broken fuel gauge = no reserve

[vcyclenut]

so I got inpatient when trying to put the fuel pump back in my tank on my 2007 and broke a tiny piece off of the fuel level unit and my fuel gauge doesnt work. Still dont understand why they cant make the hole a certain type of hair bigger but anyway.

I though there might be a chance the reserve light and trip meter would still work but it does not.

ran the bike dry yesterday and put 4.8 gallons in it with no light coming on

oh well guess i need to eventually buy a new pump as I doubt the components are sold seperately.

 

[ChevyFazer]

My fuel gauge hasn't worked since i got the bike, I've never relied on fuel gauges on bikes anyways, just me being stupid-sticious, but I always just use my trip odometer, it works out perfectly that it cost me $1 to go 10 miles and I normally fill it up between 100-150 miles, then reset it. So if I stop at the gas station with 100 miles on it I put $10 in it and it fills it up everytime. I know the bike can go more then 150 miles on a tank but I never run any of my vehicles below a 1/4 tank because it's not good for the pump.

 

[vcyclenut]

i went almost exactly 200 miles before it went dry.

yea ive been using the trip meter its just the reserve light and reserve trip meter are nice.

funny i decided also 150 miles was gonna be my fill up point as to never run dry again

 

[mave2911]

I never run any of my vehicles below a 1/4 tank because it's not good for the pump.

Source?

I always run my vehicles as close to empty as I legitimately can - it becomes a bit of a game of faith, to see if I've over estimated! (usually put 18L+ in the 19.4L tank!)

If this is poor practise, I'm glad I'm finding out now!

Cheers,
Rick

EDIT: Just checked on Fuelly, and my last three fills were at 204, 202, 214mi at 4.62, 4.4 & 4.82gal!

 

[n.e.mich]

I burned a fuel pump up on a diesel truck about 20 years ago running it out of fuel, cost me $1000.00. Every since then 1/4 tank means empty. I apply the same wisdom to my bike.

 

[ChevyFazer]

Source?

As with any pump designed to move lower temp liquid, the liquid that it is moving helps to cool the moving parts of the pump, and when you run your tanks down close to empty the pump will begin to suck air, also bad for pumps of any kind. Not to mention the inevitable build up of trash in the fuel tank gets sucked into the filter when it's run down to empty, if you keep it above 1/4, that just reduces the amount of trash the pump will try to suck up, and eliminates any chance of it sucking air. Its just good practice and increases the longevity of the pump and filter, it's not that big of a deal on older cars with mechanical fuel pumps but with any electric pump it's all around better.

 

[mave2911]

As with any pump designed to move lower temp liquid, the liquid that it is moving helps to cool the moving parts of the pump, and when you run your tanks down close to empty the pump will begin to suck air, also bad for pumps of any kind.

Being obsessive compulsive, I decided to write to Yamaha about this:

(ChevyFazer, I made you my 'mechanic' for the purposes of the correspondence)

Good Morning,
I have a 2005 Yamaha FZ6 in mint condition with 28000kms on it. (NOT one of the batch with the faulty TPS)

I have just been speaking with a mechanic on the topic of how much fuel is left in the tank before I refill.

I usually run the tank fairly low between fuel stops (320kms+ @ 18L of the 19.4L tank) and the mechanic said this was bad for the fuel pump, as the fuel pump needs enough fuel in the system to cool the pump down.

My question to you is how accurate this information is? Is it bad to use the majority of the fuel in the fuel tank?

At the moment, I'm doing approximately 120kms a day, to and from work, so I am refilling every 2 and half days.

I use 98 RON fuel, always, in an effort to keep things clean, and run Motul 7100 synthetic oil.

Please advise if I am harming or shortening the life of the fuel pump with my refuelling strategy.

Sincerely,
Rick

And this is their response:

Dear Rick,

You can continue to maintain your current refuelling method it should not damage the fuel pump. The major factors for fuel pump damage would be contaminated fuel, foreign particles or concentrated additives etc.

Regards,
Duilio Pianca
Customer Relations Department
Yamaha Motor Australia

I understand the concept behind keeping enough fuel in there, to cool the pump, and absolutely, running the tank dry is a bad, bad idea - but the above would seem to support my refuelling strategy.

