Estimating fuel level on 640 Adv?

kurtw · 09-03-2004, 05:58 PM

Does anyone have any bright ideas about how to estimate your fuel level on the KTM 640 Adventure? You can't see sh!t through the filler so my only points of reference are FULL or on reserve (or empty if I really messed up).

Watching milage is probably as reliable as anything else I guess, but visual or other means of confirmation would be nice. I end up having to carry around a lot of extra fuel (weight) for short rides just to be safe...

Mack · 09-03-2004, 06:23 PM

You could strip or sand a vertical strip of paint off the tank, and apply graduations to show fuel quanity.

On trips where I truck the bike, I have a long section of fuel hose, I run it from the petcock to my truck tank, gives me spare gas for the truck in remote areas, and makes it really easy to drain the ADV, allowing it to be filled with a known quanity.

kurtw · 09-03-2004, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mack

You could strip or sand a vertical strip of paint off the tank, and apply graduations to show fuel quanity.

I've wondered about that. Has anyone done this? Is the tank transparent enough under the paint to see the level?

meat popsicle · 09-03-2004, 06:50 PM

What about some marks on the forks? All that weight has to make an impression on the front end sag. Mabye you could make some marks on the front forks, well maybe the dust shields is a better idea, and graduate it for different amounts of fuel left.

Loadedagain · 09-03-2004, 06:53 PM

meatstick has a neat idea, but i like the sanding gig. i will prolly be painting my bike this winter, so i'm gonna give it a shot.... i'll let you know how it goes.

creeper · 09-03-2004, 07:41 PM

Put a "tee" in your main fuel line... attach a piece of clear hose, long enough to come a bit above the tank, with a cap or plug on the end. Find a handy place to attach the hose so it's not flopping around (duct tape if your feeling paticularly goat roperish).
Whant to see your fuel level?... remove the cap or plug and the fuel will seek it's own level in the hose... ta da.

Want to clear the hose?... blow and cap, real fast.

James has my seat,
Creeper

Mack · 09-03-2004, 08:02 PM

I expect one would either need to look through the filler neck, from the inside out, so to speak, or strip some of the factory overspray off the underside of the tank and mount a light shining towards the graduated strip on the outside.

meat popsicle · 09-03-2004, 08:34 PM

some nice japanese company (nippon denso) made a fuel gage cap for my 75 Yamaha rd350. it had a gage built into the cap and a float hanging on a lil chain. it was adjustable, and with some eyeballing i got the hang of knowing how much was in there.

anyone wanna fabricate some for the Adventure???

creeper?

G.Kennedy · 09-03-2004, 08:39 PM

I have some pretty good road rash on my tank and I can NOT see the fuel inside. I think it would need to be more than a strip of sanded area to get enough light in there.

creeper · 09-03-2004, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meat popsicle

some nice japanese company (nippon denso) made a fuel gage cap for my 75 Yamaha rd350. it had a gage built into the cap and a float hanging on a lil chain. it was adjustable, and with some eyeballing i got the hang of knowing how much was in there.

anyone wanna fabricate some for the Adventure???

creeper?

See post 6 again... I wasn't pulling your chain about the clear hose.

09-03-2004, 05:58 PM	#1
kurtw ^OP Child of the Wind Joined: Dec 2003 Location: Bend, OR USA Oddometer: 186	Estimating fuel level on 640 Adv? Does anyone have any bright ideas about how to estimate your fuel level on the KTM 640 Adventure? You can't see sh!t through the filler so my only points of reference are FULL or on reserve (or empty if I really messed up). Watching milage is probably as reliable as anything else I guess, but visual or other means of confirmation would be nice. I end up having to carry around a lot of extra fuel (weight) for short rides just to be safe...

09-03-2004, 06:23 PM	#2
Mack Gone, but never forgotten. RIP, Mack... Joined: Sep 2002 Location: Austin, Texas USA Native Oregonian Oddometer: 3,797	You could strip or sand a vertical strip of paint off the tank, and apply graduations to show fuel quanity. On trips where I truck the bike, I have a long section of fuel hose, I run it from the petcock to my truck tank, gives me spare gas for the truck in remote areas, and makes it really easy to drain the ADV, allowing it to be filled with a known quanity. __________________ Ã–sterreichische MotorrÃ¤der und deutsche Autos. Wie wundervoll kann das Leben sein

09-03-2004, 06:50 PM	#4
meat popsicle Ignostic Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Circumlocution Office of Little Dorrit Oddometer: 13,872	What about some marks on the forks? All that weight has to make an impression on the front end sag. Mabye you could make some marks on the front forks, well maybe the dust shields is a better idea, and graduate it for different amounts of fuel left. __________________ Kronreif Trunkenpolz Mattighofen LC4 640 Its not so much staying alive; its staying human that counts.

09-03-2004, 06:53 PM	#5
Loadedagain making chips Joined: Jan 2003 Location: West Vancouver, BC Oddometer: 26,648	meatstick has a neat idea, but i like the sanding gig. i will prolly be painting my bike this winter, so i'm gonna give it a shot.... i'll let you know how it goes. __________________ iba - 22936 * Alcan5000 - 2006, 2008, 2012 * Stenhouse Racing - Specializing in KTM Upgrades** custom cnc service available to suit your specific needs.

09-03-2004, 07:41 PM	#6
creeper Still alive... Joined: Dec 2003 Location: Puget Sound Oddometer: 10,718	Or... try this Put a "tee" in your main fuel line... attach a piece of clear hose, long enough to come a bit above the tank, with a cap or plug on the end. Find a handy place to attach the hose so it's not flopping around (duct tape if your feeling paticularly goat roperish). Whant to see your fuel level?... remove the cap or plug and the fuel will seek it's own level in the hose... ta da. Want to clear the hose?... blow and cap, real fast. James has my seat, Creeper

09-03-2004, 08:02 PM	#7
Mack Gone, but never forgotten. RIP, Mack... Joined: Sep 2002 Location: Austin, Texas USA Native Oregonian Oddometer: 3,797	I expect one would either need to look through the filler neck, from the inside out, so to speak, or strip some of the factory overspray off the underside of the tank and mount a light shining towards the graduated strip on the outside. __________________ Ã–sterreichische MotorrÃ¤der und deutsche Autos. Wie wundervoll kann das Leben sein

09-03-2004, 08:34 PM	#8
meat popsicle Ignostic Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Circumlocution Office of Little Dorrit Oddometer: 13,872	some nice japanese company (nippon denso) made a fuel gage cap for my 75 Yamaha rd350. it had a gage built into the cap and a float hanging on a lil chain. it was adjustable, and with some eyeballing i got the hang of knowing how much was in there. anyone wanna fabricate some for the Adventure??? creeper? __________________ Kronreif Trunkenpolz Mattighofen LC4 640 Its not so much staying alive; its staying human that counts.

09-03-2004, 08:39 PM	#9
G.Kennedy ... Joined: Oct 2002 Location: Venice, CA Oddometer: 1,848	I have some pretty good road rash on my tank and I can NOT see the fuel inside. I think it would need to be more than a strip of sanded area to get enough light in there. __________________ '85 K100RS '05 525EXC '08 Hypermotard

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