Fuel Gauge Dead

[gavinjfowler]

My fuel gauge has died. Tank is full but needle wandered around between half full and empty for a while but has now settled on empty. Any ideas where the problem is most likely to be?

[shnozz]

sounds as though the sender unit has packed up

the bible has a very thorough descrption of how to fix

[PetrolTed]

Yep, the sender rusts inside the tank and eventually gives up. David Batty managed to locate one for me six months back (they're difficult to obtain).

[shnozz]

might be repairable if its just covered in crap and needs a good clean

[GreenV8S]

Check the wiring & connectors just in case its something simple.

[rick.e]

Both my esses suffered from this. In each case it was the earth bond rusting off the tank. It shoudl be welded on near the sender. various people have bodges to attach a new earth wire to the tank

[DB S3]

Gavin

I drive an S3 and have just started suffering similar problems. Initially, the fuel gauge read empty when i'd just filled it up ! Then as I used the fuel up, the gauge started to show more and more !

Took the rear wheel off last weekend and had a look at the wiring into the sender - all seemed ok, so did the "earth" connection.

With mine, the fact that the fuel gauge moves around, leads me to conclude, the fault is not here, nor in the wiring, therefore guess it must be the sender. Your case sounds similar to me.

Don't know how easy it is to fix the sender yourself, what's the latest with yours ?

David

[WildfireS3]

Got the same problem, except that mine is permenantly dead. Excpet for the odd occasion, which leads me to think it is an earth for the gauge. As is the oil pressure gauge. To test the sender unit wires, take the two off and connect them together, this should cause the gauuge to move to full. If this works it means that the current to the sender unit is ok.

Also check where the gauges are earthed. I need to do this next weekend.

Does anybody know what the sender unit is off? It's not a classic mini as someone suggested.

If you can source on let me know, because I could need one as well.



>> Edited by WildfireS3 on Wednesday 17th September 09:57

[DB S3]

That's a v good idea - will try cutting the sender out of the circuit this weekend - let you know how i get on

[peter m]

My problem is that the guage only ever reaches 1/2 full after a fill up. I suspect that the earth is corroded, so limiting the max current to the guage. I too will be under the car this weekend investigating. I will try linking the 2 sender wires to check for full guage reading first.

[WildfireS3]

peter m said:

My problem is that the guage only ever reaches 1/2 full after a fill up. I suspect that the earth is corroded, so limiting the max current to the guage. I too will be under the car this weekend investigating. I will try linking the 2 sender wires to check for full guage reading first.

Sounds more like a problem with the sender or gauge than anything else not really earth. If the earth was dodgy then the reading would drop to empty.

[S3 Kieran]

peter m said:

My problem is that the guage only ever reaches 1/2 full after a fill up.

Sure it's nothing to do with the earth as mine goes to full, but not very accurate are they? Mine shows empty with easily 1/4 tank left - annoying with no odometer/fuel light etc etc

[chin up]

Mine was reading half full after a fill up for a while too. I knew the earth was sound as I had repaired that in the past, but, nonetheless I short-circuited the wiring as mentioned in earlier posts, and the needle went to full. It turned out to be the connection of the wire onto the sender unit terminal. Quick clean, bit of electrical grease and all's well.