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K1200 fuel strip swap to K1300 float

zoomie

New member
If any are having a problem with the K1200 fuel strip, you might want to go to the K-Bike Forum. They have worked out the methodology to use a K1300 float system to replace the fuel strip and have pictures and step by step instructions.
 
It really works!

My shelf and a couple of others are the authors of that thread. I'm glad to see a reference here so that others can benefit from the information.

I was riding home from the rally in Lebanon Tenn. a year ago and mine quit. I called BMW and they said the 12 year grace period ran out a couple of weeks before I called. I asked them to give me a break because it actually quit within the time frame but I just didn't get around to reporting it. They said typically "No". The clock starts ticking the date your bike is sold/tagged for the 12 year "extended warranty".

So I started the thread to see if anyone had checked to see if a K1300 had a fuel strip. K1300s use a regular, normal, old school, whatever you want to call it, float/resistor sensor. So we started checking part numbers to see what parts matched. My 2006 K1200S had a metal fuel flange at the gas cap and a plastic one was used on later K1200S models and the K1300S. So I ordered a used float sensor off Ebay to start checking on the fitting of parts. Another guy knew of a thread where other model bikes had been done to get the wiring change in the ZKE module. He then figured out from wiring diagrams what wires to change on the K1200s. Another guy figured out which OBDII programers and software apps could write to the ZKE and where to make the programing change. I made the photos and the write up after successfully converting my bike. I have done about 4 other bikes. I did my bike in February and ride about every weekend and mine is still working perfectly. If you have to buy all the parts, OBII reader, cables, phone app, float sensor, etc. you will spend about $180 and it's permanent. About $222 buys a fuel strip and $400 for labor to put it in and it may last a month, week, couple of years, who knows.
Good luck!
du907
 
Has anyone done this float conversion on an R1200RT?

I have a 2007 RT with the dreaded fuel strip flaking out after it was just replaced in May. I just bought it in September so it was replaced before I got it. I have a receipt for the work at a dealer in SC but they didn't charge the guy so it is not under warranty.

I own a GS-911 so I tried to re-calibrate it since it is stuck on full instead of empty. It failed three tries and, yes, it was out of the tank and dry and the voltage remained above 12.5V. So I also tried to zap it with a BBQ grill igniter which also did nothing.

My question is, has anyone done this on an R1200RT? I wonder if the wires are the same and the calibration would be the same as the K1200? I am pretty handy and can figure stuff out but if nobody else has done it I don't want to be the guinea pig.

This whole thing pisses me off because it lowers the resale value of the bike by over $500 and makes it harder to sell. BMW should be sued for still not resolving this issue, 12 year warranty or not. I would gladly pay $500 if I knew I never had to mess with it again. But the way it is what the hell do you do?

Yes, I can set my trip meter and add up my mileage but why the hell would I want to do that with an on-board computer that calculates your mileage, consumption and miles left to go to empty? On a $20,000 bike!

I also own a 1993 K75 with no gas gauge and am quite happy with it since it can't break. I also own a Dodge Dakota truck with crank windows so I never have to worry about that motor failing. If the RT came with no gas gauge it would be better.

Anyway, if anyone is still interested in this old thread let me know if the whole K bike/float process will work on an RT. Thanks....
 
Does later model RT's use the float type sensor? If so then I would check the software module ZFE and see if it has a setting for "Thermocouples FLS" Then look for "foliengeber" with a down arrow. Pick the arrow and you will see "potentiometer".

If you have all this in the software then I believe you can make a float sensor work. Now you just have to figure out the wires that physically go to the gas tank that the fuel strip or the float sensor plug into. Then swap those two wires to the place in the wiring plug to the ZFE that the ZFE is looking for input from the potentiometer (float/lever type sensor). Code the ZFE and you should be good to go.
See if someone has the wiring diagrams for your bike. Look for something like below that shows Fuel level sensor-lever type AND Fuel level sensor-film type. That would be a good indicator that you can make the modification.
Notice the fuel strip has 4 wires and the float sensor has 2 wires. The additional 2 wires for the fuel strip is for a heater built into the fuel strip. These wires are not necessary with the float sensor.
 

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