Gas Gauge

[00busaTX]

I left home last week on my way to work and the gas gauge was close to E but was not in the red and the dummy light was not on yet.  I know, should have filled up then.  I went to work and had no issue.  I left work and was just getting on the Tollway and BAM, she dies.  I was sitting there going WTF?  So I pull in the clutch and hit the starter.  She fires right up and off I go.  10 yards later..... dead.  I coast over to the side of the road while there is no median to speak of and cars are whizzing past me doing 70+ mph.  Mind you my gas gauge is still reading just above empty.  I have ran it down to where the light comes on and the needle is in the red.

I open the tank and tip from side to side.  I do it again, thinking that I just did not do it hard enough.  She was bone dry.

Here is my question.  The only thing that I have done to it, was lower the back one notch.  Would this be enough to mess up the gas gauge that much.  If so, my next question is, Can you recalibrate this dang thing?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Robot]

Personal philosophy is to go by the tripmeter, usually dont go much below half tank. Try to keep the tank fuller to avoid condensation or other contaminents. I Fill up on way home(from work), so I always got enough to hit the road and go on the spur of the moment.

 

[Mr Bogus]

Personal philosophy is to go by the tripmeter, usually dont go much below half tank. Try to keep the tank fuller to avoid condensation or other contaminents. I Fill up on way home(from work), so I always got enough to hit the road and go on the spur of the moment.

same here... I usually find fuel at about 125-150M and alway park it full..

 

[Kento-Moto]

Mine did that once, no light ... AAA brought me some gas.

Also my 2000 model gauge got totally screwd up, it would be showing 1/4 + full and I was out of gas! I had to push bike 1 mile ...

 

[00busaTX]

My point here is not when I should fill up or the reasons behind why I should have done it sooner. What I am after is why it would have changed, and is there a way to recalibrate the gauge to make it more accurate?

That is not to say that I don't agree with you both, I should have done it sooner, but fact is that I didn't and the gauge reading has changed.

Thanks again.....

 

[Mr Bogus]

1" should not change the gauge reading (riding 2 up does not affect mine)

 

[TallTom]

There is a thread here on adjusting the fuel level sensor/sender. I recall that thread discussing that these things are usually pretty way off from the factory. Someone chimed in and gave the instructions on how to set/adjust the sending unit for accuracy and I had it bookmarked as a later "to do". That "to do" list got re-arranged when my computer hurled its guts out and I had to reformat the whole drive. Of course I did not save my bookmarks (like the computer idiot I am).

 

[johndoe]

You'll have to pull the fuel pump/sender out and bend the arm up a little. OR fill your tank at 1/4 empty unless you like pushing.  If you've never pushed a bike, ignore this post.  My wife didn't want me to get gas at one station because her cheap ass wanted to look for cheaper gas. We almost ran out of gas going through the mojave desert. I told her if we run out of gas, her 100 pounds is going to push the van while I sit and steer with the brake pedal slightly depressed.