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Honda ST1300 Section => Ask A Tech about your Honda ST1300 => Topic started by: Langers on February 13, 2018, 10:40:13 PM

Title: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: Langers on February 13, 2018, 10:40:13 PM

I'm hoping some knowledgeable fellow ST1300 owner can help with an issue which has started since the major service (103,000km) was done last week. What is happening is I start the bike and it is running sweet as following the service (which included new air cleaner, spark plugs, valve adjustment, fix a leaking fork and correct the reverse polarity for the 12volt socket in the RHS pie warmer (this is a long story, suffice to say it was not me who reversed the polarity). Once riding off it takes 1/2 a km before the fuel gauge lights up (indicating the tank is 1/2 full when it has 50km on the trip meter from full) and the fuel consumption is reading I'm using 90l/100km. After a while the gauge climbs a bit and the consumption readout drops to 30 or thereabouts and finally settles to a normal readout. But it can change to a silly amount at any time.
The searching I've done suggests electrical contact problems somewhere. The battery is about 12 months old and not giving any sign of needing to be replaced. Has anyone experienced something like this or got any plausible suggestions.

Thanks ... Mark
 

Title: Re: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: StinkyPete on February 14, 2018, 06:10:08 AM

Mark,
1.  Have you tried an ECU Reset as described by Lonerider1 in this thread?     http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=11334.0 (http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=11334.0)     It's a long shot, but may fix the problem.

2.  Running the fuel right down to "Reserve" and letting your kilometers to empty go down to where the display goes blank (last two litres) might help the fuel level reading reset itself.

3.  There's a searchable/downloadable Workshop Manual available for download from here.....     http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=407.0 (http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=407.0)

4.  However, I'd suspect a poor connection on whatever is reading the fuel flow/fuel level, but have no idea where they may be as I am not an "Electrical" person, and you may need to do some digging in the Workshop Manual.

Good luck!

Title: Re: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: Shiney on February 14, 2018, 07:14:49 AM

Disconnect the 12volt socket in the RHS pie warmer at the battery and go for a ride to test if the issue is there...
If it was working fine before it was fixed, and you are being led to electrical contact problems somewhere, the issue could be somewhere in this wiring.

Title: Re: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: Jdbiker on February 14, 2018, 10:20:36 AM

Good thinking Brother Shiney  :thumbs🤓

Title: Re: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: Langers on February 14, 2018, 11:02:08 AM

Thanks Pete, I was toying with doing the ECU reset, I was just a bit nervous because the service has the bike running smoothly and quietly (best it's been in months) and I was a bit nervous about stuffing that up. I'll give it a go nonetheless, but after I've opened things up and tightened connections etc and it doesn't make any difference.
Thanks Shiney, good advice but it might be a bit interesting. The previous owner installed the 12 volt socket using the lead from the park lights (Pete you might remember commenting that both my park lights were out when we were at Tumby Bay last year - this is the reason obviously). Anyway I'll chase down what I can and report back. I'm wondering whether when the tupperwear was removed some wiring loom was pulled and this has caused the dodgy connections.

Thanks again ... Mark

Title: Re: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: StinkyPete on February 14, 2018, 02:27:22 PM

There's a highly visible earth connection on top of the sub-tank, readily seen if you take off the rider's seat.   It's an easy one to check, clean and tighten, and you might get lucky.   :popcorn

Title: Re: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: Langers on February 14, 2018, 08:28:11 PM

Thanks Pete, I'll have a close look at it and clean and re-tighten. I'm hoping it's not related to:
https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/132489/ (https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/132489/)
and
https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/135817/ (https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/135817/)
as I'm not confident I've got the skills to get too into repairing sensors in fuel tanks, but at least I've got 6 weeks to mull over it before the Byron Bay ride.
I intend ripping the tupperware off for the first time on the weekend and checking all relevant electrical connections.
Cheers ... Mark

Title: Re: Fuel gauge and fuel consumption readout playing up.
Post by: StinkyPete on February 14, 2018, 09:39:30 PM

Quote from: Langers on February 14, 2018, 08:28:11 PM

I intend ripping the tupperware off for the first time on the weekend and checking all relevant electrical connections.
Cheers ... Mark

I'd help you but I expect to be a bit crook over the weekend.   If you can get around before then, I'll lend you some photo instructions, a helpful laminated sheets for removing the tupperware, and a tool I made for removing difficult push pins.   :thumb