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New Fuel Strip


Sonor

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Well this is #4 installed on Saturday. I'll keep y'all posted as to how long this one lasts. Care to have a pool going? :rofl:

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The previous strip died - it showed no fuel all the time even after fill ups. The new strip one week later is showing a lot of gas all the time so the reverse of the dead fuel strip. I like this better and have become accustomed to using the trip meter again. In other words, this level of broken is better than the last but still no confidence in the strip.

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Are you saying this strip failed within a week of install?

 

There's no extended warranty down here, just the standard 2 years on new parts. I paid just over US$300 to have mine replaced in January last year.

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Hey Robin, Not sure if it failed or there is still a, "calibration through use" at play. I have had others tell me that it takes a couple of full tanks before it gets it correct. If that is not the case, then yes, it failed. I will keep you posted.

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The previous strip died - it showed no fuel all the time even after fill ups. The new strip one week later is showing a lot of gas all the time so the reverse of the dead fuel strip. I like this better and have become accustomed to using the trip meter again. In other words, this level of broken is better than the last but still no confidence in the strip.

 

Sonor,

Does the gas level (number of bars) drop at all? Or does it just stay completely full (all bars)?

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Well I am happy to say that over the weekend I went for a 135 mile ride. While moving the fuel strip did not move, always full. After I stopped and started the bike the next day, the fuel gauge showed I still had a little over 3/4 of a tank. While this is wrong, at least it is moving. I am hopeful that I will be able to use it as a rough idea of the fuel level just in case I forget to reset the trip odometer.

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The previous strip died - it showed no fuel all the time even after fill ups. The new strip one week later is showing a lot of gas all the time so the reverse of the dead fuel strip. I like this better and have become accustomed to using the trip meter again. In other words, this level of broken is better than the last but still no confidence in the strip.

 

Morning Sonor

 

I have seen a couple of new fuel strips do this.

 

Run it down to well below 1/4 tank (I usually siphon the fuel out into a remote container)-- then re-set all the trip odos & MPG resets in the onboard computer.

 

Now ride the bike just far enough to get the dash fuel gauge to read the lower fuel level.

 

Now refill the tank all the way to the top & again reset all the odos & MPG reading.

 

After doing this they will usually start reading correctly (or at least close) -- (Don't ask me why??)

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The previous strip died - it showed no fuel all the time even after fill ups. The new strip one week later is showing a lot of gas all the time so the reverse of the dead fuel strip. I like this better and have become accustomed to using the trip meter again. In other words, this level of broken is better than the last but still no confidence in the strip.

 

Morning Sonor

 

I have seen a couple of new fuel strips do this.

 

Run it down to well below 1/4 tank (I usually siphon the fuel out into a remote container)-- then re-set all the trip odos & MPG resets in the onboard computer.

 

Now ride the bike just far enough to get the dash fuel gauge to read the lower fuel level.

 

Now refill the tank all the way to the top & again reset all the odos & MPG reading.

 

After doing this they will usually start reading correctly (or at least close) -- (Don't ask me why??)

 

Interesting. Mine gets wonky as it gets closer to empty. It seems to make gas. I'm going to give this a try.

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Lone_RT_rider
Well this is #4 installed on Saturday. I'll keep y'all posted as to how long this one lasts. Care to have a pool going? :rofl:

 

My 4th strip is scheduled (under 12 year extended BMW paid warranty for this part only) to go in on Tuesday. The first lasted one year, the second also a year whereas the 3rd has lasted 7 years. The bike has barely 41K on it. From what the dealer said, there is no redesign of the component, just a replacement of the part with a known faulty design.

 

Shawn

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lawnchairboy

don't know what's wrong with my 11 year old RT. It has yet to eat a fuel strip. Just oil, tires, brake pads, air filters, oil filters.....

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Lone_RT_rider
don't know what's wrong with my 11 year old RT. It has yet to eat a fuel strip. Just oil, tires, brake pads, air filters, oil filters.....

