Fuel guage reads wrong.

[Foxtrot Boss]

I Know theres a fix for this but I don't have the right phrase to search, I presume.

Can anyone please share a link to the fuel guage reading fix?
Thank You

[cranky]

... just curious, just how is it reading wrong? TIA

[Nails]

They all read above full for the first tank. I don't think there's any (practical) thing you can do about it. (Most vehicles I've owned are like this, more or less.)

[cushman eagle]

My "99 shows above full for the first 50 miles on the tank,and will show empty with about 100 miles to go
I just have learned what to expect.
A truck I used to have would go 250 miles on the first 2/3 of a tank,and 50 miles on the last 1/3

[Nails]

I think the arm on the float is too short, but there isn't room to bend it longer ... I checked.

[cushman eagle]

I think the arm on the float is too short, but there isn't room to bend it longer ... I checked.

Nails,I think you are right about why the gauge is not all that accurate

[ekap1200]

If it ain't broke , don't fix it

[Nails]

It was broke: didn't read right.

But I was really in there to repair the low-fuel warning light. That's when I found the gage sending unit couldn't be fixed by bending the float arm, something that's worked for me elsewhere. Bummer. But at least the light works now.

Thankfully, it's super easy to get the whole sending unit assembly out.

[triton28]

So Nails,
did you fix the low level light by replacing the OEM sensor with one of the West Coast Cougar mustang/cougar low fuel sensors? Or did you discover another way.

[Nails]

Yes, replaced the sensor with some Mustang part. I think I posted about that with the PN, way back when. It was a cheap part, readily available -- my NAPA store had it on the shelf.
I was surprised about soldering, but it evidently can handle the heat. Also, while your light still works, you might take note of whether you'd like it to come on sooner or (more likely) later. You can move the sensor up or down when you replace it.

I don't think you can buy an OEM light sensor, just the whole freekin-expensive sensor assembly (includes the float/gage sensor).

[chicagorandy]

Good tips to be sure.

I mostly rely on my trip odometer rather than a fuel gauge to know when to stop at a gas station, always reset it to zero when I fill a tank and never go more than "X" miles before finding a fuel stop. In my humble 17 years if riding, I can honestly say I've never run out of fuel, and realistically, many of us geezers (I'm 71 & counting) are looking for that service station stop long before we need actual 'fuel' anyway. - LOL

When I had my Ural Tourist rig, in over 50,000 miles of riding I used my spare 1 gallon fuel can exactly twice.... to help out a rider on the side of the road who had run out of fuel on their bike.

[cranky]

... carry extra fuel and I've given it to folks along the road too!!! I only
ran out once, while carrying fuel, to see where the gauge was and
what it felt like on my Nomad.... Never on Gina....

[Nails]

The XII is the only bike I've ever owned with a fuel gage -- don't remember for sure, but I don't think my '75 Wing had one. And the XII is the only bike I've ever run out of gas (not counting going onto reserve). I knew I was low, but was counting on the low-fuel light -- thought it worked because it lit up just before starting.

If I behave I can reliably get more than 200 miles on a tank (I also reset the trip meter). That's useful when I'm trying to make time -- as opposed to actually having fun riding. I've been known to sit through three tanks in a row before lunch. I still don't see the low-fuel light very often, but I like knowing it's there when I'm milking the gage below E. I can actually notice a red light on the dash.

[cranky]

... loooong time ago, I went to a camping store, REI - IIRC, and got some
1.5L camp stove fuel containers, carried'um for years, still have one of'um
in a saddlebag, easy insurance.... and yes, I've used them many times
for roadside folks....

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

I too religiously reset my trip meter and use it as a measure of fuel availability on my XII.
My first bike was a 77 or 78 Suzuki GS750 (late 70's anyway) and I ran out of fuel on it once. I honestly assumed that all I had to do was switch the petcock from Reg to Reserve and go get gas. BUT when it ran out I flipped it and nothing, opened the cap and the tank was bone dry! Not even a drop.
Thankfully there was a station only a few hundred yards away so I pushed it. I never did bother to fix the fuel switch (reserve) just paid attention to the miles and still do on the Voyager XII!