Low fuel warning indicator - SChip kit

[avee]

Greetings,
Low fuel warning indicator project that was published in SILICON CHIP,
February 1993 has been discontinued in the major electronic shops.
I was hoping anyone would know if any shop around australia might still have
a kit on their shelves.
Or might be able to email me the project article if they have the issue.
Willing also to purchase used.

tia

avee

 

[Arpit]

whats the point of it? i thought most vehicles had a fuel
indicator....

 

[Peter H]

avee,
I have the Dick Smith kit K-4210 for the Silicon Chip 2/93 low fuel
indicator. In plastic bag with all components, zippy box, reprint of SC
article, never opened, never assembled and completely unused.

In the 1999 Dick Smith catalogue it was $14.95 so it's yours for $20 which
should also cover the cost of postage within Australia.

If you want it, email me on
eotl2002 at hotmail dot com

In case you are wondering, I built my first one to switch an electric car
radiator fan on and off. Something which will monitor a voltage on a fuel
tank sender does an equally good job of monitoring a critical voltage on a
coolant temperature sender. So I bought a second kit (the one I'm selling)
for future use in another vehicle which never eventuated. The first vehicle
never got hot enough for the electric fan to cut in so I ended up replacing
the fan switcher onner with a manual switch anyway.

Peter

 

[avee]

For a motorcycle where the "low fuel" circuitry has crapped itself and
happens to be embedded into the fuel level sender unit.

Repair warrants a total replacement of the fuel sender unit which at cost of
120 AUS strikes me as a bit rich. No suprise here, as I have been riding
bikes for over 16 years and have become aquainted with the high cost of
motorcycle parts. But I am not prepared to fork out 120 dollars just to
regain the low fuel light seeing as there is nothing wrong with the level
sender unit.

The word "improvise" gets used often when mantaining motorcycles that are
high-maintenance.

avee

 

[Albm&ctd]

The word "improvise" gets used often when mantaining motorcycles that are
high-maintenance.

avee

The word "wank" goes to the manufacturers for putting all this shit on
in the first place. Yeah, even my 85 model doesn't have something
useful they did away with, a kickstart. They rely so much on
electrics/electronics then want to charge you more than a grand for an
igniter that contains no more than $30 worth of parts.
I guess you have a reserve tap, switch the tap at the first splutter,
well that's what I do.
I also keep an eye on how many k's I've done and take a peek into the
tank once in a while

Al


2004 insult page awaits your contribution
http://kwakakid.cjb.net/insult.html

 

[avee]

The word "wank" goes to the manufacturers for putting all this shit on
in the first place.

Why would the motorcycle world be exempt by the "modern marvels of
technology"?

Yeah, even my 85 model doesn't have something

useful they did away with, a kickstart.

May have been resonable on older singles or twin cylinders with decomp.
level. Kickstarting a modern high performance four cylinder 750 ? I'd like
to see that.

Why not bring back the "crankshaft handle" in modern cars?

They rely so much on

electrics/electronics then want to charge you more than a grand for an
igniter that contains no more than $30 worth of parts

Such is life. Opens up oppurtunity's for the OEM market. My
rectifier/regulator packed in 2 years ago.
Honda dealer was asking for 300 dollars, sourced a locally made OEM unit for
120 dollars.
Found it even cheaper overseas, but preferred to buy it locally.

 

[Tony Pearce]

Yeah, even my 85 model doesn't have something

But at least it's easier to push start a motorbike than a car.

May have been resonable on older singles or twin cylinders with decomp.
level. Kickstarting a modern high performance four cylinder 750 ? I'd like
to see that.

It's a HELL of a lot easier to kickstart a four cylinder 750 than a big
single. Try a 600cc single with 12:1 compression ratio and no electronic
ignition if you want a real challenge. Watch out for the kickback

The simple fact is that any bike that can be started with a cycle mounted
starter motor, can be kick started! Big singles usually don't have an
electric start because the starter motor etc. would be too big for the bike.
And it's the high compression racing Harleys that use rollers to start them,
not the Jap fours.

As for the fuel indicator, I've never owned a bike with a fuel gauge or
indicator, and haven't run out too many times. Whenever I did it wasn't
because I didn't know I was getting low.

TonyP.