 

It obviously has the special counter-active signal generator that picks up on special wavelengths that increase the ability for failure protection based on sarcasm levels. ;)

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It obviously has the special counter-active signal generator that picks up on special wavelengths that increase the ability for failure protection based on sarcasm levels. ;)

...and those levels are getting pretty high... :rofl:
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don't know what's wrong with my 11 year old RT. It has yet to eat a fuel strip. Just oil, tires, brake pads, air filters, oil filters.....

 

It obviously has the special counter-active signal generator that picks up on special wavelengths that increase the ability for failure protection based on sarcasm levels. ;)

 

Well if your RT has the signal generator, your 4th strip should last forever. :/

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Lone_RT_rider
don't know what's wrong with my 11 year old RT. It has yet to eat a fuel strip. Just oil, tires, brake pads, air filters, oil filters.....

 

It obviously has the special counter-active signal generator that picks up on special wavelengths that increase the ability for failure protection based on sarcasm levels. ;)

 

Well if your RT has the signal generator, your 4th strip should last forever. :/

 

You would think, but apparently they hadn't installed it before this. I'll let you know if this 4th strip lasts any longer. :)

 

P.S. If they offer you a new Wasserhead (Sprinkler-head?) RT when you drop your bike off for service, politely decline. all I can say is......wow.... :facepalm:

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Mine's 12 years old and pretty reliable. After giving the bike a full service and letting it sit for a few weeks unridden it lied to me and stranded me on a hot freeway claiming I still had ~15 miles left. But that's the only time that's ever happened and it's dumb to let it get that low when you don't need to.

 

On the other hand my speedometer is a joke. Latest thing is that the printed dial has come loose and friction from the needle rotates it rotates 10 or 15 degrees clockwise when I accelerate. I actually prefer it rotated, it's damn near accurate then.

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Mine's 12 years old and pretty reliable. After giving the bike a full service and letting it sit for a few weeks unridden it lied to me and stranded me on a hot freeway claiming I still had ~15 miles left. But that's the only time that's ever happened and it's dumb to let it get that low when you don't need to.

 

Honestly, I'd call that within tolerance. I know the doesn't help you on the freeway. Chevy trucks just switch to "low fuel" after it gets under 35 MTE or so.

 

My GS says I've a range of about 275 miles with about 3 gallons left in it. :ohboy:

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Haven't posted much on the site but thought I'd throw this out for your scrutiny. My wife and I both have 07 RT's. Hers has 26K miles mine has 52K. Her FS went out after the original one lasting seven years. She is now on her fourth strip (which just failed)with them averaging a ride or two before failure. One observation I made is that the strip has failed each time on startup not during a ride. I have had the charging system load tested and it passes but I keep circling back to a voltage spike (which I'm pretty sure) won't show on a load test as a possible culprit. I just ordered a re-manufactured alternator from EME and will install this weekend with the strip being replaced in two weeks. I keep thinking that BMW is addressing the symptom not the problem. Any thoughts? BTW, I still have the original strip in my bike and both bikes get the same treatment ie: battery tenders on both and usually the same brand fuel. One last thing, it's my understanding that the strip works using capacitance vs. resistance.

Edited by wolds
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Haven't posted much on the site but thought I'd throw this out for your scrutiny. My wife and I both have 07 RT's. Hers has 26K miles mine has 52K. Her FS went out after the original one lasting seven years. She is now on her fourth strip (which just failed)with them averaging a ride or two before failure. One observation I made is that the strip has failed each time on startup not during a ride. I have had the charging system load tested and it passes but I keep circling back to a voltage spike (which I'm pretty sure) won't show on a load test as a possible culprit. I just ordered a re-manufactured alternator from EME and will install this weekend with the strip being replaced in two weeks. I keep thinking that BMW is addressing the symptom not the problem. Any thoughts? BTW, I still have the original strip in my bike and both bikes get the same treatment ie: battery tenders on both and usually the same brand fuel. One last thing, it's my understanding that the strip works using capacitance vs. resistance.

