I ride a 2000 electra glide classic and noticed the other day the needle in my fuel gauge starts bouncing when it gets below 3/4 of a tank. This is annoying. Any suggestions on what it could be? It will be bounce from one end to the other of the fuel marker. Any advice would be great.

 

2009 Ultra and mine does also, just recently started. I am interested to see if any ideas. I figure it is the sender in the tank.......

 

I have a '99 ultra and mine starts bouncing around at about 3/4 tank. Was hoping just the gauge. I really don't want to start messing around with the tank stuff. I just make sure I gas up at about 160 miles...

 

the sender is a float ( kinda like the float in your toilet tank) sloshing fuel will make the float bounce around.

a bad wire will cause the float to go from a "normal" reading to zero ( or all the way full sometimes) - back and forth really fast- this could also be bad traces on the sender rheostat in the tank....but the reading will not go above the "normal" reading ( as it might if the float was riding up on a wave)

the speed of the needle can help you find out which...a 'wiring' or electrical problem, or splishy splash of the fuel

mike

 

Sounds familiar. I too have an '00 Ultra. Same deal. Mine would rock and stick at full for a while and then start reading normally and accurately. It's most likely the sending unit. Just ordered a new one for mine. $116 bucks for the replacement part.

LiiT

 

if it sticks in place- that is often the internal fuel line wrapped around or blocking the float from moving.

if you can, cancel your order until you are sure what the problem is.

Could be just a matter of repositioning the fuel lines will save you $116

mike

 

From what I've seen the bouncing needle syndrome is from a bad gauge. The needle should rise slowly when the key is turned on. If it jumps to the proper level like 3/4, the gauge has lost its dampening capabilities. I have a new gauge that I need to install myself.

 

Put some tape over it. I always gas up at 150 miles no matter what my gauge says.

 

I agree with this..bouncing is a sign of the guage not dampening correctly...the guage has circuitry that take an average fuel height reading and send it to the needle on the dial..

 

I just went thru this, had my bike painted and after I put the tank back on my gauge read empty all the time. I grounded the wires and the gauge went to full so the gauge was ok, when I took the 2 wires off, my sending unit fell into my tank, it is only held in the round plate with a small square piece of rubber, so be careful, leave it connected to the wires and take the round plate off before you take the center wire off, this will ensure the sending unit does not fall into the tank. After I fished my sending unit out and put it all back together it worked fine, guess it was just stuck.