Just bought an 04' RS, 36k miles. I notice when I top off fuel, it reads empty and flashes 8 times at me. As I ride, it will come and go reading correctly. I suspect possible tarnishing on the contacts of the fuel level float (if that even exists). Anyone had this problem? I'm considering removing the unit from the tank and trying to "clean it up" somehow. Anyone removed the sending unit and reused the gasket with good luck? Thanks for ideas!

Yes, plenty of us had done that. Sometimes cleaning the contacts help, sometimes it ends up being only a temp fix. Just be careful with the little finger contacts. I used a pencil eraser to clean the board contacts.

Mine has been doind the same thing for 4 years. Once I burn up a quarter of a tank the guage reads correct. Just seems to be the nature of the beast.

Seems to be a constant question on the boards these days about those darn fuel tank sensors, and the gaskets.

I have had mine out three times now, reusing the same gasket going back in. The thin rubber is forgiving.

The last time I had mine out the board looks a little burnt, and the wires are wore down so far that the some of the fingers look like tips of feathers. It has finally quit all together, and the light is still flashing. So I tried unhooking the green plug on the sensor, and it still flashes, so that isn't a fix either.

Going to order a new one one of these days when I get the bike back, and me riding again.

Cost of a new sending unit. is $97.99 from the dealer. Said 2-3 days delivery.

Ron

Interesting that this fuel sending unit failure seems to be coming up more frequently lately. If I remember correctly (and good luck with that) all 3 of the most recent threads about this (including mine) concerned bikes with about 36,000 miles. Now if these things are going regularly at 36K, hats off to the engineers for getting so accurate on the built-in obsolescence.

I just replaced the sending unit on my 01. It was $67 at the local dealer. You can order it online for $47.54 from South Seattle Sports Plaza http://www.yamahasportsplaza.com/pages/parts/viewbybrand/2/Yamaha.aspx. The SKU is SKU: 4WM-85752-00-00.

I understand that is what WE have to do as well from my local yamaha shop. Mine just started this today with 17K on it. I was advised that if that did not fix it then most likly the sending unit would need to be replaced.

This is exactly what mine does on an 05 Roadstar Silverado. It has been doing it since about 8,500mi. Sounds like it's more age related than a mileage issue.

I'm just glad to know i'm not the only one who has seen this issue.

Guys,i am seeing this happen way too often then it should be happening then it occured to what i think is going on here esp since i deal alot with carb tuning on muscle cars and fix carbs on small motors asnd have seen a lot of issues there over past few yrs too.

So with that said i think over time the ethenol in todays pump fuel is attacking/corroding the contacts onthe fuel guage sending unit,todays fuel is very corrosive in certian cond esp when the bvikes sit for periods of time without fresh fuel in higher humidity cond ,if temp changes are present daily to promote mositure,and maybe if some people did the vento to atmosphere mods that allows outsid air/mopsiture into the tanks all the time which is deadly top fuel and fuel system setting it up fpr bigtimecorrsion over a faily short period of time when that happens.

I have seen todays 10% ethenol fuel ruin/trash carbs i could have simply cleaned and rblt 20 yrs ago before ethenol was introduced into todays pump fuel & thats not to mention todays fuel is also oxygenated,with no lead and lower octane etc making it a different formula fuel then it was many yrs ago.

Thats why i simply run 1oz marine grade fuel stabilizer mfg'd by Stabil to not only prevent this problem with fuel sending unit and it alswo ensures no matter how long i let the bike sit the fuel will be kept fresh/stable ready to run for up to 1 yr.

Todays pump fuel storeds in poor environmental cond can mkae todays fuel start to go bad in as little as 30-40 days. Todays pumnp fuel has reeked havick in the boating community over past few yrs untill the better marine grade fuel stabilizers were mf'd that do a much better job of handling the ethenol issues then the std red colored stable thats doesnt cut it for all fuel storrage applications.

I keep a bottle of marine grade stable on the bike at all times to add 1oz with every 5 gal fillup and thats a full/heavy dose that will keep todays crappy ethenoled fuel stable and ready to run for up to 1yr.

That heavier dose also keeps carbs & intake valves clean when used regularly too which is also good for avoiding SVS esp if your bike runs a tad rich.

I feel spending approx $25-30 yrly to keep my bike treated with the newer marine grade stable at all times to avoid these issues which also keeps the valves and carb clean at the same timing it keeps the fuel stable is a small price to pay for that protection & piece of mind.

We have to all realize thing change like the fuel and motor oils too and we have to also change to keep up with it or to avoid issues these changes may cause like fuel going bad much faster or corroding fuel system parts that are sensitive to ethenol corrosion like the contacts on the fuel gauge sensing unit and a like when they remove most of the zinc from automotive motor oil thats our R*'s need or the ft cams and also to help protect them from excessaive heat too that the R*'s large air cooled v-twin motor see's plenty of in warmer weather.

Scott

I have to agree on what you said scott. I'm sure that was why mine went out in "07 on a trip out west. Used alot of gas with ethanol in it and on the way home it went out. When I put a new one in one of the contacts on the old one had corroded off.