Fuel Level Indicator Not Working - Clutch Switch/Solved!

The clutch switch is a simple 2 wire switch it tells the computer the clutch is out if the computer does not see a ground. When you pull the lever in, the switch connects the two wires and the computer sees the ground, so it knows the lever is in. If you "fixed" the switch by splicing or joining those two wires, then the computer always thinks the clutch is pulled in.

Then lever has to be pulled in to start the bike-period. If you can start the bike w/out pulling in the clutch, then the computer thinks the clutch is always in.

If you want to check, start the bike, then disconnect those two wires and see if your fuel gauge works (might to drive a few miles or wait a few minutes for it to update).

There was a thread about something similar awhile back when ArekDeBoss was having issues with his clutch switch. I didn't realize that the ECU used that signal for so many other things when I suggest he bypass it. There was a whole discussion about the computer doing funny things when you did that. I guess once you report back we can add the fuel gauge to the list of funny things!

I would expose the two wires.
twist them together to get the thing to start
untwist/separate them and see what happens.

Journeyman28778 said:

Sonny- any chance you had a clutch switch issue around that time? I had pulled mine to clean it when the bike wouldn't start. Fixed the starting problem, but I think that is when the fuel gauge went out. I don't understand the "connection," but if you also had a clutch switch issue we could be on to something. See below...

It’s my rocket​

said....
"G’day mate, having similar issues [fuel gauge] with my r3 atm.... from what I’ve researched the clutch safety start switch is linked to the fuel gauge through ecu....
Possibly try to clean contacts inside this switch may have to remove clutch lever or spray some type of electrical plug cleaner and work the clutch lever a few times....
Hopefully this will assist."

The next poster

DodahMan​

Journeyman28778 said:

Even in neutral with the kickstand down you should have to pull the lever in for it to crank, right? I'm not sure anymore, cause I always do it that way out of habit.

If so, not mine ever since I "fixed" the switch- starts without pulling in the lever. It must always be making contact and the bike thinks the lever is in.

I was having erratic problems with the bike recently. I finally decided it was the primary TPS and fuel filter, but now wondering if when the clutch switch was on it's way out that might have been contributing to the problem.

Who knew so much of the bike's critical operations were dependent on that little switch!

@sonny I'll bet yours will start that way too. Let us know....

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in that thread said that he had also been messing with the clutch cable/lever/switch before his gauge went out.

Here's the link....

Fuel indication failure

Do these bikes use OBDII engine scanners like cars?Yes and no. Most bikes are still NOT OBDII. The R3 is OBD1 but has a standardised OBDII connector and will show you SOME codes. You might be lucky. But TuneECU is the better bet.

www.r3owners.net

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Journeyman28778 said:

Even in neutral with the kickstand down you should have to pull the lever in for it to crank, right? I'm not sure anymore, cause I always do it that way out of habit.

If so, not mine ever since I "fixed" the switch- starts without pulling in the lever. It must always be making contact and the bike thinks the lever is in.

I was having erratic problems with the bike recently. I finally decided it was the primary TPS and fuel filter, but now wondering if when the clutch switch was on it's way out that might have been contributing to the problem.

Who knew so much of the bike's critical operations were dependent on that little switch!

@sonny I'll bet yours will start that way too. Let us know....

Click to expand...

I experienced no juice to headlights and could not start bike. Worked it out and replaced clutch switch. Problem disappeared. Bike would start and headlights stayed on. Then the gas gauge bars stopped working. Really did not like that at all. Did a diagnostics using tuneECU and problem disappeared for awhile. Then gas bars stopped working again. Kind of figured that there was a connection there somewhere. Basic troubleshooting. Believe the answer is not in the wiring but in the ECU itself. Still investigation issue. Nothing nailed down yet but working on it.

sonny said:

I experienced no juice to headlights and could not start bike. Worked it out and replaced clutch switch. Problem disappeared. Bike would start and headlights stayed on. Then the gas gauge bars stopped working. Really did not like that at all. Did a diagnostics using tuneECU and problem disappeared for awhile. Then gas bars stopped working again. Kind of figured that there was a connection there somewhere. Basic troubleshooting. Believe the answer is not in the wiring but in the ECU itself. Still investigation issue. Nothing nailed down yet but working on it.

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Can you start your bike without pulling in the clutch lever when in neutral? Check to see. If you're like me you do it naturally and would never notice if it started without touching the lever.

My bike is about three quarter of the way torn down. Yes you can start the bike in Neutral without pulling in the clutch. Kickstand down and everything else.

Sounds like u might have solved the problem. Thats great.

sonny said:

Yes you can start the bike in Neutral without pulling in the clutch. Kickstand down and everything else.

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Not if working correctly you can't. If you CAN start it w/out pulling the clutch then something ain't right w/ the clutch switch or ECU.

I'll bet 9 out of 10 people whose fuel gauge is out have a clutch switch that is stuck, causing a constant connection. It probably starts with a bike that won't start because the clutch switch is corroded and unable to make that connection. In the process of cleaning it and putting it back together you may end up with some kind of bind that prevents the switch from releasing. Your bike now starts, but your fuel gauge is kaput.

Moral of the story- If your fuel gauge no longer works, and you can start the bike in neutral without pulling in the clutch lever, you need a new switch (or you can try repairing the old one).

I have a new/used switch coming from Pinwall. I predict that if the bike starts, but only while pulling in the clutch lever that the fuel gauge will magically come back to life- we'll see. I also expect for $50 to gain at least 20 more horsepower Seriously, from what all I'm reading it just may actually run better as a result.

Guess we were working on the right track and stillserving confirmed it. My switch is fairly new. Just might have installed a faulty switch from the get go.

sonny said:

Guess we were working on the right track and stillserving confirmed it. My switch is fairly new. Just might have installed a faulty switch from the get go.

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Also, @TURBO200R4 was the one who suggested seeing if it would start without pulling in the clutch lever. Props!