Hi all

I am having some odd issues with a 2008 ZX-14R (D8F). The fuel gauge starts blinking its bottom two and top two segments in alternating sequence. The fuel tank is full. I have attached a video to show what's happening. I'm currently at a loss for ideas.

This is what I've done:

- checked battery connection and voltage
- checked grounds
- checked connection of fuel sender
- fuel sender resistance output checked
- connection to dashboard checked
- tried a new battery
- bypassed the connector to see if it was at fault

So far, nothing. I have ordered a replacement fuel sensor/sender, but if someone has faced this before and they know the answer straight away, I'd appreciate it!!

Link below, as the embedding function seems to rely on Flash:
https://youtu.be/ho8j89tq2WE

* Last updated by: RedNight on 8/16/2021 @ 2:54 PM *

I don't know what it is but I did see my 08 do that once. I think the fuel and temp gauge alternated half bars flashing though. I can't remember what it was that made it do that. I think it was a dead battery.

I think you went down every tunnel, Red. If you were within spec at both ranges, I heard some things are spec'd good but a good known part says otherwise. I can think of two thoughts, but you already did the one. That was to either scrub new metal contact with the connector pins, meaning, a few connect-disconnects [which you did]. And the other is to see if the connectors have the green corrosion and those are a simple dip in vinegar and wait for the bubbles to end, rinse and air dry off.

Next avenue is installing a new fuel sensor. Let's see what that brings... will update once I have more!

Rook - I've tried two different batteries and had no joy with it.

I've had suggestions elsewhere that it may be a miswired fuel pump, but this fault happened halfway through the day in the middle of a ride, so that's a bit unlikely!

Could overfilling somehow upset the sensor? I do recall deciding to really cram some fuel in at the previous stop... I normally just fuel up from the side stand, but I had a long ride ahead with not a lot of time for stops, so decided to cram what I could in the tank and fill it upright until the fuel level was well within the neck of the tank. Would pushing down with the cap (and potentially temporarily overpressurising the tank) upset the float/sensor? Just spit balling at this point.

* Last updated by: RedNight on 8/17/2021 @ 4:28 PM *

Could overfilling somehow upset the sensor?

I checked my maintenance records and did a search on the forum. My fuel gauge and temp gauge flashed alternately when my battery failed.

10 posts down.

http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=05A022E7-A2AE-EEF4-7D6D4D68A4BEEB2C&page=1&searchTerm=battery%20died#10

Maybe you have a short somewhere. That's what a dead battery is.

I'm quite sure my display was flashing on both sides though.

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/17/2021 @ 5:24 PM *

Solved.

Replacing the fuel sender has resolved the issue. Upon inspecting the old one, apart from obvious discolouration of the plastic, the only thing that could give away any issues is that the little brush that goes over the resistor patches was somewhat squeaky, so perhaps some oxidation had taken place.

On other forums, suggestions had been made (to other posters) to run some fuel additives to see if it would get rid of the problem, going through a few tankfuls to let the brush sweep through its arc a few times. I decided I did not have time for that and went for full replacement instead.

I looked up the part, saw the construction and figured to get into the touch points, you'd have to peel back the covering and oh what a pain, just swap it out. So I said nothing about trying that attempt. So the trick is to use 200 grit and make new metal contacts again by scrubbing off the [alleged] varnish.

The thing is, would that have done the trick, or is it now the internal wire that is wrapped around the core kind of assembly. Two pin connector, yes? Wire in is that same one long wire out. So it's one wire wrapped around said item and that variable of a resistance in the wire itself internally would be the next guess, if the grit clean did not take care of it.

Either way, you made closure on a dead part and followed up to show how it was solved. Rare are those members.

Thank you for letting us know.

I have a little knack for remembering these things so I may be able to direct others to this info in the future...though I hope you'll stay with us now that you have solved your problem.