K11 Owners Group

Adrian · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: Erratic fuel gauge

Since the weekend the fuel gauge on my 96 KLT has become rather erratic. It's OK when the tank is full, but after 150 miles and the gauge usually just below half the needle swings down way past the red almost like when you connect positive and negative the wrong way on a multimeter and then bounes back and forth!

Any ideas Confused

Adrian
_________________
Adrian in Somerset, UK
K1100LT SE
145,000 miles and counting Smile

https://sites.google.com/site/worlestone/

Phil Marvin · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

Hi, Adrian,
For years, mine did the same thing on my first K1100LT. I just lived with it. I suppose I could have replaced it, but the cost is rather high for Motometer gauges from BMW, so I just lived with it. It's probably still doing the same thing for the current owner at nearly 150k miles.
_________________
Ride Safe,
Phil Marvin in El Paso, TX
'94 K75A/3
'95 K75RTP

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:19 pm Post subject:

Mine acts like that too but only on a FULL tank. Once I've used a bit of fuel it stops its wild swings.
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

Milton · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:04 pm Post subject:

Mine did that too when I first got it. Then I did a major tear down of the bike, emptied the tank and stored it for about a month and a half. When I put it all back together the gauge worked like it should. I did bend the float rod a wee bit; float end toward ground.
_________________
Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick!

1992 K100RS 48K. Dead for now.
1998 Triumph Tiger 43K->56K. Doin it in the dirt.
1978 Honda CB400T 32.5K. For my boys.

Flying Duck · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:38 pm Post subject:

Since it's easy, the first thing I'd try is pulling the knee panel and checking/cleaning the connector contacts.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Saltcreek · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:44 pm Post subject:

It sounds like what it would do with a weak or dirty connection on one of the wires. I haven't worked on that system but does it start to malfunction about the same time the wires stop being immersed?
_________________
Jim

1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold Sad

2009 Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155 ST
2002 Litespeed titanium

Tim (Midland Section) · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:16 pm Post subject:

Mine went silly last year. turned out to be a bad earth (ground) at the gauge end. Just my 2d (.02$).
_________________
Regards Tim,

Grey haired riders don't get that way by pure luck
1996 Guzzi Cali3 LAPD
1972 750 Commando
G6HRN
#485

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:36 pm Post subject:

endoman100 · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

Atlease yours works ..After the north easter came through Fl. mine is stuck on just above a 1/4 tank. and water is in the gauge.. Sad

_________________
In the words of the stones
Time Is On My Side
Yes It Is
1993 K1100RS

Off the grid · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 9:56 pm Post subject:

Mine was clouded up pretty bad and had the normal fluctuation and inaccuracies so I replaced it with a VDO model that looks trick, was reasonable (like 30 bucks if I remember) and is balls-on accurate.
_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

Adrian · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 6:12 pm Post subject:

Sorted, it was a flaky earth, gave it a wiggle and now sorted, thanks.

I picked up a useful tip from Mike at Cardiff Motorrad today, he advised me to cover the electrical connections with Wurth dry chain lube, water resistant, but dry. Think I'll need to set aside a rainy day one day to go through all the connectors

Adrian
_________________
Adrian in Somerset, UK
K1100LT SE
145,000 miles and counting Smile

https://sites.google.com/site/worlestone/

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 6:48 pm Post subject:

In the BAD conditions we live with in the northeast U.S., electrical connections subjected to the outside weather are put to the test.

On my Fisher plow- mounted on the front of a 3/4 ton pickup (pretty bad salt/dirt exposure)- the electrical plugs work much better when cleaned then coated with dielectric grease. It holds off corrosion much longer vs. uncoated connections.
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 10:02 pm Post subject:

Note of caution: My first gas gauge was flippy (undamped) so I didn't like it anyhow but:

Had my bike parked in front of my step-aunt's house in Custer, SD. Massive September thunder/rainstorm opened up in the afternoon and my bike was uncovered. Left the air very humid. Then the sun came out, hit the gauge and the condensation created left a cloudy blotch on the inside of the lens.

If this ever happens to you, I think it can be avoided by putting a towel or something over the gauge to prevent the condensation from leaving crap on the inside of the lens when the sun hits it.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Shoganai · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 1:20 am Post subject:

Mine was like that on the Shop Whore years ago.
I replaced it with a new one and it's steady and dead on accurate ever sence.

Before that I replaced the sending unit, and had the shop verify the wiring was good. Niether fixed the problem.

I'll be replacing the fuel gage on the Blue Streak this year for the same condition Adrian discribed.

Yes, a new one. The reason for getting a new one is I believe the "The bimetallic strip is hooked up to the needle of the gauge through a linkage." is what has failed. I think I'll take the old one apart and take a look when I pull it.

FYI http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-gauge2.htm
_________________
1993 K1100RS aka The Shop Whore
1994 K1100RS aka Blue Streak

The long road is a rainbow and the pot of gold lies there.
So slip the chain and I'm off again,
You'll find me everywhere. I'm a Rover. - JT

Nana korobi ya oki

Jim · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 11:14 am Post subject: fuel gauge

Gwen - the bimetallic strip and the linkage are in the tank - they are the sending unit - from there to the gauge is just wires.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Shoganai · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:07 pm Post subject: Re: fuel gauge

Jim · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject: fuel gauge

Hmmm - maybe I'm wrong, Gwen. I haven't taken a gauge apart yet. I thought what you were describing was the stuff in the tank.

I've replaced gauges a few times - will install the VDO's soon. The Motometer gauges I've gotten seem to work well for awhile, then go wiggly.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

RobWheatley · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 7:45 pm Post subject:

Its not a bi metalic strip in the tank either, its a wire wound resistor track or rheostat, as the float rises and falls there is a contact that is moved up and down the track varying the voltage to the guage and the guage will be a coil and magnet arrangment, voltage from the sender will cause the coil to become a magnet and will move the needle depending on how much power it recieves (more power stronger magnet) the reason they become a bit erratic is either bad electrical connections or the damper in the guage which is normally some kind of friction on the shaft wears out.
Bi metalic strips are used for temperature sensing as the different metals expand at different rates and bend the strip but they are not use very much in the automotive industry.
Hope that helps a bit.
Rob
_________________
1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Smile

Cruise, BFD & HID
1996 K1100RS. dead but not forgotten.

Jim · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:30 pm Post subject: fuel gauge

Thanks, Rob. When I got to thinking about it, I remembered the sensor had a wound wire. Also figured the Motometer gauges are poorly damped.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 10:09 pm Post subject:

Sorry- can't help it..........

the word is gauge

We now return you to the regularly scheduled program
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.