 

 

I've said that for a long time but no one here seems to respond when I've stated that.. I feel like I'm persona non grata here! :-)

 

Why do some bikes EAT strips and yet others (like mine, same strip for 7 years) don't? Seems as you say, and I agree, its electrical... I can't think of any other factor that would explain why some bikes eat strips and others don't. We've eliminated fuel.. as both ethanol and pure gas have these issues.

 

 

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Haven't posted much on the site but thought I'd throw this out for your scrutiny. My wife and I both have 07 RT's. Hers has 26K miles mine has 52K. Her FS went out after the original one lasting seven years. She is now on her fourth strip (which just failed)with them averaging a ride or two before failure. One observation I made is that the strip has failed each time on startup not during a ride. I have had the charging system load tested and it passes but I keep circling back to a voltage spike (which I'm pretty sure) won't show on a load test as a possible culprit. I just ordered a re-manufactured alternator from EME and will install this weekend with the strip being replaced in two weeks. I keep thinking that BMW is addressing the symptom not the problem. Any thoughts? BTW, I still have the original strip in my bike and both bikes get the same treatment ie: battery tenders on both and usually the same brand fuel. One last thing, it's my understanding that the strip works using capacitance vs. resistance.

 

 

I've said that for a long time but no one here seems to respond when I've stated that.. I feel like I'm persona non grata here! :-)

 

Why do some bikes EAT strips and yet others (like mine, same strip for 7 years) don't? Seems as you say, and I agree, its electrical... I can't think of any other factor that would explain why some bikes eat strips and others don't. We've eliminated fuel.. as both ethanol and pure gas have these issues.

 

Yup, can't agree more. As for batteries my wife's bike is using a Panasonic as is mine. I shouldn't even mention my bike in my post with ten years on original strip I'm just "asking" for it.

 

Edited by wolds
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Just curious, what are the batteries both w2ge and wolds are using?

 

I changed to an Odyssey battery about 3-4 years ago... not because anything was wrong with my original battery but out of caution. I use a CTEK charger on my bikes..

 

Why? Are you thinking that might be a contributing factor?

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Just curious, what are the batteries both w2ge and wolds are using?

 

I changed to an Odyssey battery about 3-4 years ago... not because anything was wrong with my original battery but out of caution. I use a CTEK charger on my bikes..

 

Why? Are you thinking that might be a contributing factor?

 

EME asked me the same question except they were more concerned more with the physical condition of the battery rather then the brand. Like I said in my first post. Motohio (my dealer) confirmed that the battery was in good working order.

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I am by no means mechanically inclined so take this with a huge grain of salt. I do know that some batteries have a higher cold cranking amp and I just wonder if that plays into it at all.

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Cranking Amps just means they can supply more amps to crank the motor if needed.

I can't see spikes causing an issue either when the biggest capacitor you can get, the battery, sits across the rails.

 

We don't get these issues down here. Quizzing my local club shows almost no problems. Although there are a lot less of us. It must be your fuel.

 

 

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We don't get these issues down here. Quizzing my local club shows almost no problems. Although there are a lot less of us. It must be your fuel.

 

There has been quite a lot of speculation on the fuel being a contributing factor. IDK.

 

I do find the 12 year warranty extension on fuel strips intriguing. :S. I believe that BMW first put out the SIB for the extension in June '14. That would mean that an '09 bike put into service in '09 would be getting about 7 years worth of fuel strips. And by then, I'm sure that they new the propensity for some bikes to go through quite a few. So, I've got to believe that the intention was to redesign the strip, or they'd keep seeing the same bikes returning. That seems to have not happened. So they either can't figure out the problem or they can't find a solution? I can't see this being a bean counter thing, whereas it would be too costly to make new redesigned strips. They've no doubt have had to manufacture a bunch of them in the last few years to meet the demand from the warranty extension. I don't get it.

