They do have the float.
Fuel strip fix
- Thread starter VanZapp
- Start date
They do have the float.
Bendy toy
Registered user
I removed my fuel strip but never bothered with the spoof (just got used to the triangle). BUT doing that affects how the fuel pump operates. Above 75% tank level the pump operates at a wide (low power) mark-space ratio. Its just enough to drive the injectors. Below 75%, the pump is driven harder so more fuel is returned to the tank. This makes sure the ejector system can empty the tank right hand side.
I fitted a separate fuel gauge and removed the fuel strip. At the point where the RHS is trapping fuel the level reading will drop rapidly. It can go from 50% to zero very quickly at fast motorway speeds. However when you stop and leave the engine running the level will magically rise back to 50%.
If the RHS trapped less fuel I'd consider this a clumsy "reserve" but up to 7 litres gets trapped. I'm hoping the bike's ECU can be tricked into seeing a float gauge as if it was a fuel strip.
I just pull a 350 -400 yard near vertical wheelie this throws all the fuel to the rear of the tank thus ensuring a level internal fuel height when I land this method is about as good as I gets and far easier to understand than the other ideas on here 
Bendy toy
Registered user
Blame BMW. All that fancy tank emptying malarkey when all it needs is a balance pipe and a reserve tap.
Balance pipe yes but as the pump is mounted in the tank a reserve tap isn't much use is it
Bendy toy
Registered user
A balance pipe/hose (linking left and right sides of tank) with a typical normal/reserve tap would work fine on the GSA.
In OFF position the bike will run dry with 27 litres used. In NORMAL postion fuel goes down the stand pipe through tube to LHS of tank. Set the stand pipe length for 30 litres used. In RESERVE position the standpipe is bypassed so RHS empties fully.
It would probably not work on the GS unless the tank was fitted with a baffle of some sort.
yoda1965
Registered user
I got a fuel strip replaced on my 2008 RT, only lasted 3 months.
Brought it back to be replaced again, spoke to the BMW mechanic.
He told me " the ethanol in the petrol destroys them "
Where do we go from there......
Brought it back to be replaced again, spoke to the BMW mechanic.
He told me " the ethanol in the petrol destroys them "
Where do we go from there......
He's talking out his arse there the ethonal can't get in contact with the part that fails it's sealed
You have to ride slowly as there is no hurry to get to a pub as you can't afford to buy beer.
Bendy toy
Registered user
The fuel strip is a pair of copper tracks encapsulated in a mylar ribbon/strip thats then sat inside a plastic sheath. A very hard epoxy resin encapsulates the wiring connections. Who knows exactly where the copper tracks fail, but fail they do. it's nothing whatsoever to do with petrol/ethanol/toluene/octane enhancer/etc.
I got 70k kms out of the fuel strip riding in Saudi Arabia, took it to Ireland and at 78k kms, strip failed. There was a small break / black spot in the copper conductor on one side of the plastic strip. I got it replaced at Dealer so as to have the 2 year warranty in case..... Overall bad juju.. They fitted these from 2006 to 2010, seemingly. In fairness, the new one works perfectly, for now.
Probably gonna regret this but I got my '07 with 60,000kms 2 years ago and now it has 110,000kms on it...........fuel gauge works fine. (knock on wood)
I like to keep my bike full of fuel and rarely let it go under 1/3 full, I often wonder does running them close to empty all the time have anything to do with it...........or have I just been lucky.
I like to keep my bike full of fuel and rarely let it go under 1/3 full, I often wonder does running them close to empty all the time have anything to do with it...........or have I just been lucky.
What do Duffy's charge for this ??
That was always my feeling, consequently I always put the bike away with a full tank.
I felt that if the bike was left near empty for a few days the fuel strip would dry out, then when the ignition is switched on the heater element side of the fuel strip would damage the resistive strip.
60K on previous bike . This one (TC) has a proper float so no worries.
Here's a link to some photos of the failed fuel strip as well as the splits in the fuel pump and return pump pipe QD-connector flanges.
Dealer replaced the split parts under warranty ( new pump and return pump units).
https://goo.gl/photos/AEbxhqze16k8U1Zm8
Dealer replaced the split parts under warranty ( new pump and return pump units).
https://goo.gl/photos/AEbxhqze16k8U1Zm8
Bendy toy
Registered user
My fuel strip has been off the bike for months. The plastic (mylar?) is just the same as it always was. TBH it lives in the tank so should be unaffected.
In use, the strip is heated every minute or so and the resistance checked. Petrol cools part of the strip allowing fuel level to be inferred. The top end of the strip will always get more heating than the bottom end.
The wiring connection (wires to mylar strip conductors) is a circuit board encapsulated in resin. That resin is so horribly hard its impossible to chip it away to see what lies underneath. There's no way to know but what's the chance that cracks happen where the strip exits the rock hard resin.
In use, the strip is heated every minute or so and the resistance checked. Petrol cools part of the strip allowing fuel level to be inferred. The top end of the strip will always get more heating than the bottom end.
The wiring connection (wires to mylar strip conductors) is a circuit board encapsulated in resin. That resin is so horribly hard its impossible to chip it away to see what lies underneath. There's no way to know but what's the chance that cracks happen where the strip exits the rock hard resin.
Hopefully they fitted the strip before replacing the fuel pump as you can see quite clearly where the bottom end of the strip needs to be sitting, not just left waving around in the petrol.
All done as one job. The strip has to be plugged into the bike with both pump and strip out of tank to allow calibration of strip to the bike ecu or whatever. Then the thing is assembled. For sure, you need to set the bottom of the strip into the shoe in the tank. Not difficult.
On my failed strip, you can see the black mark and break in the heater zigzag. I stripped it out to see what was wrong and planned to buy a new one from Motorworks Pt. No. FUA75547
However, they explained that there would not be a warranty if it failed unless it was fitted by BMW. So, I put it together again and took it to the Dealer....
On my failed strip, you can see the black mark and break in the heater zigzag. I stripped it out to see what was wrong and planned to buy a new one from Motorworks Pt. No. FUA75547
However, they explained that there would not be a warranty if it failed unless it was fitted by BMW. So, I put it together again and took it to the Dealer....
Bendy toy
Registered user
In most cases the sensor conductor fails but the heater is fine. Begs the question why they needed two conductors. The heater current will vary according to tank contents. That alone would be enough to infer tank contents. Less complexity. Less to go wrong.
Interesting idea, use only heater for both jobs
What I am not sure about is why the heater would fail / go open. Is the ethanol eating the copper through a porous bit of the lacquer?
What I am not sure about is why the heater would fail / go open. Is the ethanol eating the copper through a porous bit of the lacquer?
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