• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

Swap Fuel Level Sensor From A 1300S To A 1200S

B

BC1100S

Left Coast Rider
The 1300S seems to have an updated, swinging arm-type, fuel level sensor for the fuel tank. Do any of the assembled multitude of experts know if this sensor will work in a 1200S tank which currently has the vaunted fuel strip variety of sensor? As I type this I'm thinking mounting it in the tank may be an issue. Worth asking the question, though! Thanks in advance for your considered responses.
 
Last edited:
I haven't looked at fiche. Currently have a buds 12S here with dead fuel pump and the tank is airing out way downwind a few days from the rotgut fuel stench.:hungover

The strip hangs into tank from the filler neck, assuming the float will be on the fuel pump plate. I guess I will peruse the fiche when I order some parts, and ask a familiar tech if he knows.

Is your strip wonky or you planning ahead?
 
henzilla said:
Is your strip wonky or you planning ahead?
Click to expand...

Planning ahead...for a change.

For a couple of years the fuel gauge has typically shows one LCD block short of full after I've gassed up. One time in ten it shows full. Ŕelatively accurate after that. I guess I should count my blessings but if there's a permanent solution, I'd be willing give it a try.

Question: if the full strip hangs from the filler cap is it possible to mount it too high resulting in the "not full" reading?

Thanks for investigative efforts!
 
The fuel strip uses an entirely different method for sensing the fuel level and as such the electronics would be incompatible.

The fuel strip has two circuits, it measures resistance in one circuit of the fuel strip, the second circuit is a resistor heating element that creates a comparison reading to determine the level. The float is a traditional resistor type system.

There was a thread on ADV rider about repairing the strip by pulsing the circuits with a piezo shock using a BBQ lighter. The high voltage charge apparently will bridge the fault point in the resistor circuit and cause it to reconnect. I had my strip quit several years ago on my K1200GT and tried this method. It worked and has not failed again to date.
 
mcmxcivrs said:
The fuel strip uses an entirely different method for sensing the fuel level and as such the electronics would be incompatible.

The fuel strip has two circuits, it measures resistance in one circuit of the fuel strip, the second circuit is a resistor heating element that creates a comparison reading to determine the level. The float is a traditional resistor type system.

There was a thread on ADV rider about repairing the strip by pulsing the circuits with a piezo shock using a BBQ lighter. The high voltage charge apparently will bridge the fault point in the resistor circuit and cause it to reconnect. I had my strip quit several years ago on my K1200GT and tried this method. It worked and has not failed again to date.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, Ed. Considering my fuel strip's current behaviour (not completely wonky), I'll save this solution for if and when it gets, as Henzilla puts it, wonky :).

Also, I'm a chickensh*t when it comes to sparks around fuel tanks. :laugh

I've saved the link. Again, thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

pauls1150
Adding Parallel Battery Cables
Replies
7
Views
2K
mikegalbicka
mikegalbicka
bigjohnsd
118th Congress - H.R. 906 - Motor Vehicle - Right to Repair!
2
Replies
25
Views
2K
fbt80
fbt80
B
1998 R1100R indicator lights, fuel sensor, other dumb new owner questions
Replies
6
Views
5K
burnbender
burnbender
O
Hello and thank you
Replies
11
Views
4K
oconcon
O
C
Pinion seal woes: How I Learned to Stop Worryin' & Luv the flawed FD of my '04 K12GT
2
Replies
23
Views
7K
pauls1150
pauls1150
Back
Top