midland Section) · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 7:38 pm Post subject:

I had a broken wire to my fuel (gas) gauge. Check also for crappy connectors (green growth in the plugs).
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owrstrich · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:03 pm Post subject:

this nis nall very interesting... but i have a question for kp52r11...

kp52r11... is the fuse fine...

j o
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kp52r11 · Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 15

I tested all fuses using a tester. I grounded the tester to battery negative. Tested both sides of each fuse. With key on all light up except for F1 fuse.
I swapped F1 fuse with the one in F2 slot. Retested the F1 and it did not light up. Tested the F2 and it lite up.
It means that all fuses are fine and Socket #1 (first from Top) is either bad or is just a spare fuse holder.
I am unable to locate any instructions as to what fuse # goes with what function on the K1100RS. I have an online version of K1100 Manual and it does not have any reference to it.

my next step is to test the 4 wire connector that goes into the Fuel Gauge. I know the light inside the fuel gauge is working fine when I turn the key on. Does anyone know what wires I can test?

I am assuming I should get a new VDO fuel gauge next and try it before moving forward with floater testing.

Thank you all for you kind help. I am new to BMW and just switched over from Yamaha 1100 Classic.

Thank you
Kamlesh
1995 K1100RS - 55Kmiles

kp52r11 · Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 15

On the instrument panel low fuel light comes on when i run the tank dry to reserve fuel level. This probably means that fuel level sender is probably working. I have already ordered a VDO gauge and will install it next week when it arrives. I am hoping that it will resolve my issue.

k11gaz · Joined: 31 Mar 2009 Posts: 22

Just a quick question for you experienced K11 owners from a K11 NOOB,

I am doing about 160 miles to a tank before the low fuel warning light comes on. Is this about correct? Also how many miles can I go between my red light coming on and running out completly?
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Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:41 am Post subject:

Shoganai · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:59 am Post subject:

Shoganai · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:03 am Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:28 am Post subject:

kp52r11 · Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 15

J o,
Yes all fuses are fine.
Kp52r11

kp52r11 · Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 15

Update: I tool the gas cap off of the tank yesterday and with key in on position I moved the fuel sender floater unit up and down inside the tank. I was able to see the low fuel indicator on main instrument panel light up and off as I moved the floater to low to high fuel level position.
This tells me that floater is functioning correctly.
At the same time I was testing the low fuel indicator on main instrument panel I was hooking up the ohm meter to the fuel gauge female 4 prong plug. I took the stock fuel gauge off and tested it using instructions provided earlier to me on this post. The ohm meter did not show any movement. Can someone provide me what details on all wire colors and what they are for (or from where they are coming from). I would assume one is ground, other is +, one is coming from fuel sender unit, and one is for ???.
New VDO gauge showed up last night. I will wire it once I know the existing female plug configuration. Any help is very much appreciated.

Thank you all for your reply.