Lost Fuel Strip

[bluebeemerII]

2 Sundays back fuels was running low, so I stopped to fill up. Since then Gas light will not go off and RID shows only dashes for miles to empty and range. Bike is a 2010 with 5100 miles. Fuel strip died. Talked to a BMW parts person and this is only a USA problem. Another one of the benefits of ethanol and now they want to increase the ethanol % from 10 to 15. Must be part of the economic strategy to keep people employed making parts and UPS trucks on the road delivering the parts.

John L.

[rockbottom]

If you search under "fuel strip" here or on any other BMW board, there are many, many, (many, many) discussions on this.

Some people have had no problem, others have replaced the thing as many as six times. I've had one replacement on my 2010 with 23,000 miles so I guess I fall into the semi-lucky category.

[roger l]

I bought my 2008 R1200R in December of 2010. This May my fuel strip went out and was replaced under warranty. July 16th that fuel strip went out. I called the dealer and they said it would be fixed free of charge because the new part has a 2 year warranty. I am going to wait until late fall to have this one replaced. I am in no hurry, I put a piece of tape over the light and I use the trip odometer to tell me when to get gas. MAYBE, by fall there will be a solution for the problem. Maybe not.

Roger L

[Ric]

2 Sundays back fuels was running low, so I stopped to fill up. Since then Gas light will not go off and RID shows only dashes for miles to empty and range. Bike is a 2010 with 5100 miles. Fuel strip died. Talked to a BMW parts person and this is only a USA problem. Another one of the benefits of ethanol and now they want to increase the ethanol % from 10 to 15. Must be part of the economic strategy to keep people employed making parts and UPS trucks on the road delivering the parts.

John L.

As I understand it.....Subsedies for ethanol in the U.S.A. have been discontinued. Hence, if I'm right, ethanol may been on it's way out of our gas tanks.

Can anyone chime in on this ???

[jkhomes]

I understand the subsidies are maintained for now. What a waste of corn, money, valves on vintage bikes, etc.

[geardrve]

2010 r1200r.
fuel strip gone before the 1 st 600 mile oil change, At 5k still holding well.
Glynn

[Ric]

2010 r1200r.
fuel strip gone before the 1 st 600 mile oil change, At 5k still holding well.
Glynn

This suggests it's nothing to do with ethanol.

I have a 10 R12R with 6k miles with no problem. Although, the miles-to-empty (MTE) seems to run a bit high. After filling up (and I fill it right up to the cap) the MTE reads as much as 325 !

I frequently get 50 mpg. I understand the tank has 5.4 gallons. That equates to 270 miles, not 325. I've driven it down to 50 MTE, thats as far as I dare but I shouldn't have to be so concerned: my Dodge truck MTE reading is spot on. Yes, stupid me I forgot to take note of how much gas it took to fill it up when I ran it down to 50 MTE.

Any ideas on whats going on here ?

[Anyname]

I just read on the BMWMOA forum that the 2011's have a float system for the fuel gauge. That may not help with the older bikes, but it's nice to know that BMW does eventually catch on.

I did check on Max's fiche and it seems to be true for the RT and GS, not necessarily so for the R.

[deilenberger]

I just read on the BMWMOA forum that the 2011's have a float system for the fuel gauge. That may not help with the older bikes, but it's nice to know that BMW does eventually catch on.

I did check on Max's fiche and it seems to be true for the RT and GS, not necessarily so for the R.

The unfortunate part of this is - it also indicates BMW has given up on "fixing" the problem with our fuel strips.. so now we all have to keep them failing while under warranty forever and ever..

[Ric]

I just read on the BMWMOA forum that the 2011's have a float system for the fuel gauge. That may not help with the older bikes, but it's nice to know that BMW does eventually catch on.

I did check on Max's fiche and it seems to be true for the RT and GS, not necessarily so for the R.

The unfortunate part of this is - it also indicates BMW has given up on "fixing" the problem with our fuel strips.. so now we all have to keep them failing while under warranty forever and ever..

Maybe the strips can't be "Fixed". Can the fix for a failed strip not be installation of the new float ?

[dbrick]

I just looked on realoem.com. There's now two listings for R1200R machines: one beginning in '06, and one beginning in in '11. On the latter, the fuel system still shows a fuel strip only, and no float.

The starting-in-2010 RT diagram shows a fuel strip like our bikes have for "fuel level sensor," as well as a float for "float sensor." Whatever that means.

[deilenberger]

Maybe the strips can't be "Fixed". Can the fix for a failed strip not be installation of the new float ?

Sure - if you buy a new bike to put around the float.. the electronics on our bikes will not talk to a float design, and there is no bracket on the fuel pump to attach it to.