Fuel level sending unit on 83 VR, where is that Waldo?

I just bought a 83 VR a few weeks ago and have been running through the little problems a 25yr old bike has. Main one was the starter (Wooo Hoo that was fun, twice, rubics starter from hades, lol ) Just finishing off some wiring issues on the accessories that wern't up too par for my liking. Now... Ive looked as best I can but can't seem to find the sending unit for the fuel lv. My guage is up and down with the wind. I count my km's but that flashing red light is making me crazy. All I hear is "fix me...fix me", lol I'm sure it's just a bad ground but Waldo seems to have taken it and gone underground, lol. So.. if anyone has seem Waldo and the ground plz let me know..Thanks

Knees In The Breeze

My guage is up and down with the wind. I count my km's but that flashing red light is making me crazy. All I hear is "fix me...fix me"......

Knees In The Breeze

If your connections at the sending unit, are not the cause, the next likely cause is the CMS display (solder joints) it is a similar repair to the CLASS controller. I find it easier to pull the front of the dash off, when pulling the CMS display out of the housing.

Thanks

I was hoping not to have to pull the tank but gotta do what needs doing, lol. I just resoldered quite a few cold solders in the controler for the air ride. Got that fix here too :) Right on guys, Thanks. Cold beer here for ya's if your down this way And food, lol

Knees in the breeze

Thanks

I was hoping not to have to pull the tank but gotta do what needs doing, lol. I just resoldered quite a few cold solders in the controler for the air ride. Got that fix here too :) Right on guys, Thanks. Cold beer here for ya's if your down this way And food, lol

Knees in the breeze

I can't see pulling the tank, as the sending unit is on the top......... Just pull the seat & have a look.

Rocket is right, the sending unit is right on top. I pulled my a couple of weeks ago as part of getting the gas tank cleaned out. Mine was totally rusty and not reading worth a darn. The sending unit sends a level of resistance that the computer translates into the bars you see on the monitor. I'm not in front of my manual, but if memory serves correctly, it should be less than 30 ohms when full, about 300 ohms when empty. You can pull the back cover off by bending three tabs. Attached is a pic of what theinside of mine looked like before cleaning it out. Should have taken an "after" pic but didn't think of it at the time.

If yo uhave trouble picking up any resistance, it could be on the pivot arm that connects to ground via a small, thin, brass spring washer. It's hard to get it cleaned off and still retain its shape, but with patience you can get it reading correctly.

Thainglo,

Now that is one SICK looking sender... I wouldn't be amazed that it was still working but out of respect... shoot the darned thing and put it out of it's misery... and the tank looked worse?

Thainglo,

 

Now that is one SICK looking sender... I wouldn't be amazed that it was still working but out of respect... shoot the darned thing and put it out of it's misery... and the tank looked worse?

The sender was a good indicator for how the rest of the tank looked. There was rust at the bottom, was surprised that it wasn't serious. No leaks or pits, about 30-40 minutes of washing it out, tumbling with some nuts and bolts, repeat... repeat... repeat.

Spent about an hour on the sender, it cleaned up nicely and now works great. Most of the time spent was cleaning and reshaping the brass spring so it would conduct electricity properly and show the right amount of resistance.

Cold beer here for ya's if your down this way And food, lol

You gotta be careful with making those statements, it could be cheaper to let a dealer fix it than try to feed and thirst quench some of these folks

Maybe someone can confirm this...but this is how I test fuel gauges and sending units.

BEFORE UNSCREWING AND REMOVING the fuel sending unit out of the tank, there is a simple test you can perform which will confirm whether the fuel sending unit or gauge is causing your problems.

IF you have removed the sending unit and the tank is open with GAS FUMES pouring out...DO NOT PERFORM THIS TEST!

1. Remove the single wire at the sending unit. (At the top of the tank) Make sure the wire is NOT grounded out.

2. Turn the ignition switch on. The gauge on the dashboard should indicate no fuel at this point. If it indicates anything else...(like half full) the gauge is most likely at fault.

3. Now ground the wire at the sending unit to the frame. The fuel indicator should move to full. Remove the ground and watch the gauge. The gauge should go back to empty.

If the gauge does not move...the gauge is defective or the circuit leading to the gauge is at fault.

If all tests are good and the gauge reads full when grounded...the fuel sending unit is your problem.

Hope this helps.

Knees. before you tear in to anything, make sure the electrical connections are good and tight on the gas tank sending unit. I have fixed several that had intermitten readings by tightening the terminals. That may work for you.

RandyA

Sorry...my mistake. There are two wires going to the fuel sending unit. One is a black ground...and the other one is green. Touching these two wires together should give you a reading of full on your gauge. By touching these two wires together, you are bi-passing the rheostat inside your tank which is your fuel sending unit.

Sorry for the faulty info and hope this helps.

I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY 84. IT WAS THE PIVOT POINT ON THE SENDING UNIT NOT MAKING GOOD CONTACT. ALL IT TOOK WAS A LITTLE BENDING SO IT WOULD MAKE CONTACT. NO MORE PROBLEMS!

FWIW, here is my contribution to the tech section on my fuel sender repair.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10519

Good luck.

Brian H.

Uxbridge Ont

Cold beer here for ya's if your down this way And food, lol

Knees in the breeze

Don't lsiten to these guys... they don't know what they're talking about..... How far are you from MA??

Seriously, check connections first like Randya suggested, I've seen that be a problem on two first gens. Then you can pull the unit without seat removal if I remember correctly. A clean up and adjustment will probably deal with it then.

Good luck