 

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My 2009 RT is on its third fuel strip. Since getting the third one installed I have been using only Top Tier gasoline. Sometimes this can be hard to find but it has been good now for a couple of years. Maybe just lucky? Knocking on wood...

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I found a solution to the persistent fuel strip failures on my 2005 & 2010 RT:

A tiny piece of electrical tape strategically placed directly over that annoying yellow triangle on the instrument panel, and trusting the trip meter.

Works everytime!

Someday when I get some time, I will take my fleet to the dealer in Las Vegas (5 hours away), and have them replace the fuel strips: at BMWs expense. Again. And Again. And Again.

Edited by BeemerBerg
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Yeah, but you need to do it within the two year parts guarantee or it is out of your wallet. There is a 12 year limit so my 05 is no longer good to get it for free. HOWEVER, since it was replaced last year it had a two year parts guarantee as does this one they just replaced. So I now have less than two years to replace this one (that is unless it stays functioning). I do know that when I signed the receipt at the end of my visit, the dealer is charging BMW $275 to replace the strip. I certainly do not want that coming out of my pocket.

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Yeah, but you need to do it within the two year parts guarantee or it is out of your wallet. There is a 12 year limit so my 05 is no longer good to get it for free. HOWEVER, since it was replaced last year it had a two year parts guarantee as does this one they just replaced. So I now have less than two years to replace this one (that is unless it stays functioning). I do know that when I signed the receipt at the end of my visit, the dealer is charging BMW $275 to replace the strip. I certainly do not want that coming out of my pocket.

 

Morning Sonor

 

You might want to check with your BMW dealer on this. Typically BMW has the 2 year parts warranty BUT in the past that hasn't included warranty replacement parts that went past normal warranty coverage. (ie customer paid parts were 2 year & warranty replaced parts only went to end of normal warranty period)

 

 

 

 

 

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DT - that is exactly what the dealer told me. Otherwise I would have had to pay the $275. Now he could have been wrong and has to eat that charge, but what I wrote is straight from the dealer.

Edited by Sonor
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DT - that is exactly what the dealer told me. Otherwise I would have had to pay the $275. Now he could have been wrong and has to eat that charge, but what I wrote is straight from the dealer.

 

Morning Sonor

 

I hope what the dealer told you is BMW's policy on the fuel strips as there are a lot of riders about to go past the 12 year limit on fuel strip warranty coverage.

 

The 12 year coverage starts from when the bike went into service not by build date.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Cranking Amps just means they can supply more amps to crank the motor if needed.

I can't see spikes causing an issue either when the biggest capacitor you can get, the battery, sits across the rails.

 

We don't get these issues down here. Quizzing my local club shows almost no problems. Although there are a lot less of us. It must be your fuel.

 

So I installed a rebuilt alternator and a brand new battery on the bike and dropped it off yesterday for the new fuel strip. Reading the instructions that came with the alternator they do mention that a bad battery can be detrimental to the life of the alternator due to the fact that (as pointed out by Robin W the battery is a big cap and in theory you should never see a spike. But when a battery goes bad it becomes more resistive and as EME points out it can cause spikes which could damage the alternator. So my theory is if this happens it could impact the fuel strip. We'll see what happens. The last strip lasted 120 miles. Shouldn't take long for an answer.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Crap! Fuel strip failed again today at start up. German engineering is overrated. VW diesel emissions and BMW moto fuel strips are prime examples. Especially when the solution is to just keep replacing a known faulty part with the same known faulty part?

 

Do the fuel strips ever start working again once they have failed? Of course I could just tape over the warning light again but that just does not work for me.

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Crap! Fuel strip failed again today at start up. German engineering is overrated. VW diesel emissions and BMW moto fuel strips are prime examples. Especially when the solution is to just keep replacing a known faulty part with the same known faulty part?

