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Message started by BOBD on 10/01/12 at 13:02:11

Title: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/01/12 at 13:02:11

Has anyone ever tried to make a fuel sensor and low fuel warning light work for the S40? Just wondering.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by verslagen1 on 10/01/12 at 13:14:45

I have an out of fuel indicator... does that count? ;D

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/01/12 at 13:38:03

;D Very Funny. So do I. I know It needs gas when it quits running. I'd like to find a way to not have to flip to the reserve. Use the whole tank of 2.6 gals and have a warning light instead, like the Suzuki TU250X fuel injected has. ;D

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by verslagen1 on 10/01/12 at 13:44:39

if you swap the fuel tank with a vn750, it has a fuel level gage.

does take some doing.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by LouSiana on 10/01/12 at 14:05:35

I attached a small combination lock on the brake line.
When I buy fuel, I adjust the lock to the kilometers from the speedo.
Then later just use my brain abt. 2 seconds and see when it's time to fuel up again. Should work with miles, too, I guess and it needs no blinkenlights, no poppencorken and no blowenfusen :D

Remember the KISS-Principle? Keep it stupid simple.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/01/12 at 14:15:08

Beware the never using reserve idea. The petcock can get pretty stiff & using it ass intended will keep you tuned into its health. Also, reserve is the bottom of the tank, any water will collect there. I swing it to reserve sometimes long before I need it, just to see if it changes how it runs. If it does, I have a clue,,

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/01/12 at 14:38:23

I'm sure the TU250X does not have a reserve.I had one once. Of course it is Fuel injected. So I guess all fuel injected bikes do not have a reserve petcock or even a petcock at all. I have heard that the 2013 S40 is fuel injected. If it is it must have a low fuel warning light and no petcock like the TU250X. I will believe it when I see it.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/01/12 at 14:53:26

& that changes the mechanical reasoning behind my post exactly

Zero

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/01/12 at 15:11:06

Think I will stick to stopping for gas at 100 miles or less. Maybe I'll look for a different petcock. I've seen one on here, but can't remember where.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by arteacher on 10/01/12 at 16:17:22

47647E58626A656A0B0 wrote:

Even easier, and cheaper, is when you fill up, use a grease pencil (sometimes called a china marker) to write the current miles on the odo +100 onto the mirror. when the miles on the odo get close to the miles on the mirror, look for a gas station. Easy to see, and you don't have to do any math. ;)

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by rfw2003 on 10/01/12 at 16:20:40

That's one of the things I like about the Trail Tech computer. It has a resettable trip Odo, so all I have todo is each time I fuel up is reset it, and then forget about it till it gets close to 100 miles.

R.F.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/01/12 at 17:13:11

I use a Garmin GPS my brother bought me and put it in a $20 waterproof case. Tells me my MPH and has trip miles. Also has max speed. I hardly use the GPS though. I guess it would be good if I got lost somewhere or to find a gas station.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by gdrseeker on 10/01/12 at 19:26:23

I like my Sigma Bike Computer.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BCG9EK/ref=asc_df_B003BCG9EK2205876?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=pg-1501-100-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395097&creativeASIN=B003BCG9EK

Serves both as the trip-o-meter and as a speedometer. I have it mounted in the middle of my handle bars. much easier to see than the speedometer on the tank. I just fill up every 100 Miles.

Question: when you run out of gas what is the procedure at 60 MPH?

I know to flip the pet-c0ck to the reserve but what do you do to get the bike fired up again. Starter button? Clutch?

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Charon on 10/01/12 at 19:32:01

When you run out of gas at road speed, the engine quits producing power. You put the petcock in REServe. Engine vacuum is still being produced because the engine is still turning, so the petcock is still open. Gas flows into the carburetor, and when there is enough the engine refires and all is well with the world. Exactly the same thing happens if you use PRIme, except that the engine vacuum isn't a factor. Fuel takes just as long to flow to the carburetor either way.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by gdrseeker on 10/01/12 at 19:41:11

Excellent so flip to reserve and wait. Flash break so I don't get rear-ended. GTG

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by dinsdale on 10/01/12 at 20:27:53

Only takes a second after switching to reserve.
You barely slow at all.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by J C Stokes on 10/01/12 at 21:59:03

There will or should be one of our little pops or bangs before she runs out, switch to reserve when you here it. Just as an aside, I once put 11.32 litres or 2.9something US gals in the tank, it was just about overflowing at this and I may have riden 140 miles, the last fifteen covered in fear sweat.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 05:10:52

OK. So what do you do when you're in the fast lane and you start sputtering and can't get to the reserve quick enough? Get run over? I think I'd change to reserve early and stop for gas asap.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Dave on 10/02/12 at 07:01:45

I mostly ride back roads and seldom have anyone on my bumper, and the times I have hit reserve I can feel the bike start to slow and sputter, and I reached down and switch to reserve and within a second or two the bike is running normal.

