Fuel gauge accuracy

[GordonB]

When is the 'low fuel' warning light supposed to come on?

My understanding is when there is 1 gallon reserve remaining (on the 1200RT's 7 gal tank).

I've had the LD recalibrate the strip, and have had the fuel sensor replaced when that did not correct the problem; But the warniing lamp still comes on when their is still at least 2 gallons remaining.

ie: I can never get more than 5 gallons, (sometimes 4.5) in on fill up.

Frustrating to have the low fuel lamp on for the next 100 miles.

Thoughts?

[TomfromMD]

My 05 does the same thing. I've gotten used to it.

I'm with the other Tom. You have a 5 gallon tank plus a 2 gallon reserve, so you can start looking for your favorite gas after 225~275 miles, and still have nearly 100 miles to go.

 

Also, removing the rubber gasket from the filler neck makes it much easier (at least on my '06RT) to fill up, as the pump doesn't continually cut off at normal flow rates.

Tom

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I believe your dealer can help you out on this one. As I recall, there is a procedure whereby he drains the tank, puts in exactly one gallon, or the amount of your choice, and then tells the computer that it should turn on the low fuel lamp at this level.

[motoguy128]

My fuel gauge appears ot be stuck on "Full" with all bars showing even after over 180 miles driven. I guess I need to get it recalibrated.

 

My question, is I'm going on a long trip, can I rely on the low fuel sensro which I assume is seperate of the fuel strip.... or should I play it safe and not go more than 250 without refueling... giving me 30-50 miles or reserve... which isn't so bad. 2-up with luggage in mixed riding, I'm only getting 43-47mpg according to the computer. Althouhg the mileage displayed dropped when the gauge started staying at max. The outside temperatures also dropped some. Maybe there's condensation in the tank throwing off the sensor?

[EddyQ]

My '07 RT light comes on at with something like 2 gallons left (whatever "miles left" goes under 50). I run the "miles left" to under 20 and fill up. At that point, I get just about 6 gallons in. BTW, the "miles left" jumps all over when approaching 0 miles. I believe the cause is due to the split between sides. If this bothers you, just fill it up.

[lightcycle]

Doesn't your fuel gauge come with a sticker that reads:

 

"For entertainment purposes only"

[marcopolo]

My low fuel warning used to come on pretty early too. I had the dealer recalibrate it, and it pretty much solved the problem. I didn't mind the flashing black fuel pump icon, but that big yellow triangle was distracting. That's the real reason I had it re-calibrated, as I always use a trip meter as my guide.

[gordiet]

Mine does the same thing, it's an 05 as well. Time for a little warrenty work on my low oil sensor too. I still have over a yeay of warrenty left. I think I'll get everything done at the same time.

GT

[GregB]

The "official" proper working is for the "low fuel" warning to come on when the distance to zero is 50 miles. This would be approx 1 gal left. Reserve is AFTER that. So the warning comes on when there is one gallon to empty and there is one gallon of reserve after that. You could also look at that as being two gallons left to nothing.

I don't like to look at a warning light for 50 miles. If you were REALLY pushing it, you could look at it for 100 miles. Sounds like a good thing to save for when you really need it to me but that is just my opinion. Could be far worse, the Boxer Cup has no gauge and the low fuel light is invisible unless you think about looking for it.

[Pontatoc1]

To every ying there is a yang, I ran out of gas with no warning light or countdown mileage and still a quarter of a tank left on the indicator gauge. It took 7.30 gallons.

[bross]

I just kept track of how much I put in when my light came on for the first few tanks, so I knew how much gas I had left in the tank. So now I know how much gas I have left, and I know how far I can ride on each litre of gas so I know how far I can ride when my light comes on. Don't need a computer for that.

[jakfrost]

I just kept track of how much I put in when my light came on for the first few tanks, so I knew how much gas I had left in the tank. So now I know how much gas I have left, and I know how far I can ride on each litre of gas so I know how far I can ride when my light comes on. Don't need a computer for that.

 

WOW, a fellow rider who remembers 'before there were fuel guages'...some habits are good ones, like using the trip odometer to decide when its time to pull in.

 

As someone else mentioned, "entertainment only", when refering to the fuel guage/computer .

 

Jim

[Mark_Hogan]

My 07 RT low fuel warning lights up early too. I have never put more than 4.7 gallons in after the mileage left says "0". First time (and every time since) it lit up, it went from 50 miles to go to 23 miles to go in less than a mile. Freaked me out! Now, I don't sweat it, but fill up when the light comes on...

[Ken H.]

which I assume is seperate of the fuel strip....

It was on the 1100 and 1150 series, but on the 1200's it's one in the same.

[bubbas45]

To every ying there is a yang, I ran out of gas with no warning light or countdown mileage and still a quarter of a tank left on the indicator gauge. It took 7.30 gallons.

 

Night before last I ran out of gas with the BordComputer indicating I had 24 miles left to go. One might conclude that there was no reserve left at that point, but it did not take 7 gallons to fill it up. I think I only put in 6 gal; 1.2 after I walked back to the station I should have filled up at, then 4-5 more at the one I had planned to reach.

 

This doesn't seem to add up, does it? I have my mileage spreadsheet at work--I'll have to check that to see what I really put in.

[GordonB]

Depending on usesage ie: city/hwy, when mine reaches '0' miles I can only get 5-5.5 gal on fill up. When I rode 50miles past '0', it took 6gal on fill up.

[Rotor]

Depending on usesage ie: city/hwy, when mine reaches '0' miles I can only get 5-5.5 gal on fill up. When I rode 50miles past '0', it took 6gal on fill up.

 

I can't comment on other bikes, but on the new RT's the guage will never really be correct. It can't be, the bottom of the fuel strip for the gauge is considerably higher in the tank than the fuel pick-up. So, when it reads empty, there's a fair amount of usable fuel still in the tank it's not telling you about. When it counts down the remaining miles it means very little. It is a correctable issue in my opinion; but, I don't have an old fuel tank to experiment with.