Gas Gauge Flaky?

VulcanJeff · 05-18-2015, 11:37 PM

I dig the gas gauge on my baby. My K75RT has a low fuel light which I affectionately refer to as my two gallon light but having a bonafide gauge is kind of neato. I realize it isn't wildly accurate. I push 100 miles on the trip OD and it reads about 3/4 or something. I have been watching it closely tank after tank to get a feel for how miles ridden and gauge indication correlate though.

Yesterday after I filled up the last time, I rode about 100 miles and the needle hadn't budged. OMG two weeks into owning this doll and I have a problemo on a 15,000 mile bike? I took a notion to do some quick flicks left and right hoping to jostle gas and get the needle to respond. No luck. Once I got home in the garage it seemed to finally fall down to around 3/4 once I parked on the sidestand.

Strangeness. Anyone had experience with such an anomaly?

**MAS Tequila** · 05-19-2015, 04:49 AM

That's the way mine works.

MT

**ringadingh** · 05-19-2015, 07:50 AM

When I have my tank topped right up, I can ride close to a hundred miles before the needle moves off the full mark, then It starts dropping quickly, and by the next eighty miles its on empty. I use trip meter as a more accurate tool.

dgconstable · 05-19-2015, 10:59 AM

I would say, relax....LOL Mine takes a while to drop off the full....

You must be a real blast when things get really tense? LOL

dgconstable · 05-19-2015, 11:00 AM

I do what ringadingh does.. Trip meter,, at around 200km's the light comes on then I get gas.

macmac · 05-19-2015, 11:42 AM

Try to avoid riding far once you see the yellow light flicker. Fuel cools these pumps, and it's a good way to cook it riding past first flicker. I make a point to see the yellow light once a year and try to be where a gas station is handy when I do.

As to my blocky gas bars they work fine but I pay no attention to them. I use the trip meter old school way and a gps. i would trade that gas gauge for a 2nd trip meter any day.

VulcanJeff · 05-19-2015, 01:24 PM

Yes, trip OD, I use it religiously. But what threw me off was the fact I had watched the gauge closely on all my rides thus far. No gas gauge will be accurate in a progressive fashion. That first 1/2 tank never seems to drop in relation to the actual miles ridden. That goes for any car I've owned as well. The last fill up I referred to, man, it didn't budge, not even a needle's width. I admit, I was tense. Bummin cuz I feared something had already gone crappo on my new ride :)

10-4 on the gas cooling the fuel pump. I've always made sure to not run way low on my K bike for that reason.

On a related note, the MPG is great. At a steady 55-60 easy cruising, I bang out 48 MPG no problemo. Running hard 75-80ish it drops to 38. Anything in between nets low 40s. Very pleased with all that - and the bike in general.

Thx for the replies!!

macmac · 05-19-2015, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VulcanJeff

Yes, trip OD, I use it religiously. But what threw me off was the fact I had watched the gauge closely on all my rides thus far. No gas gauge will be accurate in a progressive fashion. That first 1/2 tank never seems to drop in relation to the actual miles ridden. That goes for any car I've owned as well. The last fill up I referred to, man, it didn't budge, not even a needle's width. I admit, I was tense. Bummin cuz I feared something had already gone crappo on my new ride :)

10-4 on the gas cooling the fuel pump. I've always made sure to not run way low on my K bike for that reason.

On a related note, the MPG is great. At a steady 55-60 easy cruising, I bang out 48 MPG no problemo. Running hard 75-80ish it drops to 38. Anything in between nets low 40s. Very pleased with all that - and the bike in general.

Thx for the replies!!

Do you a fuel mod device? That MPG's is great if you are stock and might be better with a TFI if that's all you do. From the factory these bikes are wicked lean, and strain to just idle. Adding just a TFI will help run the engine easier and it will run cooler. add a big air kit and after market exhaust and you will get more power, be able to run regular which these engines at 9:1 compression should be in the first place, and gain MPG's.

Yes, these engines are that lean that you gain MPG's by adding fuel.
My 16 gets around 44 / 46 MPGs and once got 48/46 before I added a CT, which lost me a few MPG''s for the trade of traction. I also find crash bar covers help in MPG, odd as that seems. The air bubble they create must reduce drag.

Sure seems odd, but appears to be the facts.

VulcanJeff · 05-19-2015, 06:13 PM

The first time I looked at the bike the ol' guy didn't mention a TFI and honestly at that time I wasn't too privy to the sort of mods done on Vulcans in particular. He sort of died a week or so after I first looked at it. From then on, I was dealing with his g/f who actually owned the bike. I need to pop the seat and hook up my Battery Tender leads this weekend. It would tickle me to find a TFI in the process!

