304 miles on tripmeter..showing 159miles to empty..Now FIXED

[ammolab]

Does the mean the fuel strip is bad? Will the dealer replace it under warranty if I tell him of this illogical reading? I am averaging 57MPG but I will run dry far short of 463 miles!

I ran out with "20 miles to go" a year or more ago and have ignored the miles to empty since.

[Catchina]

Have you tried resetting the MPG display and see if that changes the miles to empty display? My experience with failed fuel strip is that it was fine one minute and completely failed the next, it did not show obviously wrong miles to empty prior to the strip failure.

[Sander Abernathy]

The group's evil plot to confuse ammolab by adding gas to his tank when he's not around is paying off.

What you are describing isn't what I experienced when my fuel strips went bad. When mine went bad, the indicated fuel level would rapidly decline to zero. I think others have had the indicated fuel level remain static as a result of a bad fuel strip and that might be what you are experiencing.

There are two possible explanations for what you are describing. You could have a bad fuel strip or you might have forgotten to reset your trip odometer. Ignore the trip odometer to eliminate that variable.

You need to determine how much fuel is in the tank by filling it up. To diagnose a possible fuel strip problem, compare the amount of gas the tank will take to fill it up to the fuel level indicated by the fuel gauge before the fill up. If they don't match up you probably have a fuel strip problem. If they do match up, you probably forgot to reset your trip odometer.

If my bike ever got 57 mpg or traveled over 210 miles on a tank I'd be taking it back to the shop because the engine clearly isn't running correctly.

[mogu83]

When mine says 40 to go I start seriously looking for a gas station.
As far as the OP. I would reset everything fill up and start over again. No sense getting all twisted up over something that could be a glitch or even (God forbid) operator error.

[ammolab]

Will fill up, Reset and see!

[ammolab]

Filled up to the bottom of filler neck with "157 miles to empty showing", 4bars showing on the fuel display, no low fuel light. Tank took 4.7 US gallons. Book says 4.8 gallons of useable fuel when filled as recommended.

Who thinks I could have gone 157 more miles? Who knows what is going on here?

[Catchina]

Filled up to the bottom of filler neck with "157 miles to empty showing", 4bars showing on the fuel display, no low fuel light. Tank took 4.7 US gallons. Book says 4.8 gallons of useable fuel when filled as recommended.

Who thinks I could have gone 157 more miles? Who knows what is going on here?

Did you reset it after the fill up, what is the miles to empty showing now?

[ammolab]

Filled up to the bottom of filler neck with "157 miles to empty showing", 4bars showing on the fuel display, no low fuel light. Tank took 4.7 US gallons. Book says 4.8 gallons of useable fuel when filled as recommended.

Who thinks I could have gone 157 more miles? Who knows what is going on here?

Did you reset it after the fill up, what is the miles to empty showing now?

Reset and zeroed all functions possible.....Miles to Empty = 309.

[Catchina]

Filled up to the bottom of filler neck with "157 miles to empty showing", 4bars showing on the fuel display, no low fuel light. Tank took 4.7 US gallons. Book says 4.8 gallons of useable fuel when filled as recommended.

Who thinks I could have gone 157 more miles? Who knows what is going on here?

Did you reset it after the fill up, what is the miles to empty showing now?

Rest and zeroed all functions possible.....Miles to Empty = 309.

Sounds about right on a full tank if you drive economically :-)

[Bob Ain't Stoppin']

I'll respectfully disagree. Best tanks I get are just under 270 miles. And I fill to overflow (getting 5+ gallons on a fill). You're starting almost 50 miles optimistic, which is not unusual for these bikes. Use your trip meter and forget the miles to empty. Just one guys opinion.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I'm with you ^^

I'll bet you forgot to reset the odometer; still, with taking 4.7 to the bottom of the filler tube and showing 159 left and av 57 mpg, I think that reading is still optimistic.
Do you always fill it to the same level, always the bottom of the tube? If your "full" level varies much the miles to empty will not be as accurate (if it's accurate at all).

