Please can anyone help with this problem?
I have a California V11 2002, the fuel light is on all the time. I took the sender out to check it’s clean. I put it back in and turned the ignition on. With the tank empty the light is off, as I filled the tank the light came on, it’s now full and the light is still on?
Not sure if this applies but here goes…
On my 1100 Cali the low fuel “switch” is by way of a thermistor. 12v feeds in and a return to the low fuel indicator bulb. Whilst there is fuel keeping the thermistor cold, it maintains a high resistance which stops the light from coming on. As the fuel is consumed, the thermistor starts to warm up and resistance drops allowing the current to pass and illuminate the low fuel indicator bulb.
If the bulb is on all the time, it would suggest the thermistor has failed in the “hot” mode namely in low resistance allowing the current to flow unimpeded.
I’m a skinflint and repaired my thermistor with replacement items that cost more in postage. Also lowered the position so that I get the warning illuminated at around 5 litres instead of 10 as original(!)
Thank you. I did look and I couldn’t see how it came apart? Could you tell me where you got the spare parts from and what they were? Thank you.
I don’t have pictures so here goes from memory.
The conductor feeds into the top of a cylindrical enclosure around 20 - 25mm long, on the side of the pump. This is just the housing for the thermistor, which is on the inside connected by one tail to the supply cable which itself is insulated by the cap to the enclosure. The other tail of the thermistor is soldered onto the body of the enclosure. On mine, the enclosure was soldered onto the “chassis” along with the return to the bulb to complete the circuit.
To open the enclosure you have to gently pry open the rim around the insulator cap. As long as you’re careful you’ll be able to reuse it. It’s only there to provide insulation of the incoming conductor from the enclosure.
That well known auction site is where I got mine.
There are some sellers offering the complete enclosure ready assembled but I purchased five 1kohm thermistors for less than a fiver earlier this year and did it myself.
I must apologise I’ve just realised that I have mislead you. It is a California EV 2002, it’s just that when I speak to people about it they tell me it has a V11 engine. My sender unit is in the tank. It’s about 4 1/2” long, black tube with a metal tip.
If it has a black tube which slides up and down a copper tube then it is a reed switch.
But I cant explain the behaviour you describe
It looks exactly like this but the people selling this tell me that it’s not for my bike but if I can’t find a cure I’m going to have to try it.
If it is a reed switch, then this should help you, he will supply to the UK…
Thank you.
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I dont think this is the
reed switch version
Thats interesting. Always wondered how those damn things worked!