Oops, no fuel?

[Karamazov]

Hey All!

Coming back from a trip to the U.P. this past weekend, the bike started to sputter, then died on the highway two exits from home. My fuel guage was still reading several bars and I was showing 131 miles to empty. I'd been riding in the rain for several hours and thought I'd fouled the plugs or something.

Fortunately, I was only a mile or so from the next exit (with gas station.) Got her there to let her dry out a bit and give it another go. Nothing. Checked the tank again, bone dry. Filled her up and back on the road.

Obviously I should be paying closer attention to my mileage, but I've gotten lazy with the onboard computer. Anyone else have problems with inaccurate gauges? I just had my 6k service, so I'm assuming they'd run a diagnostic??? Looks like I'll be heading back to the dealer....

N8

[deilenberger]

Strangely enuf...

The demo bike I rode - on my second demo - ran out of fuel exactly like you described. It was a gray/silver one.. (you didn't buy this bike in NJ did you?) The one that did it to me did it showing 141 miles remaining.

And today - I was down to around 3 bars - showing 97 miles left. Stopped - filled it up - and the gauge never moved and the remaining mileage didn't change - until I ran down the road about a mile - then it went up where it should be.

Just wonder what the current witches brew of fuel is doing to the fuel level sensor strip..

[Dauntless]

My computer indicated 26 miles to empty when it started to hesitate. I got to a filling station within a mile and put in 5.6 gallons.

[Echo]

My bike always takes about a minute for the fuel gauge to register after a fill-up. Stays at one or two bars and then shoots to full.
The dealer says that is normal, which may or may not be true...

[icecave]

My experience, the gauge trues up in under a mile. The max full icon, I discovered while riding a service loaner which needed to be return with the tank full. This icon, is hit and miss for me. It could miles before it shows tank full.

[Radar in oz]

My bike always takes about a minute for the fuel gauge to register after a fill-up. Stays at one or two bars and then shoots to full.
The dealer says that is normal, which may or may not be true...

It believe is true, I can remember reading something to this effect in the manual, but can't find where now.

FWIW, on a trip to Phillip Is. MotoGP last weekend (2500 Km) I managed 380 Km (240 mi) on a tank (twice) having travelled about 15-20 Km with the reserve light on and with the computer telling me I had about 50 Km range left. On each occassion I filled up with about 18.4 litres (I do overfill, as the usable capacity is 18L according to the book).

Cheers

[MikeCam]

I had the 'out of gas' effect with 3/4 tank showing on the gauge and 166 miles to empty (on a K-R Sport). Acted the same too. I had left the service department after a routine service. Roadside, I checked for water in the air box, fouled side stand switch, etc. When I decided to vent the tank (in case water had fouled the vent hose) I noticed I could see the bottom of the tank clearly - bone dry (at 197.8 miles on the trip meter). Put in 5.1 gallons and all seems well - except for a faulty OBC apparently.

[Caroanbill]

My computer / gauge have gone from famine to feast.

First, the fuel level sensor or sender gave up at about my first re-fuel. I'd already re-set the trip meter from habit and because of comments here.

Second, after the new sensor / sender fitted my computer always shows 300+ km to empty, even after a couple of hundred km. Well, mostly always. It was a hot day and no doubt the fuel was expanding - but surely not THAT much! The guage itself didn't fall at all on the second tank (290km), but has been falling on fills since that one. Still hasn't shown a warning light with 270+kms from a tank (14.?? litres used) or 290kms (still waiting to re-fill).

So my fuel gauge is still my trip meter ...

[motorradguy]

"MISSION CONTROL, WE HAVE A PROBLEM" Same thing here. First fill up and whamo, fuel guage stayed on empty and never reset. Pulled into the gas station with 3/4 bars and 141 miles to empty. Pulled in for a cup of coffee, sat on the bike and started thinking....hmmm, just bought it. Have rode 200 miles so far.....WOW this Beemer gets great gas mileage...um..no. Tank was fumes. Glad I got that cup of coffee.

Moral>>> ALWAYS set the trip on fill up. This is your ONLY true fuel guage.

[8b]

Are we all just going to live with this or will BMW adddress this?

[deilenberger]

Are we all just going to live with this or will BMW adddress this?

I believe if you complain under warranty BMW will address the issue IF you have it.

As far as BMW doing something "general" to "fix" it - ain't gonna happen. It will be handled on a case by case basis - unless 15 years of BMW experience is wrong.

[famousperson]

My fuel gauge and "miles to empty" indicator seem okay, but the mpg indicator seems to be stuck on 40. Doesn't matter if, by computation, I am actually getting 50 (on the road) or as little as 30 (strictly around town)

Anyway, I don't pay attention to any of that because I am in the habit of setting the trip odometer and filling up according to that.

[8b]

When at gas station totally full, how many miles till empty do other users show? If I am not mistaken, I think mine shows range of 231 miles moments after filling up, starting bike and riding for 1 minute. What do others show? Does this sound correct: yesterday bike wa showing about 32 miles till empty. Upon filling she took 4.1 gallons. What does the tank actually take (if BONE DRY)? ie how much gas did I "actually" have left when she took the 4.1 gallons. Does a bone dry fillup match the capacaty listed in the BMW documentation?

[ka5ysy]

When at gas station totally full, how many miles till empty do other users show? If I am not mistaken, I think mine shows range of 231 miles moments after filling up, starting bike and riding for 1 minute. What do others show? Does this sound correct: yesterday bike wa showing about 32 miles till empty. Upon filling she took 4.1 gallons. What does the tank actually take (if BONE DRY)? ie how much gas did I "actually" have left when she took the 4.1 gallons. Does a bone dry fillup match the capacaty listed in the BMW documentation?

On center stand I can put 5.5 gallons in regularly with 10 miles showing on the computer. I have never run dry (its a pilot thing ).

After fill usually yields >260 miles. This is in line with the fact that I also regularly get in excess of 250 miles per tank.

Doug

[sandycruz]

Would those with a factory repair CD be willing to see if there is a theory of operation documented for the on-board computer?

This is what the Riders Manual says: "To caculate the range, a special average consumption is used, which does not always match the value that can be shown on the display. With a completely filled fuel tank, the fuel volume cannot be determined exactly. In this area a minimum range is indicated, marked with a > symbol. As soon as the fuel level can be determined exactly the range is shown more precisly. The determined range is an approximate reading. BMW Motorrand therefore recommends that you do not try to use the full range before refueling."

Thanks!

David

[NeilS]

Yeah, right, the factory CD explain the theory behind something?!

I can't explain it either, but it seems to be a fairly sophisticated algorithm. It appears to take previous fuel usage into account somehow. For example, my bike gets around 44 mpg in typical use, and when I refuel, the computer estimates about 240 miles range. I recently rented an R12R in California--it averaged about 49 mpg and its computer estimated about 280 miles range after refueling.

[TAG-Caver]

I went through the DVD and couldn't find anything regarding operating the on board computer. The DVD is for repairing/replacing/adjusting, but doesn't seem to have operating info.