fuel in-tank wiring and insulation

[dmsantam]

Doing a fuel filter change as part of my going over of my new to me 1995 R1100RT. The electrical plug that goes to the fuel level silver cylinder thing has some exposed wiring, see picture attached. How can i repair this? I'm a bit hesitant to get the soldering iron that close to the fuel tank! The fuel level was working but never showed full, so some resistance may have come from this connection. I also cleaned the external connector with DeOxit. 

 

[King Herald]

It's all just normal wire, with bare crimped fittings, inside the fuel tank, which surprised me, but it doesn't do any damage. 

[dmsantam]

ok, so I'll get some bare crimp fittings, and regular heat shrink to repair. thanks

[dirtrider]

12 hours ago, dmsantam said:

Doing a fuel filter change as part of my going over of my new to me 1995 R1100RT. The electrical plug that goes to the fuel level silver cylinder thing has some exposed wiring, see picture attached. How can i repair this? I'm a bit hesitant to get the soldering iron that close to the fuel tank! The fuel level was working but never showed full, so some resistance may have come from this connection. I also cleaned the external connector with DeOxit. 

 

Morning dmsantam

 

That connector & wiring doesn't look to be OEM BMW, someone in the past has buggered it to work.

 

The in-tank wiring really should be fuel submersible rated as regular wiring insulation will soften & swell up when using submerged in gasoline (especially in E-10 gasoline). 

 

If you use heat shrink then it also needs to be submersible fuel resistant. If you intend to repair what you have then probably the best away out is to repair the wiring, then slide some small diameter submersible fuel resistant hose over each wire repair (but submersible fuel resistant hose is very expensive).

 

You can use cheaper fuel resistant Tygon tubing as a covering  but that typically turns very hard when submerged in E-10 fuel.  But for short section repair even if it hardens up it that shouldn't be an issue. If you use Tygon on longer wiring sections the hardening will make future work with that wiring very difficult.  

 

 

[dmsantam]

10 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Morning dmsantam

 

That connector & wiring doesn't look to be OEM BMW, someone in the past has buggered it to work.

 

The in-tank wiring really should be fuel submersible rated as regular wiring insulation will soften & swell up when using submerged in gasoline (especially in E-10 gasoline). 

 

If you use heat shrink then it also needs to be submersible fuel resistant. If you intend to repair what you have then probably the best away out is to repair the wiring, then slide some small diameter submersible fuel resistant hose over each wire repair (but submersible fuel resistant hose is very expensive).

 

You can use cheaper fuel resistant Tygon tubing as a covering  but that typically turns very hard when submerged in E-10 fuel.  But for short section repair even if it hardens up it that shouldn't be an issue. If you use Tygon on longer wiring sections the hardening will make future work with that wiring very difficult.  

 

 

Hello dirtrider, looking at Chris Harris' video, the connector looks oem to me, but the wiring has been extended by the previous owner perhaps? Connector shown at time 06:50. 

 

What is the purpose of putting the fuel resistant hose over the wire repair? Is it just to prevent shorting? 

 

cheers,

 

 

 

[dirtrider]

Quote

 

the connector looks oem to me, but the wiring has been extended by the previous owner perhaps? Connector shown at time 06:50. 

 

What is the purpose of putting the fuel resistant hose over the wire repair? Is it just to prevent shorting? 

 

Evening dmsantam

 

The actual connector is probably the correct shape but it sure isn't the factory connector as the stub wires coming out of that connector are entirely the wrong color & definitely the wrong gauge.   (someone has cobbled that together)

 

Yes, the tubing is for protection against wire shorting & for wire repair area insulation. 

 

[dmsantam]

Thanks dirtrider. I think I will slip a small piece of tygon tubing over the repair, thanks for the idea. I don't use E10, im in Australia and while it's available, regular fuel is always available. cheers.