FZ6 Broken Float?

[Tcollier90]

I think the fuel level float has broken off in the tank. There is a rattle inside, sounds like a ball or something just hitting the inside of the tank if you even slightly move the bike. When I fill up it reads full but after about 30 miles its reading 2 bars on the indicator. I just put the tank on after a paint job. So how should i go about trying to fix this??

 

[Zealot]

First things first - Remove/drain the tank, and pull the fuel pump on the bottom - see what's up. If something is rattling around in there, it can't be good.

 

[Tcollier90]

I will drain and remove the tank hopefully after work tomorrow. Gotta pick up a siphon from the auto parts store. Unless there's a better way to go about draining the fuel.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Did you have the pump out before painting?

+1 on the above post too.

Here's some tips on removing the pump or you'll destroy it. It will go back in as one one piece.

Push the highlighted tab, while the pump is in the tank and it will SLIDE apart (two wires WILL CONNECT THEM) and come out easily.

Whatever is loose will be quite obvious. And BTW, a new pump O-ring IS recommended...





A good flush / cleaning of the tank wouldn't hurt either

 

[Tcollier90]

I drained the tank and took the fuel pump out, and the part you said to unclip is what was knocking around in there. Apparently it had come undone, but now I've put it all back together and filled up the tank almost halfway and it's only reading 2 bars. I'm hesitant to go ahead and fill it up if the gauge sensor is not working. Should I go ahead and try to fill it up and see what happens or go ahead and tear back into it? Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[Motogiro]

Sounds like there is a problem with the wiper/ float sensor. Essentially the fuel gauge sensor is a variable resistor using a wire winding and a contact that conducts current at different points on the winding to give the different readings through the range of the winding. First establish that the winding itself has resistance/continuity from end to end. Then see if the wiper contacts are riding on the winding. It's a delicate device and easy to damage. If the wire on the winding is cut it would need to be replaced and I don't know if it's a separate serviceable item from the pump assembly. If the wiper contact/s are bent away from the winding you will have to disassemble the unit to gently bend the contacts back to where, when assembled, it will make contact again.
Take your time, examine it and if repairable you'll get it done.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Just to add to the above, pull the pump, and plug the sensor into the harness OUTSIDE THE TANK.

Then, you can move the float up and down and see what the gauge show's.

You shouldn't have to plug in the pump itself but of course, the ignition needs to be on.


Pumps do fail, sensors not so much. The sensor isn't sold new separately BUT there's likely
many here on the site you can get for cheap from a bad pump..

 

[Tcollier90]

I took it all apart and ohmed it out and the sensor seems to be working fine. But when it's plugged in the gauge only reads empty now. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this leads me to believe I may have a wire issue at the gauge cluster. I'll try and pull the nose off tomorrow and get in there to ohm it out and check continuity. Any other advice is always appreciated :Flip:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Motogiro will have to help you with that, (sounds like your on the right track)

Just for S&G's, (it shouldn't make a difference), but plug in both connectors to the pump and see if that changes anything while moving the float arm up and down..

 

[Motogiro]

The green with a white tracer is the wire that goes to your instrument gauge assembly. your instrument cluster is a multimeter assembly that sees the variable fuel sensor voltage and translates it to a digital signal and then to the LCD display.
Make sure you are getting variable resistance through the 2 wires to the fuel level sensor. You should be able to move the float arm and see the resistance steadily change with the arm movement.