I picked up an '02 yesterday from a friend of mine. The only issue with the bike is that the gas gauge always reads empty, first thing I did was check the plugs under the seat (which I had read on here)- found that the one coming from under the tank was loose, but after snapping it together it didn't change a thing. Because the bike has had the tank replaced I was able to look at the gauge assy. in the old (empty) tank and there appears to be a light aluminum piece that I'm assuming is the "float", but when I look at the assy. in the tank that's on the bike this piece is missing. It's just the brass frame with a couple wires on it, and there doesn't appear to be any moving parts. Am I correct that this is indeed the float and it is missing from the tank that's on the bike? This is what it looks like on the tank on the bike (sorry it's not a great pic)- any thoughts?

 

Take the sender off the old tank and "new" tank and compare them. If the new sender is missing a piece, swap the old for the new and see if it works. Prior to the gas gauge equiped VTRs (98~01), the sender only triggered the RLOD and may be (probably is) different. You have nothing to loose in trying.

 

Both sending units will look similar when viewed through a dark filler neck. reach in and try to move the float about to see if there is actually one there. If there is, with the ignition off, hold the float up. Then while holding it up turn the ignition on... it should read "full". There is a very fine wire on the sending unit that could have become disconnected from it's soldered point.

 

Do they really use a "float" on the 02 and on? The pre-02 have a none moving sensor on an arm that when "dry" the conductivity is broken and triggers the RLOD. BTW, you can bend the arm up or down to adjust how much you want in "reserve" for peace of mind.

 

Yes, the '01 and up use an actual float.

 

Did a bit more looking into this yesterday, found that the float assy (long arm with float on the end) for some reason is rigidly locked and won't move. Planning to wait till my tank is at least mostly empty before playing with it more- tank was pretty much full and I was swimming in gas to play around with it. Maybe I'll try heating it with my torch to see if that frees it up Anyone ever have a gas gauge float that stuck in place?

 

That's how they are on the 98-00 tanks.

 

And 01? Did they make a Red VTR in 02? could he have an early fixed "fuel level sensor" rather than the "float" type that goes with the gas guage? Either way he has to drain the tank and pull the unit to check it out...

 

01-05 tanks have the "float style" sending unit.
01 & 02 VTR's came in italian red.
I think is very possible someone replaced the tank with one from a 98-00. I unwittingly replaced the tank on my old '98 with a tank from 01-02 back in the day. They are visually identical and they both use the same 2 prong connector to connect to the wire harness.

 

It seems he has two tanks one having a movable float the other a fixed... seems they are swapped...

 

Pulled the gauge assy. from the original tank today (see attached picture). Will be installing it in the tank on the bike, hopefully that will remedy the situation. A question though- by removing the two bolts on the front of the tank can I then hinge it up (like lifting a car hood) enough to remove/swap the gauge assy, or will I need to remove the tank completely? Either way I'll need to wait a few days till it's nice out so I can ride it and burn some gas- tank is at like 3/4 full now.

 

I'm sure you can if your fuel level is low enough.

 

I'd imagine you will have better success removing both front and rear mount and laying the tank on it's side... I think there should be enough slack in the hoses for that...

 

Rode a bit yesterday, so today the tank was practically empty and I finally got a chance to make the swap. Took off the two bolts at the front of the tank and raised it up like a car hood, used a stick to prop it up- plenty of room to swap the fuel gauge assy. Confirmed my problem- the tank on the bike isn't from a newer bike with the newer fuel gauge (see pic). Installed the right one, problem fixed. Wish they all could be this easy.

 

ive got a 01 and my gas gage always says low fuel..did a little research an ordered a new gas gage sending unit as my wires were connected so the sending unit has to be bad..well I got it today and it’s from a 98...I ordered before reading fully and I obv didint know what the part looked like as it’s inside my tank..so my question is will the sending unit from a 98 work in my 01?

 

No it will not, and Im guessing your the same rider that asked this on one of the FB pages?

 

yes I had posted in both places did not actually think the same people would be in both but kinda cool that there’s some that are

 

The tank on my 04 was dented so I replaced it with the tank off an 01 the guage wasn't working in either tank. The float in the 04 tank tested bad with a multimeter and someone installed the float in the 01 tank backwards with the float arm going towards the front of the tank where it had no room to move up and down and bent it up to where the contacts where no longer touching. I ordered a new one and installed it with the float arm to the back of the tank and it works fine now. The floats in both tanks where the same and I changed it with a half a tank of gas it without removing the tank completely just removed the two front bolts and loosened the rear a couple turns and proped it up with a stick and didnt loose any fuel.