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fuel gauge

  • Thread starter Thread starter ccrxxx
  • Start date Start date
C

ccrxxx

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hi, does anybody know if you can buy an aftermarket fuel gauge that will work ???
 
Dear ccrxxx,

If you want better feed back on your question may I suggest a few more details. What kind of machine ? (we hope its a GS) Why do you need a new gauge ? By gauge are you referring to the instrument or the sender in the tank.

We could tell you to "Use the Search" but that might cause you to think the people here are cold, un helpful ice-holes. On the contrary ! I did the search for you but the words fuel & Gauge are too vague.

You may be better off looking for an orig used part but please give us some more info. Were here to help......
 
hi, its a gs550 but its a custom bike so im thinking the tank is of another bike..:?.it didnt come with no instrument gauges . i put a speedo on and rev counter and now could do with a fuel level gauge.
i know now i said it may not be a gs tank that u guys might be able to help, but im wondering if such a gauge can be bought . the tank has it own sender still in .
 
I've never seen an aftermarket fuel gauge, but then again I haven't looked either. The sending unit is typically a variable reostat or resistor. The higher the float rises the more current goes to the gauge. The gauge will raise its needle higher with the increased current. Your problem would be finding a gauge that reacts correctly to the current level. If you know what the tank came off of you could look for a gauge from the same bike. Sounds like too much work to me. If you've got a reserve and a trip odometer that'll do fine. LOL
 
ccrxxx said:
hi, its a gs550 but its a custom bike so im thinking the tank is of another bike..:?.it didnt come with no instrument gauges . i put a speedo on and rev counter and now could do with a fuel level gauge.
i know now i said it may not be a gs tank that u guys might be able to help, but im wondering if such a gauge can be bought . the tank has it own sender still in .
Click to expand...

The sender in the tank is a variable resistor. Your gonna have to measure that resistance with an ohm meter top to bottom (full to empty) and find a gauge that will match that resistance range. A fuel gauge is nothing more than an ohmmeter.

Or do like my daughter did in her car. Fill it up. Set the trip meter. Run it dry. Now you know how far you can go.
 
thanks , the sender doesnt have a float. guy just told me its off a z650f.
ill try and check the ohms...cheers
 
hi, ditched the gauge idea , i was told this tank sender just puts a light on to say its low but my next problem is how to wire it ,is it the sender makes a circuit when low which brings the light on and breaks when full??? :-s
 
If it still works and has 2 wires then one wire can go to earth (negative) and that negative will then switch through when low on fuel. Wire the other wire to a 12v led bulb (or ordinary low wattage 12v lamp) or a led with a 1.2k resistor in series with the cathode leg and the other leg of the led to the battery wire, that is only live when the ignition is on, usually an orange wire on most Suzukis and can be picked up on your brake switch front or back.
It is easy to fit an led, its draws low current and is available in many different colours and can be less noticeable and easier to mount, otherwise just use a 12 volt lamp, but a very low wattage i.e 5w as the switch may not be able to carry a high load.
 
cheers , just spoke to a guy and he says nearly the same as you but the two wires one goes to earth and the other to the light and the other side of the light to a live...???is that the same. cheers
 
hi, tried what you said and the light is just on straight away( tank is nearly full ) ????????????
 
Ok you will have to check that the switch really switches off when the tank is full. That means the earth/negative will only go through when the tank is empty. You also need to make sure that it goes to an ignition on battery otherwise the light will be on if the bike is switched off if empty.
 
hi, how do i check that? assuming its switched now because the lights on ???? i know i sound dumb sorry.:cry:
 
stick a coat hanger or similar wire in the gas tank with a bend in the end. hook on to the switch and pull gently until it is all the way up. get a continuity tester and put it on the two leads coming off the sender(tank). if the is continuity, then your sender is bad. if there isnt, your sender is good and its something else.
 
As catbed said, move the switch. Another issue could be that your switch is 'shorted" or permanently frozen in the on position. It could als be making through to earth, so the wire going to the light has a permanent earth on it. Unplug it on the switch and see if it goes out. If so put back and now disconnect the wire from the switch going to earth and the light should also go out.
 
hi, here is a pic of sender .. checked for continuity when it was on tank and full ,nothing. took it off the tank still nothing???
cant upload pic as to big will try to reduce it.
 
Now you have me a bit confused when you say you checked for continuity and - nothing. Does this mean the light stays on when you remove the wire to the switch or is the light going out? Initially I understood that the fuel warning light stayed on once you connected up the wires and the tank was full. If it is not going off when disconnecting the wire on the tank switch then it is getting an earth from somewhere else.
 
Thread resurrection time!
I too want to replace the OEM fuel gauge on my 81 GS750E. Now then, since the sending unit is just a variable resistor, should it not be possible to make an LED gauge of sorts? Perhaps 5 LED's, one each for Full 3/4 1/2 1/4 & Empty?

I'm no EE but I can follow suggestions!
 
ggrenfield, yes. you need to have a voltage splitter circuit. i'm working on this myself, but ran short of money and have not actually wired mine up to see if it works. if you are interested in checking it out, though, i've got a thead about it, complete with schematics.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=121088

you WILL need to find out your resistance range, (mine was 10ohms empty, 130 full) so i didn't change the resistance in the schematic, but you will need too if it's much beyond that, otherwise it will be pretty innacurate.
 
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