What did you do to your Royal Enfield today?

[ADB]

Changed the oil for the 3rd time with 3375 miles on the clock, (still a bunch of metal dust on both magnets), and took what I'm assuming will be my last ride of the year, (it's been hovering around 30F here in Wisconsin, and we're supposed to get snow the next two days).  Topped it off w/ gas on the way home, put some stabil in the tank, pulled the battery, and lubed the chain...and that's when i noticed this, (see picture below). Not sure how i lost the nut, or how the bike was still feeling straight. I'm having a hard time even remembering what I'm missing here...just a regular nut? or something more specific, (i haven't had to adjust the chain yet, got a decent o-ring chain at 500 miles and had the dealer throw it on and it hasn't needed anything yet)?
Theories?

[ADB]

ehh..like always happens to me, the picture is rotated 90 degrees..so in your minds, rotate 90 clockwise. 

[Royalista]

The design of the fuel level sensor has changed a few times.  The ones I've seen are all black plastic.  The bottom plug has a plastic rod coming out of the top.  The rod has a circlip on the top and the float rides on the rod, kept on by the circlip.  The float is a cylinder of rigid foam.  I think there's a metal washer in it that trips the sensor when it goes to the bottom.

When mine went bad it was the foam that stopped floating, it sank like a stone.

I suspect the goo you saw was what was left of the float after our alcohol laden US fuel mostly dissolved it.  Was there a metal washer or other metal bit near the bottom of the goo?

Call your dealer, explain what's up.  They should get you a new sensor under warranty and if they're cool they'll probably let you install it yourself.

Scott

With 10,000 Miles on the odometer I'm on my third low fuel sensor now. Both times changed under warranty. With less than 6 months left in warranty this sensor is getting on my nerve.
Both units examined but nothing suspicious to see. That's not good for building confidence.
The way they stopped working is mysterious too: on turning ignition key the LFS light comes up, on a full tank, and no way to make it turn off.

What kind of annoys me is that I don't consider a fuel meter a necessity but as Arizoni relates: leaving a LFS in the tank may cause serious trouble, so ignoring a defective one is not advisable.

It would be really helpful to know what can cause the LFS to fail. And possibly a safer solution to do without so that no harmful substances develop inside the tank. We can't expect the company handing out LFS's forever but having to buy them constantly isn't attractive either. It's not like an oil change or what?

[Jack Leis]

ADB, It appears that you lost your brake backing plate nut. All I know is it takes an 18mm socket but haven't a clue what the thread size is.

[Royalista]

ehh..like always happens to me, the picture is rotated 90 degrees..so in your minds, rotate 90 clockwise. 

Hey ADB, no problem.

The missing nut is the anchor nut. I've been trying to find the proper measurement, can't for now. You'll need an 18mm spanner.
Anyway it's a rather important one that you'll want to replace post haste.

Good luck.

[Arizoni]

Royalista
Unless your one of those people who like everything to be working, you might want to consider disconnecting your fuel level guage.
It's a very simple operation to just follow the wire from the sending unit and unplug it where it connects to the main wiring harness.
Then, you can join me and the others who jot down the mileage reading on the handlebars with a Sharpy black fine point marker every time you refuel.
With a little effort and some spit on my finger I can erase the old mileage value.

These failures make me wonder if the RE people are using the right type of alcohol in their fuel level sensor testing program.
If they are using something other than ethanol their tests could indicate they've found a good design but our fuels seem to ruin their best efforts.

ADB:  I'm a bit confused but the Service Manual says that brake anchor plate nut is a M12 X 1.25 (part number 580368) although when I measured the exposed thread it measured slightly less than 11mm.

I suggest that you ride your bike carefully to a auto supply or a good hardware store and tell them your problem.  They should have metric nuts that you could try on the stud.  It will be a "fine thread" nut.
If you have the option, it would be best to buy a Grade 5 nut (or the metric equivalent) along with a washer.
The nut should be torqued to 18 foot pounds.

[Chiefharlock]

Flipped my bars today!  Lets see how that works out for a lil while...

[barenekd]

Mine quit working awhile back, but I haven't figured out where the disconnect is. The float is still working right. I'm thinking about just running a hot wire to the float and let it work from. It doesn't need to turn on with the key AFAIC.
Bare

[barenekd]

Jack and I rode to the IMS Show to look at the Cafe Racer.
It's very nice. I tried it on for size and it's a bit longer reach than mine to the bars and puts a bit more weight on the wrists. The seat height is a bit higher, but I can still reach the ground. The seat is reasonably padded, so hopefully will stay comfortable for the long run. And it has a trip meter!
Ron Greene said the bike will be out in the summer with the California and 49 state versions being released at the same time. They are initially importing 200, about 70 will be California models. The price is expected to be about $7400.
The bike is apparently going to be shod with Pirelli sport Demons. At least that's what's on the show bike, The rear is a 120/70-18. Sorry, I didn't look at the front one. The shocks are Paioli.
Jack took a ton of pictures, so I guess he'll post them.
I was going to take more pictures than I did, but a bunch of guys decided to stand in front of me, so I was going to come back, but I forgot to.
I think the last pics I saw showed a flyscreen on it. This one didn't have it.
It looks like it will be a fun machine.
Bare

[Royalista]

Mine quit working awhile back, but I haven't figured out where the disconnect is. The float is still working right. I'm thinking about just running a hot wire to the float and let it work from. It doesn't need to turn on with the key AFAIC.
Bare

Sorry, I don't get it. Would you still get a reading from it then?
On mine the floats were still working too. Problem might not be with the float itself.

Arizoni
By the way, good tip to write down the mileage on the handlebars. I use to look for gas every 250km, that's easy to remember too.
Wasn't your problem a nasty substance from a dissolved float? So how about taking it out and filling up the hole versus 'disconnect and forget'?
And you're absolutely right: engines love fuel, people love alcohol. Each to its own.

[Arizoni]

I believe the fuel level sensor is just a simple on/off switch.  There are two wires connecting it and if it is disconnected at the main wiring harness and that plug on the harness side is checked one wire (red) is the power supply and the other runs thru the bulb to ground.
Running another hot wire to the level sensor wouldn't do anything that isn't being done already thru the red wire.

As for the translucent glob, I assume it is what's left of the old float.  It didn't look like a float though.  Just a clear colored glob that I picked off with my fingers.  I should have taken pictures but I forgot to.
As for filling the hole, the existing level sensor and its O-ring is doing a good job of plugging the hole.  As long as no fuel leaks develop I'm willing to leave it be.

[Jack Leis]

The fuel sensor float switch looks just like and probably is a "reed switch". In the float itself is a minute magnet that passes a contact in the armature. As it passes it excites the reed, closes the switch and provides the signal to the fuel light.They are very prone to sticking opened or closed with a resistive load like a lamp. Just my take.

[barenekd]

My float doesn't get any juice to the switch. I've had the float out, in fact, I replaced the original one because I broke the nut off the original. There is no juice present to go through the switch. The switch has continuity when the float is down.
Yes. It will work just putting a hot wire to it.
Bare

[Ducati Scotty]

Hmmmmm....  Braided steel line on that rear brake.  Did you notice if the front was braided too?

Scott

[gremlin]

Moved my B5 one foot to the North, so, I could get the SNOW BLOWER out and clear the driveway this morning.