My K100RS is from 1987 and doesn´t have the temperature and fuel gauge. I have it and i need help to install them on my bike, because i think they are very useful.

I need to know what are the pieces i have to buy.

As additional instruments, ellectrical instalation is already made in the bike?

I just need the main cable (that connect the both gauges) and its done?

Thank you

Good curves

There is probably a coded harness fitted to the bike already, and these would be on both sides under the black covers. But have you the necessary instrument holders with the cut-out, and the sender and lead for the water temperature down on the front of the motor by the oil pressure switch on the oil/water pump?

I suppose one could carefully cut the necessary gage holes with a hole saw. I am not entirely sure that all models came with the requisite fuel sender for the petrol tank gage, though, located inside the fuel tank. Lift the back end of the tank up and have a look for it. It's a small square panel as shown in this image, item number 10, with an electrical lead and modular plug.

[img][/img]I have the temperaure and fuel gauges, i made the cable that make the conection between them and i have already cut the both black side covers (because i have another one´s)!


The cable i have made it based on this image: (sorry but i don´t know how put an image on the post!)

http://k-technik.pytalhost.com/pdf/Schaltplan%20Instrumententraeger.pdf

On this web page, they show how to mount a temperature sensor. I don´t know if this one is ike an alternative sensor for conect the wiring for the gauge.

http://www.flyingbrick.de/GB/accessories.html

Relatively to the sensor on the fuel tank i go open it and see and i go put here some photos to help!

Thank you.

Good curves

Hei,

Here i am, after take some pictures from my bike without the tank!

All right, i think i have the small electronic panel inside the tank as we can see in the picture.



Is this or not?

Now i have another doubt!

Where i conect the wiring cable from the gauges???? Under the tank there is a plug without conection and i think is there, because loking for the scheme electrical the wires that goes to that plug are identical. The plug is this one:



Now if this plug is the right one, i just have to conect the temperature wire to the sensor! But i don´t know where is the sensor!!!! Acording to this image in this manual i could install a sensor here Nº 1 and 2.





If this is right thing to do, i just have to conect the wire from the sensor to the wire in the temperature gauge, correct??? Like is represented in this scheme.



Could someone tell me which is this electrical part that i have on the bike, Nº 1? I´m asking this because according to the anterior image from the manual parts i think if i have to put another temperature sensor i need to install it on number 2. Orthenumber one is already a temperature sensor?



Thank you,

Good curves

You will need that additional sensor. The one pictured is your oil pressure sensor. Remove that blanking plug and whack the new sensor right there. You will have to string a new wire from the sensor through the oil/water pump, up through the front timing chest and to the connector located under the tank on the right hand side. It is a single wire but does not just go straight to the gage, as the factory does it, at least.

Yes, you have the petrol level gage already. Now, there is a small, roundish plug that clips to the side of the 'computer' under the seat. In it there are four colour-coded wires. One of these is the lead for the petrol gage. I think it is the yellow/white wire. Of course there is an earth, or ground wire, and also the hot wire for the gage's power, as well as for internal lighting. Perhaps the easiest way to wire them in is to purchase the factory auxiliary gage harness from BMW. I will look for a part number for you.

61 12 1 459 488 harness does the fuel gage. 61 12 1 459 511 harness does the water temperature sender. The water temperature sender is part number 62 16 2 325 348.

Thank you Two Wheels Better!

Today i have order it to BMW Portugal!

Now i just have to wait the pieces arrive!

When i finish it i write again!

Good curves

Abbocath, I dunno what BMW Portugal charge for these pieces but have a look at

http://www.motobins.co.uk/bmw-parts.php?model=K%20Series

and drop down electrical then wiring harness. They are there for a pretty reasonable price. You might also save yourself some money and how long can it take to arrive from the UK to Portugal?

Harness for additional instruments - Motobins number 79878
Harness for water temperature sender - Motobins number 79879
Water temp sender - Motobins number 87042

Well well,

I did not know this web page but i have take a look on this one

http://www.motorworks.co.uk/index.php

and the prices are similar. I just don´t buy on Motorworks because the postage rates to Portugal (+- £12,5).

I have contact here the BMW and i go pay for

- the temperature sender - €7,35
- the water temperature sender - €20,46
- the harness for aditional instruments - €55,00

Is more expensive then in the UK, but i don´t go buy the harness for aditional instruments now until i tested the one i made. So i go spend +- €27,00 but usually they make at least 10% of discount, so i think i will pay a little less.

Usually the things i buy in UK (ebay and others sites) take 5/6 days arriving here, but here i have to wait for the pieces too because they don´t have it on stock.

But thanks very much for tell me about this web page!

