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[Garucci]

Hey guys, I was wondering if any of you have noticed your flush mount LED gas gauge being incorrect? I usually just go by the tripometer but with this being a new bike to me i really didnt know what kind of gas mileage to expect.  Yesterday with 2 LED's lit up or 2/7ths of a tank left i ran out of gas.  Or does anyone know if the dealer can re calabrate these? Thanks

[Hoist!]

Hey guys, I was wondering if any of you have noticed your flush mount LED gas gauge being incorrect? I usually just go by the tripometer but with this being a new bike to me i really didnt know what kind of gas mileage to expect.  Yesterday with 2 LED's lit up or 2/7ths of a tank left i ran out of gas.  Or does anyone know if the dealer can re calabrate these? Thanks

It's not to bad from about 1/4 to full. Use it as a rough guide, and don't rely on it down to 2 lights! I had 2 lights on after I had just gotten the bike. It never went to 1 light and I ran out! No biggie. I only look at it as a lil better than nothing. Never had em on earlier bikes and you learn how far you can go. You get a feel for the gauge though, especially after knowing your gas mileage and watching your odometer. But my rule now is, if ya have to take it down to only 2 lights, GET GAS AS SOON AS YOU CAN!!!

Hoist!

[hdhog1]

  I'm with Hoist here.  It's only a guide.  Mine in the SEFB registers empty before it is.  Probably a better scenerio.  I think its off by 1 1/2 gallons.  Find your per tank mileage and watch that instead.  If you do find a way to recalibrate enter a new post.  I will do mine also.  Randy

[Rooster452]

It's not to bad from about 1/4 to full. Use it as a rough guide, and don't rely on it down to 2 lights! I had 2 lights on after I had just gotten the bike. It never went to 1 light and I ran out! No biggie. I only look at it as a lil better than nothing. Never had em on earlier bikes and you learn how far you can go. You get a feel for the gauge though, especially after knowing your gas mileage and watching your odometer. But my rule now is, if ya have to take it down to only 2 lights, GET GAS AS SOON AS YOU CAN!!!

Hoist!

Been there done that!

[FNGw/08SERK]

I was thinkin' about converting my 08 SERK. Are these things more trouble than they are worth??   

[Hoist!]

I was thinkin' about converting my 08 SERK. Are these things more trouble than they are worth??   

HeHe!!! Converting it into what?

Hoist!

[FNGw/08SERK]

HeHe!!! Converting it into what?

Hoist!

Alright PIA, should I retrofit with these or not?? 

[DavidG]

Same thing on my 07 SE Road King. 2 lights on but ran out of gas at 1am. Fortunately I was only a mile or so from home.

[Hoist!]

Alright PIA, should I retrofit with these or not?? 

If it's working, even if it's not terribly accurate, I'd leave it alone. It's nice looking anyway! Maybe it's just so many years of no gas gauge, I just don't count on it. Even the regular analog raised gauge, the stock POS, never worked accurately either. No gauge on the FXWG, Pro Street, or Hoist Bobber. But the carb bikes do have reserve petcocks! Got a lil safety net there. But between the gauge and mileage, you should never have a problem. That's OK by me. If it's not OK by you, you might wanna think about replacing it. But I'm not convinced anything will be much better anyway!

Hoist!

[1abastarsmda]

I added the flush mount pop-up fuel door with the LED gauge on the other side to my 2007 Road King.  It worked fine for me.  Once I got down to one light, I would panic, but when I finally got to a gas station, I always had between .8 and 1 gallon of gas left based on a full 5 gallon tank.  Since I never stood the bike up to fill it, there was probably more than that left in the tank.  The problem I did have however was a bit of a leak from the filler side.  If I filled it the entire way, I would eventually notice a fuel film on the tank near the filler...usually blown down the side of the tank.  It couldn't have been much leaking, but I almost always had to wipe it off after putting some miles on after a fillup.

[Gecko]

Did the low fuel warning light on the speedo face come on?   I think that may be more accurate.  My LED gauge isn't too bad; with two lights I have about ten or fifteen miles before the warning light comes on, and then just under a gallon left.

[skreminegul07]

Did the low fuel warning light on the speedo face come on?   I think that may be more accurate.  My LED gauge isn't too bad; with two lights I have about ten or fifteen miles before the warning light comes on, and then just under a gallon left.

The low fuel light is triggered by some rersistance level output of the fuel sending unit, so it would have to be in lock step with the accuracy of the sending unit.  With the odd shape of the tanks, without a lot more sophistication, it would be very difficult to determine remaining fuel due to a float.  Actually, starting with a full tank, the newer ECMs show remaining range based on feedback from fuel usage and speedo which should be more accurate, but then again the float is still a part of the equation.

Prom personal experience, you need to know your vehicle's gas gauge.  They have a personality.  My Tahoe stays in the full a long time, but after half it drops like a rock.

[Fired00d]

The low fuel light is triggered by some rersistance level output of the fuel sending unit, so it would have to be in lock step with the accuracy of the sending unit.  With the odd shape of the tanks, without a lot more sophistication, it would be very difficult to determine remaining fuel due to a float.  Actually, starting with a full tank, the newer ECMs show remaining range based on feedback from fuel usage and speedo which should be more accurate, but then again the float is still a part of the equation.

Prom personal experience, you need to know your vehicle's gas gauge.  They have a personality.  My Tahoe stays in the full a long time, but after half it drops like a rock.

My Yukon does the same thing.... I was told it was because of gravity.... needle gets on the downhill side and gravity pulls it faster.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[grc]

One of the new cost savings ideas at Harley will be a new clear plastic fuel tank.  This will allow them to finally retire the cheap POS they call a sending unit to the hall of shame.

Another suggestion is to mount a small microphone to the tank and route the output to your sound system.  By listening to the changes in the sloshing sound, you will eventually be able to estimate fuel levels at least as well as the gauge.

Jerry

PS, doesn't matter if you have an LED or old fashioned analog gauge, you can make it read accurately in the lower ranges if you want to invest a little time and energy.  Suggestion:  fill the tank with the amount you want to correlate with a certain point on the gauge, such as one LED or the 3/16 mark on an analog gauge at 1.5 gallons remaining, and then adjust the sending unit to read where you want it.  It may not be accurate when full, but who really cares about that?

[BLM777]

One of the new cost savings ideas at Harley will be a new clear plastic fuel tank.  This will allow them to finally retire the cheap POS they call a sending unit to the hall of shame.

Another suggestion is to mount a small microphone to the tank and route the output to your sound system.  By listening to the changes in the sloshing sound, you will eventually be able to estimate fuel levels at least as well as the gauge.

Jerry

PS, doesn't matter if you have an LED or old fashioned analog gauge, you can make it read accurately in the lower ranges if you want to invest a little time and energy.  Suggestion:  fill the tank with the amount you want to correlate with a certain point on the gauge, such as one LED or the 3/16 mark on an anolog gauge at 1.5 gallons remaining, and then adjust the sending unit to read where you want it.  It may not be accurate when full, but who really cares about that?

I think you hit the problem right on the head, Jerry.  I don't believe they are adjusted at all during manufacturing based upon the significant differences from unit to unit, but not so sure the fault doesn't belong to the dealer when doing the PDI.  I know on my Springer that the shop filled up the tank prior to delivery and the gauge only read 1/2 as they were doing the final PDI.  They adjusted to full and I have found it extremely accurate on every fill up.  All goes back to the dealer, IMHO to have enough sense to cure the obvious problems that aggravate the consumer.