So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 456
Likes: 1
From: Blacksburg, VA
So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
Ever since I bought my Ultra the fuel gauge has acted up. I rarely even look at it because I just gauge it by the trip meter. It's just get's on my nerves! When full it will read just fine. Once you get some miles on a tank, it starts bouncing around. I've cleaned all the contact points, and that hasn't helped any. I'm wondering if it's the gauge itself, or if it's the sending unit. It'll be easy enough to figure out, just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem and can save me some time on troubleshooting.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,081
Likes: 4
From: Phoenix, Arizona
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
The fuel gage is an odd one. Mine will look like it's acting normal and just after a half a tank it will drop like a rock. I trust the trip odo before I will trust the fuel gage.
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 456
Likes: 1
From: Blacksburg, VA
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
I know what you are talking about as far as the questionable accuracy and rapid fall past half a tank. My problem is it jumps around like a hyper 3 year old. It'll bounce from full to whatever level it is actually at all the way down to empty. It moves so much it's distracting.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Rome, Italy
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
I have the same exact problem and am waiting for a new sending unit (Mark from M&M Cycles told me that almost all the times it is this) and i got a new fuel gauge just in case. Will let you know once i mount the parts.
Cris
Cris
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,273
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From:
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
sending unit located under the tank consol. remove the consol and then remove the cover plate. in there you will see what the problem is. I suspect that the float is vibrating (bouncing) on the pickup hose or some other object that has moved. HD put about 10# of crap in a 5# bag in there. you may need to relocate some of the stuuf to give the float clearance. While your at it, you can check the float arm and adjust to give better reading.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 0
From: South Bend, In
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
ORIGINAL: sleepneagle
sending unit located under the tank consol. remove the consol and then remove the cover plate. in there you will see what the problem is. I suspect that the float is vibrating (bouncing) on the pickup hose or some other object that has moved. HD put about 10# of crap in a 5# bag in there. you may need to relocate some of the stuuf to give the float clearance. While your at it, you can check the float arm and adjust to give better reading.
sending unit located under the tank consol. remove the consol and then remove the cover plate. in there you will see what the problem is. I suspect that the float is vibrating (bouncing) on the pickup hose or some other object that has moved. HD put about 10# of crap in a 5# bag in there. you may need to relocate some of the stuuf to give the float clearance. While your at it, you can check the float arm and adjust to give better reading.
That's it, a freind of mine had some problems with his and they had to go into the tank and free the float which was hanging up on other stuff in the tank.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 0
From: BOSTON originally / APPLETON WI now
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
Ditto the drop like a rock at the halfway point.
I get about 25 miles from 1/2 full to empty on my 05 Ultra.
HD OEM equipment/gauges SUCK period.
I get about 25 miles from 1/2 full to empty on my 05 Ultra.
HD OEM equipment/gauges SUCK period.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 32
From: Houston, Texas
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
Yeah -- add it to the list of gauges that are not to be believed... The air temp gauge on my Ultra always runs about 15-20 degrees hotter than the ambient air temp, my digital oil gauge reads "error" 90% of the time when I check it after letting it warm up, and the fuel gauge gives a false sense of enhanced fuel economy -- until I reach 1/2 tank, and then it drops like a rock. So I get my air temp readings from bank signs, manually check the oil level (I paid $100 for what, then?), and watch my odometer for fuel stop.
Gotta love it...
Gotta love it...
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 410
Likes: 3
From: Wonder Lake, IL
RE: So what's wrong with my fuel gauge?
ORIGINAL: dchoran
Ditto the drop like a rock at the halfway point.
I get about 25 miles from 1/2 full to empty on my 05 Ultra.
HD OEM equipment/gauges SUCK period.
Ditto the drop like a rock at the halfway point.
I get about 25 miles from 1/2 full to empty on my 05 Ultra.
HD OEM equipment/gauges SUCK period.
