Fuel strip dies again, and again, and again,.......

[Dave_zoom_zoom]

Will also probably carry a quart of gas just in case.

 

 

Afternoon Roy

 

On the 1200RT you are already carrying an extra quart+ of fuel with you. That much or more gets trapped in the R/H lower wing of the fuel tank. If the bike runs out of fuel when riding straight up just lean the bike way over to the left (might need help with this)-- or put your coat on the ground under the L/H valve cover then lay the bike over on the coat, then lift it up start the engine & ride off. Won't get you a long ways but should be enough to get your off the freeway & hopefully to a nearby gas station.

 

 

 

Good to know! Thanks DR!!

 

Dave

[Overbyte]

Thank DR, that is great information.

I hope I don't have to use it.

 

Overbyte

[mig]

my dealer replaced my 07 with close to 90K fuel strip when it was in for the rear wheel flange recall, didn't ask for it and was a bit pissed, now 5 months later the new one went belly up. they fixed it for free but how long will this one last !!! and always will wonder how long my original would have

[RoyTemple]

Thanks VERY much DirtRider.

 

Hopefully I won't need to do this but will remember it if I run out of gas again

[RoyTemple]

Racer7

 

Fuel gauge was very reliable and accurate on both the 96 and the 05. The problem on 05 just showed up after 9 plus years of reliability. I've had a bad habit of running my tank to almost empty, until now. I hate gas stations!

 

I'll be motioning it much more closely from here on out.

 

Thanks!

 

Roy

[EddyQ]

Fuel gauge was very reliable and accurate on both the 96 and the 05. The problem on 05 just showed up after 9 plus years of reliability. I've had a bad habit of running my tank to almost empty, until now. I hate gas stations!

 

Roy, my '07 lost its first fuel strip at 1 yr. That replacement lasted for 4 years and it just shifted the indicated level. After the first, I used the odometer. A month ago, I had the strip replaced and it just yesterday is dead again. Good luck with your replacement! Meanwhile, I suggest using the odometer.

 

[RoyTemple]

Thanks Eddy,

 

Will do!

 

Roy

[Sonor]

My 05 RT had a flaky fuel strip - after fill ups it would show 350 miles. Sometimes it would be below a 1/4 tank and show 150 miles left. I had it replaced in the summer and now it is worse. I need to take it in and have it re-calibrated. The dealer said it would settle down after a couple of fill ups but it never has. Currently I have about 125 miles on a full tank between two different days of riding and it still shows a full tank.

[Killian]

I just had fuel strip number 6 "replaced" at my local dealership. Can anyone tell me how it's possible to R&R a fuel strip without removing the gas cap / filler neck or any tupperware? I checked my bike after returning from the dealership and my tupperware was never touched but my fuel strip is working again. My guess is that the techs are only recalibrating my fuel sensor and not actually replacing it.

 

I might be wrong here but something seems a bit off to me.

[dirtrider]

I just had fuel strip number 6 "replaced" at my local dealership. Can anyone tell me how it's possible to R&R a fuel strip without removing the gas cap / filler neck or any tupperware? I checked my bike after returning from the dealership and my tupperware was never touched but my fuel strip is working again. My guess is that the techs are only recalibrating my fuel sensor and not actually replacing it.

 

I might be wrong here but something seems a bit off to me.

 

Afternoon Killian

 

They can't recalibrate the fuel strip in the tank as it needs to be removed, dried out, then calibrated while hanging free outside the tank. (way more work than just quickly replacing it)

 

As far as replacing the fuel strip without removing Tupperware?--I don't see how that could happen without at least removing the L/H side tupperware . The tank center cover & fuel filler is also removed but I suppose it m-i-g-h-t be possible for a supple tec with very small arms & hands to reach in through the fuel pump pass through hole & unhook/re-hook the fuel strip from the fuel filler hook.

[Killian]

Thanks for the reply Dirtrider

 

I wasn't sure if the strip could be recalibrated with software through the OBD port or something. As a locksmith, I regularly access vehicle computers through the use of OBD equipment so I figured that maybe BMW was tired of the cost of fuel strip replacements and instructed their techs to do a reset instead. - That's just my theory at this point.

 

But I know this to be a fact: I became suspicious after my 5th fuel strip didn't last 48 hours after having only been driven from the dealership to my garage.

 

So before I took my bike in for fuel strip number 6 I used a UV ink pen to mark all my tupperware screws and gas cap screws. The ink is only visible under UV light. I know it sounds like a bit of a wacky thing to do but I wasn't convinced that I'd blown through 6 fuel strips at a rate of 1 every other month.

 

When my bike came back from the dealership I checked the marks I made on the screws. Not one damn screw on my bike had been moved, my marks were lined up as perfect as when I made them. And I doubt the dealership mechanics are accurate enough to realign the screws with my unseen marks.

 

So what happened?

 

My paperwork shows that the fuel strip was replaced. Unless the dealership has found a way to do the work without removing the tupperware then I'm thinking that BMW has chosen to somehow reset the fuel strips, kicking the actual problem down the road instead of attempting to solve the issue.

 

Please tell me I'm missing something.

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Killian

 

I have no idea on what the dealer did -- If your bike doesn't have a radio they could access the top of the pump pass through by prying off the radio block off plate. I just have serious doubts that even a small armed small handed tec could find a way to replace the fuel strip that way (I know I surely couldn't).

 

But, as the old shop saying goes: If there is a tec involved they will usually find a way to cheat the book!

[RedMac]

I think I would consider finding another dealer to do the next one...

[sdbc]

I am joining the fuel strip club. The fuel strip on my 2009 RT just failed.