No worries. I reckon Motobins and Motorworks are the two BMW-specific aftermarket companies that I spend the most on replacement spare parts with. They don't let you down, their prices are reasonable, and they usually always have what you need. Motorworks is also good for secondhand parts. Good luck with your project. I couldn't live without (amongst other things) my fuel and temperature gages.

I´m installing it because i don´t look very happy when i go on the bike and i pass for a gas station and pass 20 km the fuel indicators light turns red!

If i had the fuel gauge i could see that and i could put fuel in the tank! For other side the temperature gauge is extremely important for trafic city where we run and we stop for long time.

Summarizing, in my opinion this instruments should come in all bikes as standard equipment!

I will give the feedback from this project with some pictures!

Good curves

Hi Abbocath,
Next time please post questions like this in the appropriate (in this case electrical) section as you are asking a question and not giving other forum members an instruction on how to do a specific job.
Regards,
K-BIKE

All right K-Bike,

thanks for moving the post!

Regards,

Good curves

Hi Abbocath
My bike is an 87 RS and I fitted temp and fuel gauges to it
I find them very useful and accurate.
When the fuel gauge gets to the red you really are getting low on fuel !

I wired them myself but the shop bought harness should make it a straightforward job
When laying in the cable to the temp sensor I suggest you try and follow the route
the cable to the nearby oil pressure switch takes as it makes it a neater job.

Hi reg_K100RS!

Our bikes are from the same year! Nice!

Thank you for the tips! I have ordered the cable from the temperature sensor here to BMW Portugal but i´m still waiting for it! I hope it cames briefly or i will order it to UK!

Good curves

Here i am pass 15 days and my motorbike continues without the instruments!

Unfortunately I still have no parts! On the official store from BMW in Portugal where i ordered it they are still waiting for that!

I could not understand this tong time of waiting!

They teel me that the parts arrive tomorrow! I will wait to see or i cancelled the order!

Good curves

Finally is done!!!!! The instruments are in bike!

The pieces arrive on Friday and i have installed it on the same day!

They work perfectelly and i will put some photos of installation!

I just have a small problem, the screw that i have to take off for put the temperature sensor milled head so i got additional work!

Yesterday i make 320km and i could see that the temperature and fuel level indicators are very useful!

Thank for every help you gave!


Now tell me something, what are the normal values for the temperature?

Good curves

yay abbocath ......good work

on my bike the temp stays below the second bar past the blue
and varies between the first bar and the second bar with traffic and stop go riding ....when pushing it hard it sits high to the second bar


enjoy

As promised, here are the pictures from installation of the temperature and fuel gauges!

The things i need:

- instruments



- the cable for instruments (the one i made)



- temperature valve

- the cable for temperature valve



I did not have the chips indicated to connect the gauges, so i have to do it handmade. i think it results.





I have some dificulty to pass the cable to connect the temperature valve because the space is minimum!



And finally we have the gauges working and indicating the fuel level and the temperature level!





Once more, Thanks for every help you gave!

Good curves

nice job .......

Excellent work and thanks for posting pics!

OG

Top job,the pics are very helpfull.

BIG D

The single temperature sender wire goes right underneath the ignition timing cover and down through the water/oil pump as the oil pressure's single wire does. Feed it up through from the bottom. There's heaps of room and it's a cleaner installation. Nice job fabricating the connectors!

Information (from the gauges) is knowledge and knowledge is power and power is useful for getting on down the road!

+1 and nice work on the cable fab!

OG

Hi everyone,
I'm in the same situation, I've got the two instruments (water temp and fuel level gauges) but no cables to the tank and radiator, nor the temp sensor.

The fuel cable (instrument to tank) is very pricey, about 70 EUR from BMW so I'd like to build if possible?

Abbocath, you made such a great job here, you made your own right? Can you help me with that? Or also would you make one for me that I can buy?

Thanks

You'll have a real challenge finding a mating connector to fit the fuel level connector in the harness and the connectors on each gauge.  The housing on these connectors has the same dimensions as a standard AMP MATE-N-LOK 1-480424-0 connector (used as a  disk drive power connector in every desktop PC) but the contacts are very non-standard (too small diameter at 1.57 mm (0.062") instead of the PC standard of 2.36 mm (0.093")).

One solution is to make cables with loose pins at the end.  Find 1.58mm (1/16") brass rod at a hobby store; it is commonly used by hobbyists for model airplanes.  Cut off short pieces of about 1cm length and solder them to the ends of wires.  Insert the pins into the mating plug and use epoxy putty or silicone sealant to bond the pins together into a "connector" shape.  This will help to hold their spacing and provide insulation from electrical short.

