FUEL GUAGE ACCURACY

[mcalva]

Unless you got a digital voltmeter, your "volt gauge" is even LESS useful than the one that it replaced.
The bike will refuse to start before the needle moves far enough for you to notice.

Hi.
I'm going to mount a voltmeter instead the temperature gauge. Could you explain to me your comment a little bit more?
Thank you very much.

 

[Bfromla]

Does this also work on the 1330 models?

:dontknow::hun: Dont all the 1330's have all didigtal?
Thought all :spyder2: 2013 & up were just that.

 

[Bfromla]

Question: So, are you saying that you would (typically) have 15-20 miles at one bar and low fuel warning light on? Or, something else?

I'm pulling over at about 180 miles, which seems awfully low to me as a new (2016) F3TSpyder owner.

What im stating from experiance on my 2013 with the 998 typically I get 15-20m after I have NO bars, my low fuel light comes on when down to only one bar. I try to only refuel when I get to one bar depending on estimated milage to nxt station
(thx to my garmin 660 I can know where that is)
fyi 100%solo (casual & relaxed)ryder:thumbup:

 

[Buckeye Bleau]

Unless you got a digital voltmeter, your "volt gauge" is even LESS useful than the one that it replaced.
The bike will refuse to start before the needle moves far enough for you to notice.

You sir sir are correct I did install a digital voltage guage, and it is much more accurate than the old one, IT DID NOT HAVE ONE!

Joe

 

[irvin48]

also, remember your fuel is used to cool the fuel pump. so you want to have some gas level in the tank at all times.


no one ever did say if the 14 and newer rt's have the digital
gauges when the analogs are unhooked. WELL, do they ?--irv

 

[ARtraveler]

also, remember your fuel is used to cool the fuel pump. so you want to have some gas level in the tank at all times.


no one ever did say if the 14 and newer rt's have the digital
gauges when the analogs are unhooked. WELL, do they ?--irv

Good question. The 2014 1330's have a solid gas gauge. Have not heard of any of us changing them out to digital. Mine is rock solid, so I do not question its integrity. I still use the "zero the A meter" at each gas fill up though--just to keep the guage "honest." :thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

If you unplug the analog gauges on any of the RTs: the digital ones will magically appear!

 

[Easy Rider]

Hi.
I'm going to mount a voltmeter instead the temperature gauge. Could you explain to me your comment a little bit more?
Thank you very much.

The typical analog voltmeter has a full scale range of 0 to 15 volts or so.
When the system is working right, the charging voltage runs around 13.4 volts.
When it goes bad, it drops down to 12.5 or a bit less.
That ONE VOLT drop equates to about the width of the needle.
It is almost impossible to NOTICE that slight movement of the needle.

At 12.0 volts, the battery is half discharged already......but the gauge still hasn't moved much.
The engine likely will stumble OR it won't turn over enough to start before you notice anything with the meter.
Analog voltmeters are USELESS in most common situations.

To be useful, you need a digital meter with two digits after the decimal point: 12.85 volts, for example.

 

[Easy Rider]

I have to respectfully disagree...
I have always seen better fuel economy in the Summertime; often by as much as ten percent. nojoke

Well you can disagree all you want but IF you live in an area that changes the formulation seasonally, then the "summer" blend has a slightly lower energy density. The energy density goes down as the temperature of the fuel pumped goes up too.......but the underground tanks don't vary that much in most areas.

Are you telling us that you actually RIDE in the winter in New Yorks state ??

IF you really care about this, do a Google search on "winter blend gasoline".

 

[irvin48]

Good question. The 2014 1330's have a solid gas gauge. Have not heard of any of us changing them out to digital. Mine is rock solid, so I do not question its integrity. I still use the "zero the A meter" at each gas fill up though--just to keep the guage "honest." :thumbup:

i agree. the fuel gauge on my 15 is pretty accurate. if its not broken ,dont fix it.

 

[Bob Denman]

Well you can disagree all you want but IF you live in an area that changes the formulation seasonally, then the "summer" blend has a slightly lower energy density. The energy density goes down as the temperature of the fuel pumped goes up too.......but the underground tanks don't vary that much in most areas.

