SIP Speedo and Fuel Tap...HELP...

[Rally220]

Right its beginning to seriously pee me off now. Got a long range Oiltek Ally tank ( absolute top quality item) fitted to my Jet 230 TS1. I fitted the SIP fuel tap which plugs into my SIP speedo to give me low fuel warning light.

It works, only problem is it flashes 'FUEL' after topping up tank and just riding 5 miles down the road!!!!!!!!!!
Its obvious that the tap was designed for a standard size tank not a long range one. Has anyone else had this problem? Or know how I can modify the tap to have it flash 'FUEL' on my speedo when I have actually got to fill the tank up.

I've got a spare tap and from what I can figure the black plastic ';float' on the spindle has small range of movement on the spindle, what if I removed the lower circlip allowing the black plastic float to go right down or is the tap measuring the pressure of the fuel???????????

Any help much appreciated. Cheers.

[joeswoonara]

i have one of those fuel taps , i dont think it is as technical as you think , you fill it up the plastic floats when the fuel level drops to the reserve level the plastic sleeve drops makes a connection , it makes no difference on the size of tank as it works on level .........as to why it gives a false reading i`m not too sure, is it possibly catching on a tank baffle , or maybe try reversing your electrical connetions

[Monty]

Most of these type sensors are a reed switch inside the stem and the float will have a magnet in it so when it goes down to the point decided by the manufacturer to be empty the magnate attracts the contacts and makes a circuit turning on the light. not a lot you can do with the reed switch as its more than likely potted up with a compound to keep it electrically safe. You may find removing the float and turning it round you can alter the switching point but they often only work one way. Obviously if its set to go off at say 1 inch from the bottom you will have more in your tank than a standard tank. On my standard tap I cut the riser inside the strainer to lower the point it went onto reserve, not an option on these as you may not have a reserve

[corrado]

From what I remember you have to have the fuel tap switched to reserve all the time, the normal "on" switch is not used. You have switched it to reserve haven't you? Sorry if I'm stating the bleeding obvious.

[Rally220]

Thanks for replies guys, yeah I always switch all the way fully round to right to fully open. I'm going to change over the taps for my spare see if that makes a difference?
Only way I can figure it is flashing so early is the tank is so much bigger than standard tank for which it will have been designed and calibrated for. An email to SIP may be worth a shot....?

[dave411]

I dont think it would really make a lot of difference what size tank it is fitted to.Having seen a picture of the tap/float assembly,it seems that the float only moves about an inch or so,so even if you had a ten gallon tank,its only the dregs that would allow the float to drop enough to cause the light to switch on.Admitidley,the tank you have could be quite flat at the bottom,and quite long,which would give you a lot of fuel hanging around in the bottom of your tank,even so,if your tank is half full,it shouldnt activate the light.
If you have a spare tap,why not fit it,connect up the SIP one to the wiring harness,tape the float at the top of its travel, ride your Scoot and see what happens.It shouldnt activate the light.If it does,sounds to me like you have a faulty tap.
Just my opinion

[alanscottj]

Have you damaged the tap when installing it? I had a similar issue on my long range tank. Spoke to CamLam and they asked if I had removed the tank to fit it, I hadn't, they asked if I may have damaged it or bent it, even every so slightly. When I fitted it I had grazed the black float as it was going into the hole and I had bent the copper tube, only ever so very slightly in order to get it into the tank. Apparently they are really, really, sensitive and easy to damage. They sent me a new one and I took their advise and removed the tank this time (well loosed the straps and slide the tank out slightly giving me enough room to get the tap in without damaging/bending/scraping!). The tap works perfect (touch wood now I've written that!!!).

[Rally220]

Nice one alan, I'll give that a go and remove the tap fitted and check it against the spare. Cheers

[tabspeed]

I had same problem with Cambridge Lambretta one.
At first I thought the float was catching in the threaded section, but after shining a torch in the tank I could see the float had lifted.
Removed the tap and connected it up the sip loom then when lifting the float by hand it all worked perfect.
Fitted it again ........same problem, so I thought maybe shorting, so drained tank again and removed it yet again, connected it to loom again and touched it on frame and it still worked.
The only thing it could have been is fuel was getting into the internals, I did note the little cap on the top
of the float rod was loose.
In the end sent it back and got a replacement f.o.c.