1100 fuel guage problem

[Troyskie]

G'day fellas, I've searched for a thread, but can't find one.
Occasionally my fuel guage acts as though the fuel sloshing around is directly linked to the needle, literally. Then it will settle down. As mentioned, this does not happen often, just occasionally, but I'm assuming it will happen  more often as the bike ages.
I assume there is some sort of damping between the float level and the guage.
Is there some type of maintenance I can do to stop the fuel guage from being so erratic? I don't mind pulling the sender etc. of the tank to do it.

[red]

G'day fellas, I've searched for a thread, but can't find one.
Occasionally my fuel guage acts as though the fuel sloshing around is directly linked to the needle, literally. Then it will settle down. As mentioned, this does not happen often, just occasionally, but I'm assuming it will happen  more often as the bike ages.  I assume there is some sort of damping between the float level and the guage.
Is there some type of maintenance I can do to stop the fuel guage from being so erratic? I don't mind pulling the sender etc. of the tank to do it.

Troyskie,

If the gauge is erratic when there is no real reason for it (just cruising), you may have a bad ground connection.  or maybe a dirty connector.  If you have the wiring diagram, check the connectors between the sender and the instrument panel.  You may need to run a dedicated ground wire from the tank (at the sender) to the instrument panel, as a test.  If your temporary ground wire "fixes" the problem, you will know the wiring harness is at fault.  Most old electrical connectors are available from our secret sources (not Yamaha), if needed.

The wiring diagram is in the back of the owner's manual.  You can print out single pages of these .PDF files, or a copy shop can print and punch them all, for a three-hole binder (I recommend that).  Your FJ should be one of these two models:

http://www.yamahaownershandbook.com.au/lib/download.php?f=50K-28199-60.pdf
http://www.yamahaownershandbook.com.au/lib/download.php?f=50K-28199-61.pdf

Cheers,
Red

[Troyskie]

Thanks Red, I'll check the connectors and then the ground.
Cheers,
Troy

[mr blackstock]

G day.
I found earthing the tank directly to the battery earth the best fix. Where you bolt the tank down, remove the rubber  mount.

Cheers, gareth

[Troyskie]

Thanks mate, sounds lie a nice simple test to try. I'll give the connectors a little clean-up first and see if that is the prob, then move on to the tank earth to battery earth.