My new Deuce has a gas gauge that looks like a gas cap on the left side of the tank. Can it be calibrated/adjusted and how do you get the thing off to do it?

It read empty yesterday and when I went to fill it up, there was still plenty of gas. It took 3.2 gals to fill it and the tank is suppose to be 4.9 gals.

I usually rely on the trip meter anyway, but it would be nice if I could get the gauge close.

 

I don't think Harley fuel gauges are very accurate or can be calibrated. I alway can get about 150 miles on the first quarter of a tank and the last three quarters only lasts about 50 miles. I rarely even look at the gauge. I check odometer and occasionally twist the cap off for a peek. Put out the cigar before doing that though!

 

I think there for looks only, mine would read empty with 70 miles on it brand new, bitched to the dealer what a waste of time that was. They said it was as good as it gets. I pulled the guage out and the sending unit, to make a long story short I bent the float down so it pointed more at the bottom of the tank. It now reads empty at about 140 miles, so its better than it was.

 

How did you pull it out? Where is the sending unit?

 

Mine has sucked since the day I bought the bike,...never accurate at all,...I use the trip odometer.

 

Remove the center dash assy. on the tank, under that is a plate with about 10 or so screws, remove all the screws and pull it up its the sending unit. The float will be pointing towards the front of the bike, I bent mine down at about 45 degree angle towards the bottom of the tank, made enough difference that the guage is 100% better than it was. Don't lose the plastic washers on the screws that hold the sending unit down, I reused the cork gasket around the sending unit over. No real need to remove the guage itself, if your going to do your own work on the bike I would suggest buying a shop manual. Good luck. Ps you need to run the gas tank down to about 1/4 tank before pulling sender.

 

I am picking up a shop manual today. Thanks for the info. I was looking for a way to get the fake cap off, thought the float was attached to it. Now it makes sense. When I lean the bike over to the left toward the gauge, the gas gauge goes down, lean to the right the gas gauge goes up.

 

Ill try this because the gas gauge and the fancy speedo with tach are not even close to being the same....thanks everyone

 

This works. You might have to do it more than once if you want the gauge spot on but you can adjust the float and calibrate the gauge so that it will be pretty accurate. Good advice on the shop manua; best tool in the box.

 

We keep going round this subject! If that gauge told you the tank was empty and the bike immediately coughed to a stop, would that be accurate enough?! When it tells you it is 'empty', you have already found how much fuel you have in reserve, before you need to refuel.

It is no different to riding a carb bike with a gas tap. When the bike coughs, better switch the tap so you can carry on riding on the reserve. EFI bikes have exactly the same facility, except you don't have to struggle getting to the darned tap! I suggest you keep riding it as it is and get to know your bike.