 

Do the fuel strips ever start working again once they have failed? Of course I could just tape over the warning light again but that just does not work for me.

 

Morning speedybee

 

Every now & then a fuel strip will start working again but that doesn't happen very often. (they sometimes start working again after a battery disconnect then re-connect)

 

The good news is that if you keep changing enough strips under warranty there is a chance that you will finally end up with a good one that stays working.

 

 

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Crap! Fuel strip failed again today at start up. German engineering is overrated. VW diesel emissions and BMW moto fuel strips are prime examples. Especially when the solution is to just keep replacing a known faulty part with the same known faulty part?

 

Do the fuel strips ever start working again once they have failed? Of course I could just tape over the warning light again but that just does not work for me.

 

Morning speedybee

 

Every now & then a fuel strip will start working again but that doesn't happen very often. (they sometimes start working again after a battery disconnect then re-connect)

 

The good news is that if you keep changing enough strips under warranty there is a chance that you will finally end up with a good one that stays working.

 

 

Thanks DR. I might try disconnecting the battery. Getting my bike to the dealer is a big hassle even though there would not be a repair cost.

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I hear ya Speedy - it is an hour to the nearest dealer for me as well. Then to wait two plus hours for the strip to be replaced again etc. is not the way I want to spend over 1/2 a day.

 

I just hope that BMW invests in enough research that they finally get it right before I am too old to ride anymore. (and that is years away)

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  • 2 months later...

Well I knew we should have started a pool on this STUPID FUEL STRIP JUNK. My 4th just died. Started the bike, it showed a full tank (even though I had ridden 78 miles since the fill up) but within 1/4 of a mile the yellow triangle showed and the fuel tank was showing empty. Right around 4 1/2 months of use. Good thing I have never trusted the fuel strip and reset the odo each fill up.

 

Junk, just pure junk. I fully believe this is the last BMW for me.

Edited by Sonor
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Lone_RT_rider
Well I knew we should have started a pool on this STUPID FUEL STRIP JUNK. My 4th just died. Started the bike, it showed a full tank (even though I had ridden 78 miles since the fill up) but within 1/4 of a mile the yellow triangle showed and the fuel tank was showing empty. Right around 4 1/2 months of use. Good thing I have never trusted the fuel strip and reset the odo each fill up.

 

Junk, just pure junk. I fully believe this is the last BMW for me.

 

One of the things I have noticed over my 4 fuel strip failures is that they seem to happen when the bike sits for a long (over a month) with less than a reasonably full gas tank. My thoughts are that the fuel strip itself is drying out and killing itself. For me that brings about two things I might be able to do to help.

 

1. Ride more often so fuel gets splashed on the medium that registers the fuel level.

2. Keep a full tank of gas if I know the bike is going to sit for an extended period of time.

 

Can somebody please tell me they are not using this same style of fuel level sensor in the RTW?

 

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Can somebody please tell me they are not using this same style of fuel level sensor in the RTW?

 

They switched to a float type in the later camheads. I'm assuming they continued this with the wetheads.

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Can somebody please tell me they are not using this same style of fuel level sensor in the RTW?

 

Morning Lone_RT_rider

 

The RTW does use a float type fuel level sensor, there was a level sensor update/supersede on the earlier RTW bikes with a new design float type sensor for the 17 bikes (what's different I don't know).

 

The upside of the float type sensor system is it is more conventional so less long term issues, the downside is it is very difficult to get a float on an arm to accurately track fuel level in a convoluted & irregular shaped fuel tank. In fact on the BMW (pre 17) 800GS bikes the fuel gauge only reads from 1/2 tank to empty due to the float system's inability to track the fuel level in the upper part of the tank.

 

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... it is very difficult to get a float on an arm to accurately track fuel level in a convoluted & irregular shaped fuel tank. In fact on the BMW (pre 17) 800GS bikes the fuel gauge only reads from 1/2 tank to empty due to the float system's inability to track the fuel level in the upper part of the tank.

