Gas Gauge not very accurate! What happens if I disconnect?

[Yeochips]

It seems to me that the gas gage on mu 2016 RT-S does not seem accurate? If I disengage this will my Temperature gage not work?

 

[JayBros]

From what I understand you do not have an either/or choice. If you want the allegedly more accurate digital fuel gauge to appear in the cluster you must disconnect both analog gauges so they both can appear in the cluster. If you disconnect just the analog fuel gauge you may still have a working analog temp gauge but you will have no fuel gauge at all -- not a good idea IMO. Don't know for sure because my analog fuel gauge is quite accurate.

 

[ARtraveler]

Some Pre 2014 Spyders had wonky gas gauges. They bounced around and it was hard to tell if you had used 1/4 or 1/2 the tank. Many did the change over from analog to digital. We did that on our 2010 and 2011 RT's. My 2014 is rock solid.

My suggestion is to always use a trip meter at fill up time. Set one or the other to zero. You will get to know your particular machine. Your machine should be good for over 200 miles before the low fuel light goes on.

Another thing, try to fill to the same level each time. The auto shut off feature leaves a bit to be desired. I fill to the filler ring, let it settle, and then to the filler ring one more time. Not perfect, but consistent enough to let me know where I am in the scheme of things. :yes:

 

[Dc8cappie]

Yes, but.

I know the answer is yes, you can disconnect the fuel guage and the temperature gauge and the alternate Guage on each side of the digital cluster will show the fuel level and the other the temperature. The fuel and temperature guage will be on the same side as the analog guage is. Here is a demonstration video. Hope it helps.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uMpsbUilrnY

 

[Easy Rider]

It seems to me that the gas gage on mu 2016 RT-S does not seem accurate? If I disengage this will my Temperature gage not work?

How exactly do you think it is "not accurate" ?

There is a hidden reserve on all of them......so that when it says E it really isn't completely dry.

 

[ARtraveler]

Yes. In the "good ol days" I drove for about 20 miles below empty. This was on my 998 2010 RT. Got 185 miles and put in 5.8 gallons. Don't remember the exact gallonage for that model--but I know I was close to empty. We usually fill our 2011 when the low fuel light goes on--about 150 miles or so.

On the road, I fill when I see gas. I try not to get below half a tank. So far, that works for me on longer trips into the boonies. And we do have them here. :thumbup:

 

[Peter Aawen]

How exactly do you think it is "not accurate" ?

There is a hidden reserve on all of them......so that when it says E it really isn't completely dry.

That 'hidden reserve' is there to stop you damaging things by running the tank to empty/the engine until it stops - on most modern EFI engines you NEED to keep at least a couple of litres of fuel in the tank in order for the remaining fuel to act as both coolant & lubricant for the injector system - running too much past that low fuel warning light is risking damaging things irreversibly, expensive & important things!! :shocked:

Still, there's no denying that many if not most owners of the early units found the analogue gauges were definitely pretty innacurate/unreliable. Some worse than others - the gauges (& sender) on my 2013 RT Ltd are so innaccurate that if I fill when the low fuel light comes on, then squeeze in all of maybe 12 litres this time (into a 24 litre tank!) so that the tank is overflowing & the gauge is showing as close to full as it ever gets (cos it's NEVER shown full!! Not EVER!) then ride.... Sometimes I can get to ride just 10 kms or so before the gauge is reading almost empty once more & the low fuel light is on again; other times I can go as far as 200+km before it shows empty &/or the low fuel light comes on once more, but at most I can STILL only squeeze in about 12-14 litres if I try to fill up then!! But if I re-set a trip meter when I fill & ride for 200 km or so & then do a dip on the tank (yep, using a graduated rod about 300mm long dipped thru the filler hole...) it almost invariably shows the tank is still more than about 1/2 full; so I tend to ignore the gauges & light completely & just ride on iaw the trip meter & the odd reassuring dip. That way I can usually do about 350 km around town & 400km easily on a steady 'not flat chat' cruise and yet it'll still generally only take 20 litres or so at most to refill the tank to brimming!!