Things are stock on the intake side. The exhaust is V&H Big Shots. Sometimes I get a backfire when chopping the throttle going 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd when I'm getting into it aggressively. Not sure what to make of that at this point in time. I haven't edumacated myself in that realm yet. What I have read (before I bought the bike) was mods on the exhaust side don't warrant fuel/air mixture changes. The ECU handles it fine. Changing things on the intake requires a TFI.

05-18-2015, 11:37 PM	#1
VulcanJeff Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Galesburg, IL Posts: 309	Gas Gauge Flaky? I dig the gas gauge on my baby. My K75RT has a low fuel light which I affectionately refer to as my two gallon light but having a bonafide gauge is kind of neato. I realize it isn't wildly accurate. I push 100 miles on the trip OD and it reads about 3/4 or something. I have been watching it closely tank after tank to get a feel for how miles ridden and gauge indication correlate though. Yesterday after I filled up the last time, I rode about 100 miles and the needle hadn't budged. OMG two weeks into owning this doll and I have a problemo on a 15,000 mile bike? I took a notion to do some quick flicks left and right hoping to jostle gas and get the needle to respond. No luck. Once I got home in the garage it seemed to finally fall down to around 3/4 once I parked on the sidestand. Strangeness. Anyone had experience with such an anomaly? Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

05-19-2015, 04:49 AM	#2
MAS Tequila Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Psychiatric Ward FL Posts: 3,429	That's the way mine works. MT __________________ MT 2016 FLHP Psychiatric Ward FL VBA 936
	0

05-19-2015, 07:50 AM	#3
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	When I have my tank topped right up, I can ride close to a hundred miles before the needle moves off the full mark, then It starts dropping quickly, and by the next eighty miles its on empty. I use trip meter as a more accurate tool. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

05-19-2015, 11:00 AM	#5
dgconstable Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: PEI, CANADA Posts: 351	I do what ringadingh does.. Trip meter,, at around 200km's the light comes on then I get gas. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

05-19-2015, 11:42 AM	#6
macmac Sr. Contributor Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Tamworth New Hampster 06 1600 Posts: 12,484	Try to avoid riding far once you see the yellow light flicker. Fuel cools these pumps, and it's a good way to cook it riding past first flicker. I make a point to see the yellow light once a year and try to be where a gas station is handy when I do. As to my blocky gas bars they work fine but I pay no attention to them. I use the trip meter old school way and a gps. i would trade that gas gauge for a 2nd trip meter any day. __________________ 06 1600 Nomad Just call me Mac molon labe come and get it
	0

05-19-2015, 10:59 AM	#4
dgconstable Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: PEI, CANADA Posts: 351	I would say, relax....LOL Mine takes a while to drop off the full.... You must be a real blast when things get really tense? LOL
	0

05-19-2015, 01:24 PM	#7
VulcanJeff Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Galesburg, IL Posts: 309	Yes, trip OD, I use it religiously. But what threw me off was the fact I had watched the gauge closely on all my rides thus far. No gas gauge will be accurate in a progressive fashion. That first 1/2 tank never seems to drop in relation to the actual miles ridden. That goes for any car I've owned as well. The last fill up I referred to, man, it didn't budge, not even a needle's width. I admit, I was tense. Bummin cuz I feared something had already gone crappo on my new ride :) 10-4 on the gas cooling the fuel pump. I've always made sure to not run way low on my K bike for that reason. On a related note, the MPG is great. At a steady 55-60 easy cruising, I bang out 48 MPG no problemo. Running hard 75-80ish it drops to 38. Anything in between nets low 40s. Very pleased with all that - and the bike in general. Thx for the replies!!
	0

05-19-2015, 06:13 PM	#9
VulcanJeff Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Galesburg, IL Posts: 309	The first time I looked at the bike the ol' guy didn't mention a TFI and honestly at that time I wasn't too privy to the sort of mods done on Vulcans in particular. He sort of died a week or so after I first looked at it. From then on, I was dealing with his g/f who actually owned the bike. I need to pop the seat and hook up my Battery Tender leads this weekend. It would tickle me to find a TFI in the process! Things are stock on the intake side. The exhaust is V&H Big Shots. Sometimes I get a backfire when chopping the throttle going 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd when I'm getting into it aggressively. Not sure what to make of that at this point in time. I haven't edumacated myself in that realm yet. What I have read (before I bought the bike) was mods on the exhaust side don't warrant fuel/air mixture changes. The ECU handles it fine. Changing things on the intake requires a TFI.
	0