RID fuel gauge calibration?

[indy]

Just curious if there is a way to calibrate the RID fuel gauge?

 

Everything I've read the RT has a 6 gallon tank. But for the life of me I've never been able to squeeze more than ~4.5 gallons when I tank up.

I tank up up at one bar on the RID. So I'm wondering what is off. I have never seen the RID go all the way to the top, looks like I have two bars to go before it shows a full RID.

 

I fill up with the bike on the center stand and fill it just to the bottom of the filler cap.

Even after waiting to the low fuel idiot light to come on, I've never gotten more than ~4.5 gallons in tops.

 

TIA

 

Indy

[Twinsig]

with the 1150's/ mine, i cleaned the sensor carefully and it worked properly for a few days. I, like many, have thrown in the towel and use mileage & the low fuel light.

I have about 1.2 gal when the light comes on. 60 miles MAX.

 

[dirtrider]

Evening Indy

 

There is no BMW service re-calibration on the 1100/1150 bikes BUT-- you could use resistors to kind of re-calibrate by trial & error.

 

There are a few BMW service bulletins on fuel gauge inaccuracy.

 

Most involve adding a 2nd ground wire to the fuel tank sender ground.

 

I haven't done it in a while but I used to split the fuel pump ground from the in-tank gauge sender ground as that gives the fuel gauge sender a clean & resistance free ground.

 

There is also a possible problem in the fuel pump pass-through ground solder joint (old oilheads can easily have this problem)

[Michaelr11]

Open the electric connector that is under the RT tank. Use some quick-drying electric contact cleaner and clean both male and female sides of this connector. Plug it back together and apart several times and clean it again. This should improve the connection and your fuel level should go all the way to full and should stay at full for at least the first 20 miles. After cleaning the connector my RT doesn't drop to 9 bars until I've traveled 30 or more miles.

[szurszewski]

This won't fix the fuel gauge, but have you considered taking along an extra gallon of fuel and then riding until you actually run out (obviously you'd want to avoid running out in a high risk area like on the freeway or when making a left turn in heavy traffic...) just to see what you can really fit in your tank? (Meaning, ride until you run out, put in the extra gallon, then fill up at the nearest station).

 

My understanding is capacity is closer to 7 gallons - I've definitely put in 6+ filling up.

[AndyS]

Everything I've read the RT has a 6 gallon tank. But for the life of me I've never been able to squeeze more than ~4.5 gallons when I tank up.

Indy

Have you physically checked the tank?

If you had an issue with say the charcoal canister in the past, a vacuum can build up and cause the tank to 'implode'.

When it does, it deforms and sometimes doesn't return to its original size - losing you valuable mileage range.

 

[Michaelr11]

Official capacity of R1100RT tank is 26 liters, 6.85 gallons. This includes the 6 liter reserve, 1.6 gallons.

 

In real life that is all less exact since low fuel floats all trigger at slightly different levels and hopefully you don't really ever run your tank to completely empty. Depending on riding variables, I can ride to 250 miles up to 270 miles before I start sweating about finding a gas station.

[RPG]

I, like many, have thrown in the towel and use mileage & the low fuel light. I have about 1.2 gal when the light comes on. 60 miles MAX.

 

Add me to the same club. 10 bars when new (2004 RT) then slowly deteriorated to 9 bars, then finally 8 last summer. Did the connector cleaning routine, over and over and over, year after year. Finally updated the ground wire last winter and got 10 bars again, but in the past month, back to 9 bars.

 

I am defeated.

 

Much akin to the crotchety old man in the Whitopia neighborhood who screams at the kids to keep off his grass and then suffers numerous egging's, toilet papering's, ghost door bell ringing's as punishment, I have succumbed to walk with my head held low and keep a quiet disposition about me.

 

RPG

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Rick

 

Without resistance testing under load there is no way to be sure but your issue sounds like the sender ground path in the pump pass through.

 

Next time you go into the tank-- split the fuel gauge sender ground from the pump & low fuel warning ground, then add a (sealed) new pass through stud through the pump pass through plate. (or try just re-soldering the ground pass through solder joint)-- Usually works better if you split the grounds though.

[CaptainKcorb]

Like the posters above, my RID rarely goes 10 bars after a fill up. Recently, for no good reason, I've been taking the time to fill the tank with as much as it will take (or close to). I've noticed that it takes well over a half gallon more after it's 'full' to the bottom of the filler neck.

 

The bike has over 170k miles on it and I'm sure that the contacts mentioned above are not optimum, but by fully filling the tank (which I'm sure is how BMW came to the 6.8 Gal US capacity) I get about 20 miles down the road before the top bar goes out.

 

By the way, thanks to the poster above who mentioned the approximate capacity after the low fuel light goes on. I've always been a nervous sister once it comes on, generally refilling before 25 miles and sweating around 40. I'll breathe a little easier now.

[greiffster]

By the way, thanks to the poster above who mentioned the approximate capacity after the low fuel light goes on. I've always been a nervous sister once it comes on, generally refilling before 25 miles and sweating around 40. I'll breathe a little easier now.

 

That can vary as well. I'd still be sweating after 40 miles. But, I think the reserve on the 1150RT is only 1.1 gal.

[speedybee]

Just a comment...the fuel gauge on my 2004 RT seems to be the most accurate fuel gauge of any vehicle that I have ever owned. 54,000+ miles...