And before anyone says it, disconnecting both the analogue temp & fuel gauges reveals that on my Spyder at least, while the digital gauges don't waver around anywhere near as much during ryding as the analogue gauges do, they are STILL showing the tank is empty when it's clearly isn't, altho they are no more consistent anyway, cos sometimes the tank can be so close to full when the light comes on that you can barely fit another litre in there no matter how slowly you dribble it in, other times it's a a fair bit closer to half full; but invariably I can ryde on a WHOLE LOT further than indicated by either of the fuel gauges & the warning light! That said, I am always still VERY MUCH AWARE of how much irreversible damage you can do to your engine & injection system by running the tank to empty/engine 'til it sputters due to low fuel, hence my practice of using the trip meter supported by dips to confirm that I've still got enough fuel in there for the remaining fuel to do that all important lubrication/cooling thing for the injection system! :thumbup:

 

[Lew L]

I've always used the trip meter and I don't really trust the gauge.

Peter is so right:

Don't ever run out of fuel in a vehicle with the fuel pump in the tank, 'bad things happen.

 

[UtahPete]

I know the answer is yes, you can disconnect the fuel guage and the temperature gauge and the alternate Guage on each side of the digital cluster will show the fuel level and the other the temperature. The fuel and temperature guage will be on the same side as the analog guage is. Here is a demonstration video. Hope it helps.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uMpsbUilrnY

Are the digital readouts any more accurate than the analog? Don't they each use the same sensor?

 

[ARtraveler]

RE: Digital Readout The main difference I noticed between the two is that the analog needle would bounce around and not give a good, solid read out. The digital has the bars that stay rock solid until the bar goes away.

Whether one is more accurate than the other--I think not--because it is the same sensor. Just less movement with the digital.

The gauges on the 2010 and 2011 were wonky. I had my 2010 replaced twice. No improvement. I switched both to digital readouts. The 2014 gauge has been rock solid since day one. Don't know about machines from 2015 and up. :thumbup:

 

[Bfromla]

My '13 has had some issues getting up to & showing FULL, I've been keeping notes best I can & according to dealer the sending unit ($500) is not covered be extended warranty :dontknow: thankfully it's on the safe side F not E so I've been dealing with it. Probably another side effect of Ethanol :banghead::barf:

 

[JayBros]

Does anyone know if on the 1330 ACE engine RTs the digital fuel gauge goes to zero bars there is still still some reserve fuel in the tank. I would assume so because of the potential serious risk of damage by running the fuel system dry. I've had my analog gauge needle read below the white E mark but have still had plenty of fuel in the tank as the most I've ever put in it is 6.30 gal.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Does anyone know if on the 1330 ACE engine RTs the digital fuel gauge goes to zero bars there is still still some reserve fuel in the tank. I would assume so because of the potential serious risk of damage by running the fuel system dry. I've had my analog gauge needle read below the white E mark but have still had plenty of fuel in the tank as the most I've ever put in it is 6.30 gal.

That will be somewhat dependent upon exactly HOW each individual Spyder Sender unit is set up, & to a lesser degree on how the gauge reacts to the signal from the sender (it seems my 2013 RT gauges, both analogue & digital, react very erratically!!) Sure, all the gauges are MEANT to have a safety margin (NOT a 'Reserve'!) still remaining in the tank under the 'E' mark, & the 'Low Fuel Warning Light' is meant to come on well before the fuel level ever gets that low anyway, giving you ample time to refuel before it becomes an issue; but there will always be some variations between different senders & gauges on specific Spyders, and some may have significantly LESS safety margin than others! You should be able to work out fairly readily how much fuel is left simply by noting how much it takes to fill once you do re-fill after the 'Low Fuel Warning' light comes on or when you decide you are close enough to the 'E', and if you make a little effort every now & then to pay attention to the average range you are getting between fills, it shouldn't ever be a major problem....

Still, purposefully running your tank dry or until the engine stops IS going to do SOME damage to the injector system, even if it's not usually critical if you do it just the once. But that damage WILL be happening every time you run the tank dry & it IS NOT going to go away short of rebuilding or replacing the damaged components in the injector system, so it's not really such a great idea - especially since it's so easy to work out your avg range & a reasonable safety margin without ever emptying the tank anyway!! :thumbup:

 

[JayBros]

Thanks, Peter, I should have used a term such as safety margin instead of reserve. I would think too that your gauge problem may be the result of stuffing the V-twin bask in the bike because the 1330 wasn't ready, i.e., old inventory. I would think too that BRP would have some kind of specifications the sender unit as well as reaction to the signal from the sender unit that should ensure standardization. As others have said the 2014 and later RTs have more accurate analog gauges. I have no experience with older models as my '14 is my first one.