One of the reasons I run my tank fairly empty, is because, whilst we all talk about the crud in the bottom of the tank, isn't it a better idea to expel that crud incrementally, rather than let it build up? (and possibly one day run out and SERIOUSLY clog the fuel system?

I use the same logic(?) for my cars.

Just my theory, and one that seems to have served me ok, thus far.

The question as the integrity of the fuel pump seems to have been addressed, by the above, so I would say that if anything WERE to happen to the pump, as a result of my refuelling strategy, I can now refer to the above and hopefully Yamaha would come to the party.

Hopefully.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[ChevyFazer]

For one I can't believe that they actually wrote you back, good job!!! And two I have only seen a small number of fuel pumps fail, one of them being on my first car a 89 Mazda mx6 gt turbo, which I use to run all the way to E. that being said fuel pumps are one of those things don't have expiration date on them, sometimes they can go bad for no reason it seems, other times they can out last every other moving part on the vehicle. Not saying or wishing that yours goes out but like I said originally, it's good habit to get into to increase to longevity of the pump and filter. But there are millions of people who do the same as you with no problems thus far, so the fuel you run and where you buy most likely has a greater impact then how far you run it down, but it does have a impact, not a immediate one but it's there none the less.

 

[n.e.mich]

Being obsessive compulsive, I decided to write to Yamaha about this:

(ChevyFazer, I made you my 'mechanic' for the purposes of the correspondence)

Good Morning,
I have a 2005 Yamaha FZ6 in mint condition with 28000kms on it. (NOT one of the batch with the faulty TPS)

I have just been speaking with a mechanic on the topic of how much fuel is left in the tank before I refill.

I usually run the tank fairly low between fuel stops (320kms+ @ 18L of the 19.4L tank) and the mechanic said this was bad for the fuel pump, as the fuel pump needs enough fuel in the system to cool the pump down.

My question to you is how accurate this information is? Is it bad to use the majority of the fuel in the fuel tank?

At the moment, I'm doing approximately 120kms a day, to and from work, so I am refilling every 2 and half days.

I use 98 RON fuel, always, in an effort to keep things clean, and run Motul 7100 synthetic oil.

Please advise if I am harming or shortening the life of the fuel pump with my refuelling strategy.

Sincerely,
Rick

And this is their response:

Dear Rick,

You can continue to maintain your current refuelling method it should not damage the fuel pump. The major factors for fuel pump damage would be contaminated fuel, foreign particles or concentrated additives etc.

Regards,
Duilio Pianca
Customer Relations Department
Yamaha Motor Australia

I understand the concept behind keeping enough fuel in there, to cool the pump, and absolutely, running the tank dry is a bad, bad idea - but the above would seem to support my refuelling strategy.

One of the reasons I run my tank fairly empty, is because, whilst we all talk about the crud in the bottom of the tank, isn't it a better idea to expel that crud incrementally, rather than let it build up? (and possibly one day run out and SERIOUSLY clog the fuel system?

I use the same logic(?) for my cars.

Just my theory, and one that seems to have served me ok, thus far.

The question as the integrity of the fuel pump seems to have been addressed, by the above, so I would say that if anything WERE to happen to the pump, as a result of my refuelling strategy, I can now refer to the above and hopefully Yamaha would come to the party.

Hopefully.

Cheers,
Rick

He is right by saying "contaminated fuel" can cause problems...........guess what, almost all fuel has contamination in it. Whether it's water, dirt, etc.

 

[McLovin]

I'm not sure that the rep at Yamaha would tell you this even if it was true. If it isn't stated in the manual, the guy answering the e-mails might be risking his job or even a potential lawsuit giving you this info. If there is such thing, why arent they warning us right? ..just my 2 cents.

 

[ChevyFazer]

I'm not sure that the rep at Yamaha would tell you this even if it was true. If it isn't stated in the manual, If there is such thing, why arent they warning us right? ..just my 2 cents.

Well it does say make sure there is sufficient fuel in the tank so I guess that's all how the reader interprets it.