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2005 1200RT Fuel Strip

philmonat

New member
Fellow Riders: Have a 2005 1200RT, changed the fuel sensor when I got it under warranty four years ago. (Bike was sitting for two years with previous owner, due to deployment). Worked great until the two weeks ago, when it started flashing to zero and then coming back to life, on, off, etc. I have read about a possible fix of electrical contacts under tank? Anybody have any thoughts or recommendations, I would rather not spend $450 for the shop to pull the tank, replace sensor, and re-calibrate. . . if it's only dirty contacts under tank. Much appreciate the forum and excellent help from the group.
pm
 
How many miles since the first one was done? I ask because my GS had the recall work done several years ago, but only 2000 miles elapsed before the whole mess malfunctioned again along with the fittings breaking again and turning brittle (which has to be the result of having to use ethanol gas a few times). I took it up with the dealer and since the mileage was so low since the first recall repair, the BMW rep agreed to again warranty the parts under the recall if I paid for the labor.....got it all replaced again for $100.
 
The dealer shops replace it under warranty three years ago and it's got 40,000K on since then, so I it isn't a case of it them not doing it properly or with bad parts. But I gather is there is not a contact cleaning issue below the tank (I heard that might be a problem or could help, but not sure if it applies to this model bike). I had to leave town for ten days and I filled up the tank before I left, so far when I'm back and riding for the last four days the strip and fuel gage are fine. Hm. . . I guess if it fails again it is off to the dealer for a another $450 fix. . . sigh.
thank you
 
I wouldn't pay $450 for a part that is sure to fail again. My 07RT is on the last one it will see. When it fails I will rely on the odometer and trip meter only. Good riddance to the hassle. Bummer that NHTSA never forced them to fix the issue.
 
2015 R1200R Fuel strip

I am looking to by a 2015 BMW R1200R does this year still have the same fuel strip / Gauge problems as earlier models?
 
AFAIK No

BMW switched to a float for the fuel gauge in 2010.
Not on the R1200R - it continued to use a fuel strip until the release of the R9T series. My 2012 has had 3 strips so far.

There is no connector in the tank that will fix it. It's a flaw in the actual strip. If the OP searches enough he'll find some threads (maybe here, maybe ADV-Rider) involving fixing the strip by using a piezo high-voltage sparker (from a grille lighter or a cigarette lighter even). It doesn't even require R&R of the strip from the tank. It appears sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse, and sometimes it does nothing.

There is a rather extensive thread/survey in the stickies all about fuel strips. I encourage anyone who has had one replaced to look through that thread. At several points in the thread I give very specific instructions on how to report this SAFETY HAZARD to NHTSA in the hope they'll start an "Investigation" (which is done preliminary to a recall.) So far all that did was to get BMW to warranty the strip for 12 years from the bike-in-service day. In order to jolt NHTSA to life, it's important to post the failure to the same system/item in their database - that makes it show up when they're looking for possible safety related issues. They have issued recalls for identical failures on other brand bikes, so there is a precident for it being a safety related failure mode.

YMMV,
 
I am looking to by a 2015 BMW R1200R does this year still have the same fuel strip / Gauge problems as earlier models?

Hexhead or wethead? If it's a hexhead - AFAIK it still uses the fuel strip. They didn't switch the R12R until they came out with the wethead non-telelever model.
 
Fuel strip in cold temp. 2005 R1200RT

Hi all:
Today at 34 degrees outside temp, my estimated mileage kept increasing. I purchased this bike in Oct. 2019 and only rode it 300 miles before winter. I have since put another 800 mi. Changed fluids, plugs, air filter, alternator belt and adjusted valves. My first experience with the fuel strip was when I ran out of fuel showing 1/3 of my first tank. I gave it the clicker fix recently and it worked well through a tank down to even lighting the reserve light. I understand that the strip works by comparing temperatures along sensors running the length. So is it logical to assume that the air above the fuel level was colder than the fuel and therefore it "confused" the level sensors on the strip?
 
Hi all:
Today at 34 degrees outside temp, my estimated mileage kept increasing. I purchased this bike in Oct. 2019 and only rode it 300 miles before winter. I have since put another 800 mi. Changed fluids, plugs, air filter, alternator belt and adjusted valves. My first experience with the fuel strip was when I ran out of fuel showing 1/3 of my first tank. I gave it the clicker fix recently and it worked well through a tank down to even lighting the reserve light. I understand that the strip works by comparing temperatures along sensors running the length. So is it logical to assume that the air above the fuel level was colder than the fuel and therefore it "confused" the level sensors on the strip?

"The design is a classic Wheatstone bridge sort of design, with the two sides of the strip working as two legs of the bridge.. being compared in resistance to the other two legs. The resistance will change if a current is passed through the strip at a constant voltage, due to cooling of the resistive element by the fuel. The change in current can be used to calculate the resistance change, which can then be used to calculate the level."

Doubtful - I understand that the estimated miles remaining computer works by comparing the current fuel level in the tank vs. a recent "smoothed" average MPG. How drastic was the change?
 
I could br out to lunch....

I was wondering if it was possible to replace the 07RT fuel strip problem with a 10RT float type fuel pump. I'm only asking because I just bought a new to me 2007 RT. The fuel gauge is currently working just fine, knock on wood or my own skull which ever is closer.:banghead
 
Fuel strip warranty

"The design is a classic Wheatstone bridge sort of design, with the two sides of the strip working as two legs of the bridge.. being compared in resistance to the other two legs. The resistance will change if a current is passed through the strip at a constant voltage, due to cooling of the resistive element by the fuel. The change in current can be used to calculate the resistance change, which can then be used to calculate the level."

Doubtful - I understand that the estimated miles remaining computer works by comparing the current fuel level in the tank vs. a recent "smoothed" average MPG. How drastic was the change?

After thinking about it, I decided to call the BMW dealership -200 miles away- to see the repair history and was told that it had been replaced under warranty in 2008 and it was covered for 12 years-wow.I will be bringing it in for a new one under warranty thursday...Hopefully the guy at the dealer is correct about the whole info
 
After thinking about it, I decided to call the BMW dealership -200 miles away- to see the repair history and was told that it had been replaced under warranty in 2008 and it was covered for 12 years-wow.I will be bringing it in for a new one under warranty thursday...Hopefully the guy at the dealer is correct about the whole info

IIRC the fuel strip is covered for 12yrs from the original date of purchase of the bike. Not from the date of the replacement.

I would double check with the dealer to make sure he has the approval from BMW for a replacement first.
 
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