Fuel Gauge questions

[adam83]

My fuel gauge use to work up until recently. It now reads zero no matter how much gas in in the tank. I disconnected the 2 connectors for the 2 wires going to the sending unit. Then I tested the voltage between the 2 wires on the bike side and got 6.82 volts with the key on. I jumped those same 2 wires and the gauge doesn't respond at all, just stays at E.

Is there another way to test the gauge? If the wiring and connections leading to the gauge turn out to be ok, and the gauge is confirmed to be the culprit, can it be refurbished or rebuilt?

[chuck hahn]

Is the battery fully charged? Harness side should read battery voltage so if its low then charge battery and recheck harness voltage and the jumper wire test.

[adam83]

The battery is fully charged, like around 12.6 V. When I got the 6.8 v at the wire ends, I assumed it was because battery voltage had been reduced by a voltage regulator for the gauges. At least thats what Im seeing when I look at my service manual. Are these gauges supposed get full battery voltage?

[chuck hahn]

what bike and year are we talking about. I havent seen the regulator before. And id assume its in the gauge itself and not in the main harness. Again assuming thats where it is.

[adam83]

Just figured out how to edit my signature. My bike is an 83 Gs1100ed. My manual says 1980 on the front, but has my 83 in the group index/table of contents, so Im not 100% sure it's reliable.

[adam83]

Well, apparently my signature is not working anymore, Ill have to mess with it.. and now its working.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Adam, your signature works.
I see it:
1983 GS1100E

You have to be viewing the forum as POSTS, and not LATEST ACTIVITY to see signatures (I don't know why, that's just the way it is).
also:
You can set view POSTS and make sure you have Signatures and Avatars turned on in your Profile User Settings Account tab.
sig settings.png

From here you can also create or modify your own Signature. However, sometime in the recent past, the functionality of Signatures has gone nearly completely FUBAR. If anyone that has a signature that has a bunch of links in it, and they like it the way it is, I would suggest that you do not attempt to modify it. For me, attempting to modify my Signature has resulted in me having to resort to a single word Links, which takes you to a Google Doc with all of the links that I had before to files/threads that are important for me to keep handy. Repeated attempts to have this looked into have gone unanswered. Not important, I guess. I do hope we can get back the previous signature functionality.

[adam83]

Thanks for the heads up Rich

[rphillips]

Yep Rich, exactly how I figured it was !!!!

[adam83]

I cant find the answer about what voltage the gauge is supposed to see. But magically the gauge started working again yesterday, who knows for how long though. Ive ordered a wiring diagram specific to 1983 so hopefully that will help me figure this out.


Question now is, if my gauge is on the fritz, can it be restored/refurbished/fixed or does it have to be replaced? For that matter, if a sending unit is reading wrong resistance or not working, can it be repaired?

[Rob S.]

The manual you pictured is the correct (and only) one for your bike available from Suzuki. I have also putchased one from Haynes. The more shop manuals, the better.

How about some pics of your 11ED?

[chuck hahn]

Start cleaning connectors

[2BRacing]

I am not sure if the fuel gauge operates the same on all the different models, but my GS850G manual states that the function of the "regulator" for the fuel gauge is to compensate for variations in temperature and voltage, and that the Average Output Voltage = 7V. Your reading of 6.82V across the 2 gauge wires agrees with this, and therefore appears to be correct.

In my experience the most common cause of the fuel gauge working correctly and then suddenly not working, is that the electrical wiper point on the float arm does not make proper constant contact on the windings of the wire wound resistor of the float unit inside the fuel tank.

Hope you get it sorted out!

[chuck hahn]

2BRacing...
I too have suffered the lack of contact on the rheostat inside the sender unit. A little tweak to ensure positive contact through the entire range of movement cures many ills. While i have one open i always rinse good with carbs spray too. Very gently wipe the slider with some steel wool to remove tarnish too. Be careful to not break the fine wire going from the windings to the base plate.
I have also seen the insulation on ones with the wire passing through a hole in the housing short out from breaking down. In this case i unsolder the wire at the base and use the red straw from carb spray can to form a new insulating sleeve. Straighten the wire and slide the prescribed length straw over the wire and through the hole. Heat with a lighter and bend straw to point at the soldering spot, Then resolder the wire to the base plate.