Another solution is to clip off the non-standard connectors on the gauges and harness.  Then replace those connectors with ones more readily obtained.  I'd suggest if you go that far, then use waterproof connectors like using AMP Superseal 1.5 series connector pairs in 4-pin configurations. These connectors are commonly used on modern cars and motorcycles, including Moto Guzzi, Ducati and Piaggio.  They are easily obtained at a automobile wrecker or from the dealer.

HI Sobonatovada

I have fitted the gauges and used motobins and motor works for the parts, the cables are not expensive and well worth it.
The temp sensor cable is a bit of a bugger to fit but feed and old cable up from the bottom and tie them together then pull it through and you'll be fine. Down here in Sunny Perth the temp will get to half way when its 40 degrees but generally it stays at the second mark, the fuel gauge is really accurate, DO not think theres plenty when you hit the red!
Cheers
TD5

Normal temperature readings on mine are as shown in the photos above.  When stuck in traffic on a hot day the needle will go to the 12 o'clock position or a bit further depending on how long I am stuck.  Doesn't go higher because that's when the manual fan switch gets turned on.

robmack wrote:You'll have a real challenge finding a mating connector to fit the fuel level connector in the harness and the connectors on each gauge.  The housing on these connectors has the same dimensions as a standard AMP MATE-N-LOK 1-480424-0 connector (used as a  disk drive power connector in every desktop PC) but the contacts are very non-standard (too small diameter at 1.57 mm (0.062") instead of the PC standard of 2.36 mm (0.093")).

One solution is to make cables with loose pins at the end.  Find 1.58mm (1/16") brass rod at a hobby store; it is commonly used by hobbyists for model airplanes.  Cut off short pieces of about 1cm length and solder them to the ends of wires.  Insert the pins into the mating plug and use epoxy putty or silicone sealant to bond the pins together into a "connector" shape.  This will help to hold their spacing and provide insulation from electrical short.

That's a great idea Robert!

I think I'll give it a try for the fuel cable (the stupidly expensive one) while I'll go with the BMW original parts for the temp cable and sensor.

Anyone know what would the appropriate lenght for the fuel cable?

Really Expensive, its 20 quid.
http://www.motorworksbmw.co.uk/vlive/Shop/Parts.php?T=6&Q=ELK59488

td5 wrote:Really Expensive, its 20 quid.
http://www.motorworksbmw.co.uk/vlive/Shop/Parts.php?T=6&Q=ELK59488

Yep I know that used one, I have already sent an inquiry because it appears to be out of stock.

The new cable costs about 70 EUR from BMW

Ok guys, there's a little update, let's focus on the fuel gauge connections (temperature looks like an easier job)

I've made the connector at one end for the wiring that will join the gauge to the connector/wiring coming from the fuel tank. 
I haven't done the other end because... see first enigma below.

My questions are:

1) How should I behave in reference to the wire colours? I've read of someone that matched green/green, yellow/yellow etc and burned down the wiring once it turned the key, not sure what he did exactly though.
I'm confused because the colour sequence on the two connectors (instrument and tank) is different, argh!

2) why the BMW OEM fuel cable is a Y shape? Should I care mine is not? Can't see any second connector under the tank to plug the extra connection.

Here's my situation:



Thanks a lot for your help everyone

Connector for aux instrument:
Brown: ground.
Blue/black: instrument illumination.
Yellow: float sensor.
Green/black: switched power.

Connector for fuel level gauge:
Ditto colours, exept instr. illu. which is grey/black.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The colours on the two connectors doesn't correspond because you missing
the wire(s) that should be between, which also is a wire branching for the temp. gauge.

You lost me here...

how's that branch made? do you have a scheme (and measure for the cables) perhaps?

And hows the temp instrument connected then? 
I thought it was just connected to the bulb measuring the water temperature.

The connector for the water temp gauge is just the same as the level gauge,
power, ground, light and sensor...(same colours exept sensor which is black).

In the other end the water temp sensor wire is connected to the small blue
connector in the picture...which is connected to a wire that goes down to
the water/oil pump, where you install a sensor where the water drain plug
now is mounted.......so you also need this wire and the sensor.






No wiring diagram is needed I think, since you have all the colour codes
needed (ref. picture and connector at bike harness).....the branched wire(s)
I would guess is around 40 cm.

Schematic diagram for additional instruments.

Amazing, thank you Inge and Rob!

I'll see what I can do, my skills are not that big and in case I surrender I'll just buy that wiring loom.

So I've found a second hand Y-shape wiring loom, that was so much a better idea guys 

And yesterday I've installed which was not exactly plug and play as I had to open hall sensor and water pump covers to get the cable through, and then I installed the loom under the tank, since previous owner added a 12v plug I've now moved that inside the left fairing.

Now waiting for the temperature bulb that the shop forgot to put in the box!