crazy gas gauge

[codger78]

No real complaints, I guess, I mean the the thing does work OK..it's just the way it works that is aggravating.  The gas gauge needle travels all the way from the black squares at the top, through the white squares, and nearly all the way through the red square at the the bottom seeming to say YER ALMOST OUTTA GAS (panic..panic)....but when I stop to fill up...I find out that it is still over half full.
Has anyone ever run the thing nearly dry to see how the needle travels from the red square into the "E" area?.......I would really like to know at what point I REALLY need to fill up...I mean when there is like only ten miles worth of gas remaining.....................Thanks

[art]

They don't spend alot of time dialing those thing in,It's actually better the way your works I've had some that go the other way little less than 1/2 your out of gas.The bottem of the tank does seem to vanish faster than the top,If you have a rack or box but a small gas can in it(with some gas)and log some miles on E for a bit to get an idea.

[codger78]

Another idea that was made was to take the gas cap off and push down on the float.  Hopefully if I don't bust something in the process that will show how the gas gauge needle moves as the float goes to the bottom of the tank.

[art]

That could work if you can see it,dont like putting forien objects in the tank to much though,not to say i havn't,I did this to an old honda that was coroded real bad thought i'd knock some crust off,That ball of crust was the float knocked it right off    I sopose if you wanted to do it right you could remove the machanism and tweek it a bit,I just try to get used to it,but it can be annoying.

[wordslinger]

..i ran my a50 22 miles After it went past the red square...

(not on purpose, just forgot to stop)


 

..never did run out....

[codger78]

Art....Just how hard is it to remove the mechanism, etc.
Wordslinger.... I figured to have about 40 miles left at just above the bottom of the red square.
Another thought...borrowing a friend's 20 oz. MSR stove fuel bottle as a spare with reg. gas ( about 12 miles extra) I might try to run it close to empty....Hmm ?? I wonder if running the tank dry and stalling out the motor would cause any other problems..like vapor locks etc.
Thanks to you both

[art]

I'ts not great to run your bike out of gas It brings all the crud into your fuel lines and carb but usually not fatel.I don't know your tank spacifically.some are easyer than others'some are a can of worms.but can be done.Once you run it low a couple time you should get the hang of it'the lower half of the tank will go dry faster at least that has been the case for me.

[codger78]

Art....OK, guess I"ll avoid the empty tank routine.....FYI mine is a Kymco agility 50 (2009) with about 1700 miles...well kept and usually with a full or nearly full tank...wintered over with full tank with some gas preservative.

[art]

Nice sounds good I'm more of a 2t guy but just picked up a 2007 people s200,so I'm a four stroke guy today 

[wordslinger]

..i had quite a bit of fuel when i stopped...

..wouldn't advise runniing completely out either...

..you got the service manual??

..it tells how to get at it...

[codger78]

Wordslinger........Thanks for the manual.  I bookmarked it for future ref.....
An interesting item in the fuel tank section read;..."Do not bend the float arm on the fuel unit otherwise the figure on the fuel meter will not (be) correct"
...Hmmm....Maybe if I were to bend the arm slightly, it might fool the meter into seeing the gas tank as being fuller, longer.....and so slowing the drop of the meter to a truer reading......
That might be affected (do you think) by holding or pressing down on the top of the float (reaching through the fill tube), while hooking something underneath the arm behind the float and bending (pulling) it upward........and so hopefully not having to take the whole tank apart...Just a thought

[wordslinger]

..ur rambling,   ...but i think it will work!!

..it obviously ain't calibrated right now....can't hurt tryin' huh?...

..but do you really want to get that deep into tupperware and........


..i'm just sayin'.......

[art]

Just like a toilet bowl float

[wordslinger]

...yup..if you're into that kinda thing....

[sidthesloth]

from what you just described there codger, my understanding would be that it shows a lower reading with a higher fuel level.
For me personally, I would learn to use the gauge as it is, I think there may even be a reason for this, being so you see you are low on fuel and fill up before you run out or pick up crap in your fuel line. Just my thoughts.