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Fuel Strip Installation Woes

masegraves

New member
My bike is a 2006 R1200RT. This Spring, I performed a complete Annual/20,000KM service which included draining and removing the fuel tank so that the brake system could be flushed. When the bike was put back together, everything was fine, but a few days later, I found that the bike was no longer registering the correct fuel level - it appeared as always full. I ordered a new fuel strip, and replaced it this week. Just for fun, I attempted to calibrate the old fuel strip with GS-911, but multiple tries were not successful. Then I calibrated the new fuel strip , and everything was good. When I ran the bike, after the new strip was installed, the correct level of fuel in the tank was indicated, and there were no errors reported in a GS-911 autoscan. Today, one day after installation, I started the bike and was surprised to see that the fuel level indication was no longer correct - indicated as always low with yellow triangle warning and fuel pump signal flashing. When I check the data, the Fuel Strip Heater Current varies between 1.04-166.71, and Fuel Strip Heater Voltage: 0.02-1.08, but the Fuel Sense Voltage is always at 0. I thought that there might be a problem with the connection at the fuel pump so I removed and re-cleaned the plug to the fuel strip on the outside of the fuel pump, but this did not change anything. I'm at a loss as to what the problem might be, and I'm hoping that some on this list might have an idea of where the problem lies, and what I can do to fix it.
Thanks for your help.

Mark Segraves
Chicago, IL
 
The things can not be counted on to work. While a few seem to be reliable the tales of woe far exceed the modest tales of success. Often they fail within days, if not hours. A similar technology failed in the 1983-1985 classic K bikes, so in 1986 they went to a float system. But apparently the intern that designed that system got a job, but then retired and they tried the idiocy again.

BMW has frequently displayed an astounding lack of institutional memory.
 
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Yup..fuel strips are a common problem.

You might have the dealer put a new one in when your bike goes in for the (latest) fuel pump recall on your bike (one came this week with letters to owners, I posted it elsewhere on the forum).

If you have the dealer change it out while doing the recall (whenever they come up with a fix) there should be a warranty period of a year on the new dealer-installed fuel strip.

Of course, there was an extended 12-year warranty on strips that some of us have used...but that time is long past for your bike.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Thanks everyone. Looks like I'm stuck with it until maybe my bike comes up for a fuel pump replacement. I may take out the new one and put the old fuel strip back in. That one always read "full", while the new one reads "empty".
 
Yup..fuel strips are a common problem.

You might have the dealer put a new one in when your bike goes in for the (latest) fuel pump recall on your bike (one came this week with letters to owners, I posted it elsewhere on the forum).

If you have the dealer change it out while doing the recall (whenever they come up with a fix) there should be a warranty period of a year on the new dealer-installed fuel strip.

Of course, there was an extended 12-year warranty on strips that some of us have used...but that time is long past for your bike.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Dealer replaced the fuel strip in my 2007 RT today to the tune of $448.43 (expensive gas gauge!) I asked if the BMW parts warranty would cover parts and labor if the next one fails within 2 years, October 31, 2022? Service manager wasn't sure. I've seen comments ranging from no warranty, to one year, to 2 years but only on the fuel strip, to 2 years for the parts and labor. Can I get a definitive answer on this please? Thanks!
DP
 
Dealer replaced the fuel strip in my 2007 RT today to the tune of $448.43 (expensive gas gauge!) I asked if the BMW parts warranty would cover parts and labor if the next one fails within 2 years, October 31, 2022? Service manager wasn't sure. I've seen comments ranging from no warranty, to one year, to 2 years but only on the fuel strip, to 2 years for the parts and labor. Can I get a definitive answer on this please? Thanks!
DP

It is supposed to be warranted - parts and labor - for two years as are all BMW dealership repairs. If your dealer doesn't know this ..... you have to wonder what else he or she doesn't know.
 
I looked at my old fuel strip and found these numbers. Maybe help track down who builds this frequently failing part for BMW? With my magnifying glass and 2.50 cheaters, I found these number on the strip.

Top side opposite of the attachment hook is the number: L390645164.
Along the right side of the strip as it would hang in the tank, written top down: BMW 1614 76755 47-04 664059 10 >POM< Austria.

Looks like the first 11 numbers are the part # 16-14-7-675-547. Could the remaining numbers be of some value?

DP
 
It turns out I was wrong about the problem I reported with the new fuel strip, and wanted to let the forum know. Turns out it is working fine. In addition to replacing the fuel strip, I also emptied the tank to remove it so that I could replace a heated grip. When I added fuel to the tank after it was back on the bike, at first I got a reading of about 50% fuel level. Later this went down to a much lower level, with the yellow warning light on, leading me to think there was something wrong with the new fuel strip. Instead, I think this was just the result of the fuel leveling out in the tank. When I filled the tank to full the other day, yellow light went out, the fuel level read full, and continues to read correctly. I apologize for the false alarm.
 
Good to hear. When you calibrated the dry fuel strip with the GS-911 outside the tank did the gauge show empty or full at the end of the calibration before you shut off the ignition and disconnected the GS-911 to install the strip back in the tank? I read somewhere that the calibration outside the tank sets the full tank reading and wondered if the gauge corresponds to this. Many assume it would read empty since it is outside the tank but this post explained that is not the case due to how it works and I was just curious if you noticed and could confirm this.
 
Sorry, I don't remember what the gauge said after the calibration, only that the GS-911 reported that the calibration was successful. I didn't get it all back together until a day later due to my removing more plastic and the tank to replace the left heated grip. Replacing the grip was a much bigger job than replacing the fuel strip.
 
I have watched videos of tech's changing hex head fuel strips, seeing the strip hangs off of a hook below the gas cap.
Just thinking out loud here. During refueling, is it possible the metal edge of the pump nozzle can contact the strip, shorting it out, or eventually rubbing enough material off so the electrical connection is lost?
DP
 
That was a theory floated around in the beginning but an analysis showed most failures occur at other points along the pin2/3 trace and not so much in that area I believe.
 
That was a theory floated around in the beginning but an analysis showed most failures occur at other points along the pin2/3 trace and not so much in that area I believe.

Bottom line: they are not reliable. Many just don't work. Period. Bad technology run amuck amongst us.
 
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