I can see that if you were going 70mph on the highway and in heavy traffic........the minor slow down and delay would seem to be much worse! At those speeds you would slow down quickly without any fuel going to the carb for 5 or 10 seconds while you realized the cause, reached down and turned the petcock to reserve.....and the fuel reached the carb.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 08:02:53

Absolutely right. I travel on the freeways a lot and don't care for that happening. Don't care to get run over thanks.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by ToesNose on 10/02/12 at 08:16:39

LOL I had to switch to reserve the other day and it was on right turn uphill. Felt the spudder as I slowed down for the turn, I switched it immediately but stalled for the first time ever switching to reserve HEH. :D

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Arnold on 10/02/12 at 08:18:00

Exactly why I mounted fuel sight gauge, I got screwed before when the bike was stock on a road with no shoulder.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 08:51:08

Fuel sight gauge? Have not heard of how to do that.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 08:57:29

Never mind I found how it's done. Don't want to drill holes in tank and have no way of welding bungs in. Good idea though.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Dave on 10/02/12 at 09:06:09

1C3A353A24261C7B7F4F0 wrote:

Never mind I found how it's done. Don't want to drill holes in tank and have no way of welding bungs in. Good idea though.

You could actually do this by just putting a tee in the the fuel line and running a clear fuel line up to the handlebars.......but I can't think how you would do that in a way that would not look goofy. You would have to have to turn the open end of the line down or have some form of vented cap to keep the rain out.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 09:22:58

Yikes. No thanks. I'm still thinking though. Maybe I'll come up with something maybe I won't.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 09:35:25

http://www.amazon.com/Kelch-54-1815-13-5-Gauge-Gas/dp/B002SA0SCA Would something like this work? Not sure it's for a motorcycle though.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 09:47:48

Nope. Don't think that will work. I'll just stop every 100 miles or less before I need to use reserve. Best idea would be to get a bigger bike that does have a gas gauge and fuel injection, if I could afford one. Ha

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 10:35:31

Put 2 gas cans where you would put saddlebags and put 2 gal gas can on passenger seat in case you run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. Maybe you can figure out how to run hoses to all gas cans and the carb. and not have to stop for gas for 300+ miles. You'd need a fuel pump of course. HA HA ;D

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by CalisOsin on 10/02/12 at 10:53:28

That gas gauge cap is pretty interesting. I wonder if something like that could be modified to fit our bikes...

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Arnold on 10/02/12 at 10:56:58

Yea, maybe with a flexible hose instead.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 11:45:36

Well, it is only $18. Maybe I'll get one and see. It does not lock. Not sure I have the ability to modify it. I can use my old farmer's ingenuity I guess. Or maybe one of you that have more skill and the tools could try it.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Arnold on 10/02/12 at 11:50:09

No lock on my tank either, if someone wants to take a chance to steal my one gallon of gas and get a kiss of the ball peen hammer, they've got balls. :)

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 11:51:54

Well it is too long, but that's not what she said.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 12:05:36

That's a float on it so a clear tube won't replace that. You can get 7" long ones.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 12:12:43

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1-4-x-7-ARCTIC-CAT-KELCH-GAS-CAP-GAUGE-7-INCH-FITS-MANY-Models-/150748502568 Here's one from e-bay. 7" is about right (that's what she said) for the 2012 S-40 anyway. Who wants to try this one?

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Arnold on 10/02/12 at 12:25:22

Does the cap fit the stock tank?

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 12:29:04

Wish I knew. Not sure what they mean by 2 1/4". I think it may have to be the 8" one. That's what I measured my tank from the bottom to the top of the fill. You can look at the bottom of the cap in this one. From what I can see I don't think it does. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ARCTIC-CAT-KELCH-GAS-CAP-GAUGE-8-INCH-FITS-MANY-/290700641058

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by Arnold on 10/02/12 at 12:43:49

The company makes a bunch, more info here:

http://www.kelch.com/products/caps-gauges-and-sensors/

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by SALB on 10/02/12 at 12:53:51

One of these might actually work! :)

http://www.kelch.com/products/search-results/selector-items/4-34-9/selector/caps-gauges-and-sensors/

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 12:56:19

You could maybe take a gas cap that doesn't lock and take everything from the Kelch and somehow fit it to a gas cap that does fit our bike.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 13:02:52

Still doesn't look like those caps would work to me.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by CalisOsin on 10/02/12 at 13:55:46

I think someone mentioned previously (or maybe in another thread) that a while ago someone had found a replacement gas cap that was the screw type. Whoever said it couldn't remember who found it or what it was called. However, if we could find it again maybe it could be married up to one of these....

Just throwing ideas out there.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/02/12 at 14:31:26

It looks to me like you would need to add a short neck above the fill to be able to put one of these on. In that case you would need one about 9" long. Maybe this one. http://www.ebay.com/itm/290611225560
or this one http://www.amazon.com/Kelch-54-1810-Gauge-Snowmobile-Gas/dp/B002SA0S3E Either that or find that screw in gas cap and put them both together somehow.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by BOBD on 10/03/12 at 03:45:10

I'm leaving this idea to whoever wants to work on it. Good Luck.

Title: Re: Fuel sensor and light
Post by ToesNose on 10/06/12 at 16:06:58

Sure fire way to know how much fuel you have left, just get one of these. Glass tank....too funny

http://files.doobybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/see-thru-motorcycle-gas-tank.jpg