Are you telling us that you actually RIDE in the winter in New Yorks state ??

IF you really care about this, do a Google search on "winter blend gasoline".

The only Month that I've never had the pleasure to ride in, is January.
Having said that: do you actually believe that I don't notice a difference in the fuel economy of the RAV4 that my Missus drives?

 

[cognaccruiser]

What the hell, I'll throw my 2 cents in.

With a 2014 RTS:

1. I always fill my tank to the brim. When the gas nozzle is all the way in and the tank shuts off, I pull the nozzle out to the edge and continue filling. Have NEVER had a problem from doing this.

2. No, I don't ryde my Spyder in the winter but from cars and trucks driven in the winter in Canada, I can say with certainty that we do not get any where near as good mileage in the winter with the winter blend gasoline. A widely held belief in Canada at least by those of us that have lived in some of the colder parts. Is it the winter blend gas or the fact that vehicles just aren't as efficient in the winter? Possibly a combination of both? Gasoline storage tanks being under ground helps keep the gas cool and at close to the same temperature summer or winter in those tanks. Once in the vehicle seasonal temperatures take affect.

Gary

Meant to add that I have always been happy with the accuracy of our analog gauge on our 14.

 

[RTman10]

Over my first 750 miles since it came out the crate it's averaged 42 mpg. But that's Imoerial gallons which are 1.2 something US gallons. Makes a difference but if course doesn't increase the distance it will go.

 

[Bob Denman]

If your Imperial Gallons are about 20% larger than ours; does that makes yours "economy-sized"?
BTW 42 mpg Imperial: works out to about 35 mpg of our tinier gallons.

 

[RTman10]

If your Imperial Gallons are about 20% larger than ours; does that makes yours "economy-sized"?
BTW 42 mpg Imperial: works out to about 35 mpg of our tinier gallons.

Economy, you must be joking. Work this out. 1 ltr of fuel here costs on average £1.16. Times 4.52 to the gallon, a Total of £5.24 per gallon. A Pound is today 1.29 USD.

 

[Bob Denman]

Economy, you must be joking. Work this out. 1 ltr of fuel here costs on average £1.16. Times 4.52 to the gallon, a Total of £5.24 per gallon. A Pound is today 1.29 USD.

I never said that this was a Sport for the meek and timid!

 

[Easy Rider]

Having said that: do you actually believe that I don't notice a difference in the fuel economy of the RAV4 that my Missus drives?

Honestly I don't know what to think about you some times.

I am not a mind reader so I don't know what other vehicles your family has OR what you have observed with them. :dontknow:

 

[Bob Denman]

Honestly I don't know what to think about you some times.

I am not a mind reader so I don't know what other vehicles your family has OR what you have observed with them. :dontknow:

Did I EVER say that my experience was only limited to my eight years of riding Spyders?
That would forego the 45 years of driving on the road (legally), and the dozen or so years of crashing mini-bikes into things. :thumbup:

If it had a trip odometer, and I knew how much fuel went in: I recorded the fuel mileage.

 

[mcalva]

The typical analog voltmeter has a full scale range of 0 to 15 volts or so.
When the system is working right, the charging voltage runs around 13.4 volts.
When it goes bad, it drops down to 12.5 or a bit less.
That ONE VOLT drop equates to about the width of the needle.
It is almost impossible to NOTICE that slight movement of the needle.

At 12.0 volts, the battery is half discharged already......but the gauge still hasn't moved much.
The engine likely will stumble OR it won't turn over enough to start before you notice anything with the meter.
Analog voltmeters are USELESS in most common situations.

To be useful, you need a digital meter with two digits after the decimal point: 12.85 volts, for example.

Thank you very much!

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

also, remember your fuel is used to cool the fuel pump. so you want to have some gas level in the tank at all times.


no one ever did say if the 14 and newer rt's have the digital
gauges when the analogs are unhooked. WELL, do they ?--irv

Yes. I removed both gauges to install ram mounts for my tablet and phone right after I got the Spyder. Been looking at the bars on the cluster screen ever since.