Fuel gauge or sender bad?
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Seasoned HDF Member
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From: WACO
Fuel gauge or sender bad?
The fuel gauge on my 2007 Ultra is flipping out. The needle jumps around like crazy. With half tank of gas it will jump over to full then bounce around in between. And does it until tank is empty. Anyone have that happen to their fuel gauge. Could it be gauge or sender?
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
Your issue does sound like the sending unit is bad.
On my bike the issue was a bad tank ground. I added a ground strap to the sending unit, grounding it to the frame and cured my issue.
Keep in mind the gauge is positive and the sending unit is the ground side of the circuit.
On my bike the issue was a bad tank ground. I added a ground strap to the sending unit, grounding it to the frame and cured my issue.
Keep in mind the gauge is positive and the sending unit is the ground side of the circuit.
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,149
Likes: 2,975
From: WACO
Your issue does sound like the sending unit is bad.
On my bike the issue was a bad tank ground. I added a ground strap to the sending unit, grounding it to the frame and cured my issue.
Keep in mind the gauge is positive and the sending unit is the ground side of the circuit.
On my bike the issue was a bad tank ground. I added a ground strap to the sending unit, grounding it to the frame and cured my issue.
Keep in mind the gauge is positive and the sending unit is the ground side of the circuit.
I have a spare gauge and it is a lot easier to get to it than to the sender.I will try that first
JohnnyC. On my Ultra the sending unit is in the tank. I don't think I can install a ground strap from the sending unit in the tank to the frame. Am I missing something here? Ride defensively!
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From: Snow Hill, NC
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Cato, WI
Same symptoms here and it was the gauge for me. Lasted 8 years and 56K miles. My secondary problem was the new gauge had a clear lens compared to the other and I ended up replacing all four so they looked right -- Tom
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 14
From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
It happened as a fluke while testing it with an ohm meter. I just used a lead to contact to ground and the gauge started working. After I thought it was the sending unit and had bought another one. Now I have a spare for my bike.
Your tank should already be grounded through mounts but maybe not a good solid electrical ground due to corrosion.
There's only two components involved. I was glad it wasn't the gauge.
Last edited by JohnnyC; Mar 5, 2011 at 09:41 AM. Reason: spelling
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: East Coast, USA
Thanks for the input. So far we have 3 senders and 1 gauge.
I have a spare gauge and it is a lot easier to get to it than to the sender.I will try that first
JohnnyC. On my Ultra the sending unit is in the tank. I don't think I can install a ground strap from the sending unit in the tank to the frame. Am I missing something here? Ride defensively!
I have a spare gauge and it is a lot easier to get to it than to the sender.I will try that first
JohnnyC. On my Ultra the sending unit is in the tank. I don't think I can install a ground strap from the sending unit in the tank to the frame. Am I missing something here? Ride defensively!