| Author | Message | ||
     Syonyk |
I've mostly put up with my low fuel light being on in sub-freezing weather for the first few miles. The last week or so, though, it's been on in warmer weather, and takes longer to go off. In 50 degree weather or so, it took nearly 10 miles, instead of the usual 1 or 2 in cold weather. Yes, my fuel tank is full... I have an 08 1125R with an 09 cluster on it. I do *not* get the "LFL + CEL" option that's common - it's just the LFL. Ideas? | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
the 09 cluster fixed that for me but the 09 cluster i got then soon had another issue with the tach needle slipping.... | ||
| Rpm4x4 |
Mine went away with the ebr ecm  | ||
| Syonyk |
I have the Erik Buell Racing ECM...  Though it is an early version. I'm wondering if it's possible that there's a connector with a bit of corrosion going to the fuel level sensor that might be altering some values. Or, alternately, the fuel level sensor is going bad. | ||
| Stevek1125r |
Black electrical tape over the light.... I did that for the check engine light and it works beautifully...... Yes i'm serious...i know why i have a CEL and i'm not worried about it... Only thing that fuel lowlevel light is good for is annoying you, i use mileage... | ||
| Kinder |
Is it only when warmed up or is it cause it been moving around as you ride? Try jostling the bike around abit when cold and see if it becomes unstuck. Some old cars had a float system that would get stuck till they moved around abit. That being said I don't know the style of measuring device our rides use. Sensor/ float ect. | ||
| Syonyk |
I believe it's some variety of "heater type" sensor that's solid state and uses the cooling effect of the fuel to determine if it's exposed. I suppose I can just tape over it, and I do use mileage anyway, but it keeps toggling my trip display to "FUEL" instead of "Trip 1." Just annoying, and I'm hoping there's some variety of fix for it... | ||
| Chameleon |
The sensor is a thermistor which is integrated into the fuel pump assembly. I had my dash replaced (two or three times) and currently have a late '09 cluster which supposedly resolves the problem; it has not. I had my fuel pump replaced which supposedly resolves the problem; it has not. There is no fix except perhaps getting a later flash on your Erik Buell Racing ECM. You should contact them about it; I heard it only costs $30. Cheapest solution by far. | ||
| Syonyk |
Interesting... it's definitely been getting "more useless" lately, and is "nearly completely useless" right now. It's on most of the time I have fuel in the tank, until it warms up enough, then it goes off... for a while, including when it probably should be on. I'll send a message to Erik Buell Racing - I do have the race ECU, but it was one of the early ones. I think I'm out of the year "reflash" period, though - are they actually enforcing that? If a reflash fixes it, I'll probably just wait a few months until I get a pipe and have it all done at once. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Mine was a constant Fall-Spring annoyance for a couple of years. New fuel pump fixed mine a year ago, no issues this Winter. Coldest I rode in was about 15F. The thermistor will "drift" over time and continue to be an issue I believe. When mine starts to misbehave again, I will probably try to replace the thermistor with a higher quality component. Even better would be two in parallel, where each drifts a different direction. The BEST solution would be a flash to the IC that used a wider or dynamic(self-adjusting) range of resistance for the LFL condition. Z (Message edited by zac4mac on May 24, 2011) | ||
| Chameleon |
True, but fat chance of H-D spending any money for a proper fix on us red-headed bastard step-children. They'll just continue to sweep us under the carpet of marginalization until we are driven away. | ||
| Ratsmc |
New fuel pump fixed it for me. | ||
| Dirty_john |
I would assume that any electrical connector with a high resistance due to corrosion would have an effect, I can't remember if the fuel cooling the thermistor lowers its resistance - I am pretty sure it does, thus a high resistance connector or wire may be an issue if you already have the late model 09 year cluster which had a coding change to prevent the resistance check at start up - this cured the problem with my early model year 09, having an Erik Buell Racing ECU or OEM ECU will not alter this, it is the cluster that performed the resistance check when the ignition is turned on - as I understand from the research I have done in the past. | ||
| Zac4mac |
The problem I saw with mine, the thermistor drifted high. To stay in the functional range, you'd need to lower the resistance. May be possible to put a pot in parallel and use as a "trim". Should be able to make it a remote, too. Resistance at pins A-D on connector 86b(under the seat) should be between 800-1400 Ohms. When I had LFL/CEL, I measured 2200 Ohms at 40 dF. I'll check current draw on the sensor(Should be milliamps - I hope...), I'm sure I have a pot laying around that will work. Should be able to splice a 2k pot across pins A-D. A is Gnd, D is the thermistor. With any trim, be careful not to over-trim and run out of gas... Reepicheep - you see any flaws? Z | ||
| Syonyk |
I was wondering about doing something along those lines... Are there details on how it works, exactly? Is there a heater element and the thermistor, or what is the specific method being used? It seems that it's cranky when the temperature is *below* a certain value - it was showing a LFL in the winter, and now it shows a LFL until the bike warms up and heats the fuel up (I'm guessing). I suppose it's time to order the electrical diagnostic and shop manuals and sit down to figure this out...  | ||
| Dirty_john |
Zac4Mac - your measured resistance values are virtually the same as I measured when I had an issue before IC replacement. | ||
| Syonyk |
mm... what's the latest IC version? I just took a look at my diag data. Bike warm, in "park," fuel above the low fuel level. Version 6.2, Cal 1.0 Fuel KPH 444 Fuel voltage: 3.0 From what I was seeing elsewhere, it seems that a fuel voltage of 6v is the trip point to low fuel, so this would be indicating low fuel, even though it's not. | ||
| Zac4mac |
What you are seeing is fuel pressure in kpa - kilo pascals, a metric pressure. There is no display of the fuel level sensor in diag mode. You need a breakout box or you can put "tag" wires in between pin and socket then clip meter leads to them. I tried making jumpers today with the pot I was talking about but had a huge reading. Z | ||
| Syonyk |
Ah, ok. So that reading is the fuel pressure sensor, not the level sensor. That makes sense. I'll take a look. Which connector is it that goes to the fuel level sensor again? I'm out of town for a few days, but I'll poke when I get back. | ||
| Therealassmikeg |
Are there details on how it works, exactly? Is there a heater element and the thermistor, or what is the specific method being used? The ETM explains its function...but Last time I looked at the ETM there were conflicting resistance values on 2 different pages for the thermistor. Here's a couple of options for you guys out of warranty... You could try taking the fuel pump out and flux/solder the connections on both ends of the resistor/thermistor. There is a good chance that it's not soldered and just a poor connection causing the fault. Eliminate the fuel level sensor completely and wire a resistor (xxx ohm) to the circuit in/on the wire harness. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Thermistors "drift", their resistance range changes over time and use. Better quality don't drift as much/fast but they drift too. As long as it still functions, a parallel trim pot should fix it. I'll try to play with this again next "weekend". Z | ||
| Therealassmikeg |
Go for it Zac! |
