How to Wire a 150cc Scooter Tank
Installing an electrical sensor into a scooter's fuel tank involves modifying the fuel tank so that it will hold the sensor in the proper position. The process also requires using a specific sending unit that will check the fuel level and then report it to the corresponding dial on the scooter dashboard. Not all scooters will allow these modifications, so the first steps involve checking to see if the job can be performed on a particular vehicle.
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Things You'll Need
- New scooter dashboard with a fuel gauge
- Aftermarket fuel gauge with bracket (optional)
- Power drill
- Wide hole drill bit
- Two small bolts and nuts
- New fuel gauge with bracket
- Wire stripper/snipper tool
- Screwdriver
- Fuel tank level sensor unit
- Ruler
- Rubber ring gasket
- Three or four small screws with nuts
Instructions
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1
Examine the scooter headset to see if it can be modified to fit a different dial gauge. Purchase a separate fuel level gauge if the headset cannot be modified. Drill two holes in the top of the inside scooter leg shield with a power drill to hold the gauge bracket. Secure the bracket with two small bolts and nuts.
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2
Find the red power wire in your scooter's wiring harness in the headset and the black wire. Use a wire stripper/snipper tool to splice the fuel gauge's red and black wires to the corresponding color wires in the scooter wiring harness. Leave the sensor hookup to the tank alone for the moment.
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3
Use a socket wrench to remove the scooter seat and fuel tank bolts. Disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor with a screwdriver. Pull the tank out of the scooter and drain it of all gasoline into a gas container. Let the tank dry out for a few hours.
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4
Purchase a gas tank level sending unit from a motorcycle or scooter dealer. Use a ruler to measure the diameter of the sending unit top where it will sit outside the tank. Use a power drill and wide hole bit of the proper diameter to cut a hole in the top of the fuel tank, at least three inches away from the tank opening where fuel goes in.
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5
Use a sanding bit on a power drill to smooth out the cut edges in the new tank hole. Remove the cut metal and wash out the metal bits and shavings from inside the tank when finished cutting/sanding. Place a rubber ring gasket underneath the outside top of the sensor and fit the assembly to the tank hole.
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6
Drill three or four small holes to fit screws and bolts on the edge of the sensor unit through the tank body (most come with pre-drilled holes). Secure the sensor and the rubber gasket with screws to the tank body, after washing out the metal bits again, which may have accumulated from drilling.
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7
Reinstall the modified fuel tank back into the scooter, and reconnect the fuel line to the carburetor with a screwdriver. Take the wiring from the sensor unit and connect it to wiring routed through the scooter to the fuel gauge, either in the modified dashboard or bolted to the leg shield, depending which method you chose to install the dial. Access the headset wiring by opening it with a screwdriver. Reinstall the seat.
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8
Turn the scooter ignition to the "on" position and test the electrical system. See if the fuel dial is picking up the tank sensor's signal properly.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're unfamiliar with this job, it will help to find a scooter that already has a wired fuel tank sensor, to see how it is assembled. Most motorcycle shops that sell new scooters should have such a model to examine free. They may even be able to help you with the unit parts, after discussing what you want to do on your own scooter.
Make sure the removed fuel tank is completely dry of any fuel before beginning metalwork on it. Sparks can ignite puddles of gasoline left in a tank that hasn't dried.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
