Motorcycle Repair: fuel gauge malfunction, dining room lights, gas gauge

Question
I have a 90 GW1500se  and the gas gauge has stuck at 1/4 tank- my dealer looed at it and said that it is sending and receiving whatever he means!  What could be the problem? How can I fix it? I am not a mechanic buyt will do a few things! Would need instructions.    Thanks a bunch, Granny Joan

Answer
Hi Joan, what you dealer was trying to tell you (I think) is that inside the fuel tank there is a Sender. Basically it is a potentiometer. Similiar to a Dimmer switch in your home that dims your dining room lights. Attached to this fuel tank dimmer switch is a float. When the tank is empty the float is low and your gauge reads dim..when full the float is high and the gauge reads bright. You Follow? OK. So what he is saying is He tested the wires from the sender to the gauge and manipulated the float up and down and observed low and high (or dim and bright) readings on his electrical tester. Thus confirming that the sender in the tank is functioning properly. So that leaves us with a malfunctioning gauge and the reason the dealer drops the ball here. The gauge is part of the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster is all controlled by a printed circuit board. This circuit board may or may not be the cause of the gauge sticking at 1/4 tank but your dealer has no way to test it or repair it. In fact the only real way the dealer has to test it would be to order in a new instrument cluster assembly and install it on your bike then turn on the key and read the fuel gauge. The problem with this diagnostic method is
#1 The cost of this instrument cluster is probably astronomical.
#2 Once the tech unboxes it the dealer owns it/no returns
#3 It may not fix the bike now he is stuck with it
#4 The tech installs it turns the key and an additional
   Problem frys the new cluster.
#5 It fixes the bike but now he has to add his mark up,
  diagnosis fees and tech labor onto an estimate for you.
  An estimate that will without a doubt leave you holding
  your chest and gasping...an estimate for a repair he
  just doesnt believe he can sell to you.
So he (your dealer) thought it prudent, I guess, to just (broom you.) Whats that?? It is an industry term that means to "send the obvious, wont spend/cant spend/no money to be made here /impossible/unreasonable or irrational customer,  down the road. Now you dont really fall into any of these descriptions ver batim Joan....the service manager at that dealership for some reason felt he would not be able to cost effectively diagnose and repair your motorcycle and or, he felt he wouldnt be able to "sell the diag/repair" to you and his time would be wasted as you rejected the estimate and went on your way. So here we are...and what to we do?? You have options..Search the internet for a used Cluster...search for a company that may be able to repair your cluster or...track your fuel consumption by mileage. By the way try not to harbor ill feelings towards the dealer ship or their service department...their pay is crap and they have to optimize every minute of the day to make a decent pay check. It has taken approx 1/2 hour to explain to you in detail your motorcycles problem/needs and what I think are some options for you to consider. Which by the way is my pleasure...I am a volunteer and enjoy it very much...your service manager however would find himself unemployed if he was to afford customers this luxury. Joan, I hope this helps you out?? let me know what you find out..

sincerly
    randy

Hi Joan, Boy I sure do assume a lot! I assumed the shop properly ruled out a failing sender/float. Obviously the tech who worked on your bike had no idea what he was doing.
Also your saying he worked on your bike while you watched?
Another big no-no and unprofessional. Well in view of this new info...sure it very well could be just a sunk float. Yes you can get to it..you need to remove the layers of body work and trim until you reach the actual fuel tank...drain out as much fuel as you can by disconnecting the fuel line at the carbs and place line into suitable container and crank the engine which should pump out the fuel. Then you should see where the sender and float bolt in the bottom of the tank...just follow the wires. Remove it and shake the float listining for fuel inside it. You might want to get yourself a service manual too they are the best resource you can get. Again I apologize for the previous bad news, I just assume that service departments are all as professional and thorough as Mine was.

 regards

randy