Understandable, but just a random thought ... why would it not be possible to track capacity by weight. Given a known volume and weight of gasoline and weight of fuel tank one would think it would be a simple task. I must be missing something ...

Or why not a "fuel consumed" indicator by monitoring injector flow or calculating a value since the air / fuel ratio and mileage traveled is known?

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Afternoon chrisolson

 

 

Understandable, but just a random thought ... why would it not be possible to track capacity by weight. Given a known volume and weight of gasoline and weight of fuel tank one would think it would be a simple task. I must be missing something ..-- It would be possible given enough money, talent, & mounting space. The tank isn't a nice cylinder so it would need a number of attachment mounts, it would have to use a load cell as ALL mounting points then average those inputs. Due to jarring of the bike, fuel line attachments, mud buildup, Tupperware attachments, working temperatures etc, to be accurate, it would need a way to do an empty tank calibration very often (probably at every start up). This brings on the question of HOW to do an empty tank load cell calibration without emptying the tank?

 

.

Or why not a "fuel consumed" indicator by monitoring injector flow or calculating a value since the air / fuel ratio and mileage traveled is known?--This would work (sort of anyhow). It already uses that info for approximate fuel range. Again some problems to overcome as it is probably pretty close to knowing exact fuel used when in closed loop but what about fuel used during engine warm-ups before the o2 sensors come on-line (this is just a past history guess without exact o2 input). The downside is it is basically a best-guess at how much fuel remains in the tank but it doesn't really know exactly how much so if it gets out of kilter a bit (fuel leakage, lots of warm-up idling, lots of hard accelerations out of o2 sensor range, alcohol content in the fuel, etc can leave a dry tank with fuel still showing in the tank. Or a showing out-of-fuel on the gauge with 50 miles remaining in the tank.

 

The only fuel gauge that always works without issue is what I have on a couple of my dirt bikes (a see through fuel tank so you can see the fuel level remaining) but even that has issues as you can't easily see it while riding the bike).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dennis Andress

Most larger jet aircraft measure fuel quantity by weight. They also compensate for the specific gravity of the fuel, which varies according to its temperature. Measuring quantity in an odd shape is done by using multiple fuel quantity probes. The fuel probes consist of two cylinders, one inside the other, the fuel level between these cylinders change the capacitance of the probe, from which fuel quantity is derived. That's the simple part. Connecting the probes with wire and repeatedly calibrating the system to compensate for the capacitance of the wiring is gainful employment for some.

 

The funky BMW fuel strip is not all that bad of an idea. Too bad manufacturing outsourced it to the wrong cheap ass vendor.

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My fuel strip replacement history is about once a year or every 25000 miles - give or take. Dealer is only 10 miles away and repair is FREE. . ALWAYS set my trip odometer and compare this to both computer miles-remaining-in-tank and gallons remaining in tank at fillup AND the computer is AWESOME/UNCANNY accurate. I routinely run util computer says 15 miles to go (when I know gas is available), about half a gallon in tank, about 300 miles range! I LOVE my Fuelstrip/Computer (as long as I get free replacement). Best (except at failure) and most ACCURATE fuel-remaining system I have ever had.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Too bad yours is the exception and not the rule. BMW needs to bite the bullet and do a recall on all bikes with a retrofit for the fuel strip system. Problem solved.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Can you replace the 05-09RT fuel pump and level sensor with the 10-13RT fuel pump and level float? It sounds like the 10-13RT do not have the fuel level problem the earlier model does.

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Can you replace the 05-09RT fuel pump and level sensor with the 10-13RT fuel pump and level float? It sounds like the 10-13RT do not have the fuel level problem the earlier model does.

 

Afternoon sdbc

 

Can you?-- probably,,,, will it work?-- probably not without some sort of complicated electronic conversion matching box to allow the 05-09 electronic dash gauge electronics to read the float output in a form it can use & understand.

 

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