Morning all, I ran the bike almost dry until I managed to make it to my usual garage this morning, with the range showing 14 miles left. I figured I still had a few litres in the bike. I filled up to the brim, note, on the tank indicator, the light was on and I had 2 bars left (or 1 I think...). To bring the tank up to the brim, I put in 16.50 litres. This is a little less than normal, this is my weeks commute tank, normally, I use around 18 litres. Normally just a fraction under (I keep receipts, contractor). Thought nothing of it, cost me £22.42 for 16.50 litres of Shell V Power (I know, fancy twat, but all my bikes have run on V Power). I started my run on the M4 and 10 miles later, 3 bars were knocked off the tank gauge on the dash... Is there a reserve of sorts that was 'filled up' taking from the main tank? I didn't think there is. I will top the tank up on the way home... I didn't smell any petrol, or see any on the bike. So I don't know, odd.
i wouldn't let that put you off. a fuel sensor should easily last more than 3 years so for anybody to expect you to now pay for a new one when the first one was clearly sub standard would be bonkers.
So, the idea that a few bars have gone less than 10 miles after I had fuel to the top of the tank is not common then considering I was riding from an empty tank? Actually, I guess looking in the tank would answer an obvious question, is the fuel still to the brim?
Just checked, the fuel is around 2.5"'s from the top? A lot gone considering it was at the brim less than 10 miles ago... Also, turned the bike on, fuel is showing at half way??? I will ride home, fill up on the way back and see what's what. If not, I will call Moto Rapido, is this a common fault then?
If the bars mysteriously reappear it's probably the common fuel gauge glitch. Mine does it all the time. Fill it up only to have drop down to about three quarters full within a mile or two. Within another twenty miles or so they reappear and then drop down normally. More irritating than a real problem.
Air pocket mate. IF we ever meet at petrol station I will show you how hard it is to fill mosnter to brim. Honestly the final 1.5L is just not worth the hastle.
I get a similar thing with my 848 (although I have no fuel gauge). The reserve light will come on, then goes off, then 5 miles later it will come on and stay on... Did 10 more miles on reserve on Friday and then when I got to the fuel station I only crammed in 10.4Ltrs... I doubt it has a 4.6Ltr Reserve!!! I have never got more than 11 Ltrs in there though, so maybe it's a common Ducati thing? As it's the same on the Monster, yours and my 848 at least.
Huh, ok, will still fill up as the drop from the top of the tank to the fuel level is great, a lot more than what it should be for a 10 mile trip. So yea, possible air pocket. As for the fuel thing, I've had it 'glitch' before, but not from a full tank.
I think the fuel gauge is a bit inaccurate on our bikes, I'm on my second fuel sender, it worked ok for a while, but now it appears to have a mind of its own, some days good, other days not so good..!
I found the only way to get the tank full is to fuel it in the up right position to the brim, then let it settle for a few seconds and keep topping it up like that until it almost over flows.
Urgh... So, I filled it back up on the way home, £3. To the penny. Looked like a bit of a berk buying £3 of petrol in front of a couple of other bikers. Anyway, fuel bars still down by 3/4 bars. Went up to 1 bar missing at one point. I live no more than 2 miles from the petrol station, in that time, the range went from (an already miss read range) 104 miles to 70 miles... There is a Ducati garage round the corner from me. I'm the second owner of the bike, bought it from a Non Ducati dealer, it's Warranty ended in September last year. What are my chances of getting this fixed for free?
I've had the same problem but after 20 - 40 miles it comes up to full on the bars then falls correctly. I wonder if using V power makes the problem worse for some reason? If the last bit is reasonably accurate that is the important thing so I would say don't worry about it. Temperature, humidity, weather and fuel type perhaps affect it in some way! I always reset a trip on fill up, know my tank range and only use the fuel gauge as a rough guide. No need to even look at the gauge for over 100 miles!
do you use the existing Ducati garage to have previously generated some goodwill ? Do they know you as a regular visitor? that might have an bearing....
Hehe my fuel gage never fails. On m900 fill up at 100 or walk at 125. On m695 fill up at 125 or walk at 140. I am bound to confuse the 125 one day.