I'd watch it for a few more tanks and see how it behaves before I'd make the trek to the dealer. my 2 cents

[Catchina]

I agree 300 miles is optimistic but ammolab got 304 and someone here http://www.r1200r.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=29697 also reported 300+. Conditions have to be just right, 250ish is more common. When I first fill up, reset everything, and ride out of the gas station the miles to empty often shows 300+, then it adjusts down (I've never attained 300 on a full tank).

[Dr. Strangelove]

another thing I've noticed is that when the MTE (miles to empty) is counting down, the closer it gets to 0, the faster it decreases. IOW, if it is showing 40 MTE, do NOT expect 40 even if riding conditions are the same. The reading becomes erratic down low, and it does not always illuminate at the same MTE.
I have a similar situation in my car, Infiniti. When the low fuel light comes on and I begin to get a MTE reading, even at a constant speed, the decrease is usually faster than the actual miles traveled. IN my car though when it reaches 0, I still have 2 full gallons in my tank...seems like a better design and more accommodating to real world conditions.

Take away message: When you get the first ping-from whatever source- that you should refuel, refuel.

463/~5.5 (mid point filler tube) = > 84 mpg ---- maybe... if right behind an 18 wheeler, downhill, trailing wind, and constant 50 mph in 6th
or maybe not

[ammolab]

Still....with the bike taking 4.7gal to bottom of the fill tube I had almost ZERO gas in the tank:

And 4 bars on the gauge and no low fuel light? Does the light/display read from the fuel strip or is their display just some calculation....The same calculation that shows me 159 miles to empty I assume?

[deilenberger]

Still....with the bike taking 4.7gal to bottom of the fill tube I had almost ZERO gas in the tank:

And 4 bars on the gauge and no low fuel light? Does the light/display read from the fuel strip or is their display just some calculation....The same calculation that shows me 159 miles to empty I assume?

Your fuel strip is kaput. The calculation is done using the calculated mpg and the amount of fuel the ZFE thinks remains in the tank. For the most accurate result you can reset the mpg by holding the function button down when mpg is displayed (it will take a few miles to redo the calculation) but.. I've never observed a significant difference.

I doubt if your dealer will want any proof if you just tell him what happens.. Mine never does (on fuel strip #7 or is it 8 now.)

[Snapping Twig]

Had my new strip installed today and all's well again.

Call your dealer and make an appointment, they appear to be accepting this issue as a reality and are not fighting about warranty replacements.

Should take @ an hour or so to do the job.

Hope this helps

[ammolab]

Filled up to the bottom of filler neck with "157 miles to empty showing", 4bars showing on the fuel display, no low fuel light. Tank took 4.7 US gallons. Book says 4.8 gallons of useable fuel when filled as recommended.

Who thinks I could have gone 157 more miles? Who knows what is going on here?

Did you reset it after the fill up, what is the miles to empty showing now?

Reset and zeroed all functions possible.....Miles to Empty = 309.

Took a 40 mile ride and MTE has gone from 309 to 323...when will my fuel tank overflow?

[mogu83]

Do you reset everything when you fill up?
I always do and the MTE and MPG fluctuate for a while and then settle down.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Usually takes a number of minutes to get to the ultimrate number, read longer than you'd think. I think it may recalibrate every 90 secs??? And it takes MANY recals to get to the end. Or it could be failing. Vigilance, grasshopper.
Or you're riding like your grandma

That it was almost empty at 304 doesn't mean you did not forget to reset the odometer. You may have refilled w only a gallon or so.

Assume it's failing and refuel accordingly until you have it figured out and let us know.
Ps. Is this different behavior from the beginning of owning the bike ?
If so, assume it's failing and you're less likely to suffer the dangerous experience of going dry at an inopportune time. And if you decide if is failing report if to the nhtsa.

[ammolab]

Reset and zeroed all functions possible.....Miles to Empty = 309.

Took a 40 mile ride and MTE has gone from 309 to 323...when will my fuel tank overflow? [/quote]

Yes reset all at fillip...have now ridden 71 miles and MTE has risen to 331. I may never have to buy gas again!