 

[avee]

It's a HELL of a lot easier to kickstart a four cylinder 750 than a big
single. Try a 600cc single with 12:1 compression ratio and no electronic
ignition if you want a real challenge. Watch out for the kickback

All the more reason they had decomp. levels to ease the dislocated kneecap
or broken leg syndrome.
High compression is one thing, moving nearly four times the mass is another.
I had no pleasure at all when my Kwaka triple had trouble starting, Cursing
and swearing didnt help either. ( I learnt my best colourful language when I
started riding bikes ).

The only people that enjoyed riding motorcycles with kickstarts, where the
kids and masochists. I could never imagine females in that era enjoyed
kickstarts. Every older bikie I have spoken to claim that each bike had
developed their own "knack" starting, which was a problem when you had to
swap bikes with someone.

With an electric start, it's all too easy. If your battery is flat, you push
start and hope to hell you have enough power to start the electronics.

As for the fuel indicator, I've never owned a bike with a fuel gauge or
indicator, and haven't run out too many times. Whenever I did it wasn't
because I didn't know I was getting low.

TonyP.

When was the last time you had a peek in your fuel tank while travelling at
100 km/h? Did people not use their other *idiot* indicator called the trip
meter OR odometer as a fuel level indicator?

Honda Goldwings have heated handgrips, reverse gear, intercom and radio with
external speakers.In the scheme of things a fuel light seems right at home.

My bike has even got a AM / PM indicator on the clock. Go figure. . .

avee

 

[Albm&ctd]

Why would the motorcycle world be exempt by the "modern marvels of
technology"?

For simplicity sake?

Yeah, even my 85 model doesn't have something

May have been resonable on older singles or twin cylinders with decomp.
level. Kickstarting a modern high performance four cylinder 750 ? I'd like
to see that.

You don't know what you're talking about. My 650 twin would be harder
to kick than a 750 four cylinder, but still possible unless you're a
cripple but it doesn't have one fitted. Try a 500 + XT single with
high comp piston... interesting.

Why not bring back the "crankshaft handle" in modern cars?

My 92 model 4wd has a crank handle!!

They rely so much on

Such is life. Opens up oppurtunity's for the OEM market. My
rectifier/regulator packed in 2 years ago.
Honda dealer was asking for 300 dollars, sourced a locally made OEM unit for
120 dollars.
Found it even cheaper overseas, but preferred to buy it locally.

Pays to shop around for sure but some electronics are not available
aftermarket or just plainly too expensive even for aftermarket. It's
just a rip and the wreckers know the new price so they rip you for a
second hand part. It's all a plot

Al


2004 insult page awaits your contribution
http://kwakakid.cjb.net/insult.html

 

[Tony Pearce]

All the more reason they had decomp. levels to ease the dislocated kneecap
or broken leg syndrome.

A decompression lever only helps you get it over top dead centre before you
kick, it doesn't prevent kick back.

High compression is one thing, moving nearly four times the mass is

another.

Please elaborate why a 750/4 will have four times the mass of a 600 single?
In fact the 600 will have bigger flywheels and only fractionaly less weight
in pistons and conrods. Steel weighs a lot more than aluminium!

The only people that enjoyed riding motorcycles with kickstarts, where the
kids and masochists.

A bike CAN have both.

I could never imagine females in that era enjoyed
kickstarts. Every older bikie I have spoken to claim that each bike had
developed their own "knack" starting, which was a problem when you had to
swap bikes with someone.

Sure. Not many can start a big single unless they now how.

With an electric start, it's all too easy. If your battery is flat, you push
start and hope to hell you have enough power to start the electronics.

I'd still rather kick a bike when the battery is flat, than to push start
it. And I did many push strarts in my time racing,

When was the last time you had a peek in your fuel tank while travelling at
100 km/h?
Never.

Did people not use their other *idiot* indicator called the trip
meter OR odometer as a fuel level indicator?
Exactly!

Honda Goldwings have heated handgrips, reverse gear, intercom and radio with
external speakers.In the scheme of things a fuel light seems right at

home.

Sure, but would I bother putting another one on it because a replacement is
too dear? No.

My bike has even got a AM / PM indicator on the clock. Go figure. . .

Mine isn't back lit ($2 stick on), so when I can't read the digits, it's
probably night time

TonyP.