Fuel gauge reading 1/4 low

[billybovine]

Up until a couple weeks ago my fuel gauge was reading OK. Then started reading about a 1/4 low and that was right about the time the BEST warranty ran out. My assumption is there is high resistance in one of the connections. This weekend I am going to strip off the tupperware, take apart all the connectors between the fuel tank unit and the gauge cluster. I will inspect them and put them back together. My question is, is there anything else I should be looking for while the tupperware is off?

[Bob Denman]

Please let us all know what you find up under there, and Good Luck!

[gnirtsnod]

Wow! Welcome to the Spyder world. My chance to escape years of Harleydom and the ever-present problems. I had to stop by the H-D store just today to pick up some more parts to replace some that recently vibrated off. That store was 15 miles from home - 85 miles closer than the Spyder shop. I'm just trying to put things into mechanical and geographic perspective.

My first sense of having a Spyder with seven legs happened when, after my first 98 miles, I stopped for gas because the gauge was down to the reserve mark. 3.6 gals later she was topped off but the gauge only showed just over 5/8 of a tank? When I picked up the RT-S on the 10th, the gauge showed between 5/8 and 3/4 tank. I just thought the dealership cheaped out by not fiiling it up to start me out. Now I'm carrying a 1 gal gas can in my frunk as I push the limits to see how many miles I can expect to get out of a tank, since I can't rely on my gauge.

Talking with the service department was not very helpful. Their suggestion was to trailer it up and leave it with them for a week while they ran a diagnostic, ordered the part(s), and effected the repairs. Is it too much to expect them to have the parts on hand, i.e. analog gauge, tank float mechanism, etc., so one "cross country" trip takes care of it all? After all, I much prefer riding than trailering. Any ideas? Words of comfort?

[ARtraveler]

A couple possible solutions for you. There have been problems with analog gauges. A lot of riders ignore them and use the tripmeter instead. Set it to zero at each fill up. Based on the average of 30 mpg you should be able to make 150 miles before filling up again with about five gallons. Just watch your mileage for a couple tanks to get what is right for your Spyder. PS--the low fuel light will go on at about 125-130 miles when using the analog gauges.

After having two replacement gauges--I quit using them altogether. My issue was the gas gauge needle would move all over the place.

Many of us have just disconnected the gauge panel--I am told you must disconnect both the temperature and the gas gauge. When disconnected the digital gas gauge and the digital temperature gauge will appear on your main screen. Much more accurate by far. The low fuel light goes on for me at about 150 miles with the digital gauges. I think you will like that system better. Like most cars--it seems to take forever for the first two bars to get used up--then the bars come on faster.

[eddieshep999]

A couple possible solutions for you. There have been problems with analog gauges. A lot of riders ignore them and use the tripmeter instead. Set it to zero at each fill up. Based on the average of 30 mpg you should be able to make 150 miles before filling up again with about five gallons. Just watch your mileage for a couple tanks to get what is right for your Spyder. PS--the low fuel light will go on at about 125-130 miles when using the analog gauges.

After having two replacement gauges--I quit using them altogether. My issue was the gas gauge needle would move all over the place.

Many of us have just disconnected the gauge panel--I am told you must disconnect both the temperature and the gas gauge. When disconnected the digital gas gauge and the digital temperature gauge will appear on your main screen. Much more accurate by far. The low fuel light goes on for me at about 150 miles with the digital gauges. I think you will like that system better. Like most cars--it seems to take forever for the first two bars to get used up--then the bars come on faster.

I agree with akspyderman - I had my original Fuel gauge on my Spyder RT-S SE5 2010 Model replaced only for a 2nd one to show the bouncing needle - Disconnected both and like the Cluster display so much better
Replaced gauges with Voltmeter and Digital Clock (Matching pair)
Like akaspyderman my low fuel light use to come on when the analog gauge started to go into the red
With the digital cluster display I find the low fuel light comes on when the last segment (Block) is displayed

I know BRP have stated they have a fix but I won't be going back to the analog gauges anytime soon

Eddie Sheppard
Reading UK

[Bob Denman]

RS/GS vs RT... are there any practical differences between the systems?

[billybovine]

Well I took it apart last weekend. Looking at the wiring diagram it shows that it is two wires from the gauge cluster to the tank sender. Only two connectors, gauge cluster and tank sender, no splices. Pulling the cluster out and disconnecting the plug was really easy. Inspected the connector and could not find anything wrong. Next the connector on the fuel tank was not fun to get to. Had to take the tupperware off both sides, panels under the seat both sides and cut several zip ties to get this done. Inspected that connector and found nothing wrong. I was going to do a ressitance test on the wires but there was not a second body around to give me a hand. I reconnected the wires and turned on the key. Before this little adventure the gauge showed the tank as empty and after 1/4 tank. So it appears to be fixed, but my confidence is not high and only time will tell.

[d.o.spyder-rts]

I had the same issue with my analog gas guage so I had the analog guages disconnected at the 600 mi. serivce. As akspyderman stated, after the first 2 bars, the bars lower quicker. During a recent ride, the last bar disappeared. Luckily, I was in town and not far from a gas station; I ended up putting in 5.5 gallons with 140 mi on the odometer. A little closer than I like but...Dale

[Bob Denman]

So it appears to be fixed, but my confidence is not high and only time will tell.

Glad to hear it!