E36 Faulty Fuel Gauge

[80quattro]

I have a boggo spec 1998 316i Coupe I've been running short term whilst waiting for a work car to arrive. The fuel gauge has never worked which has never really bothered me, but I need to put the car up for sale very soon - So I don't have a problem selling it, I'm going to have a crack at fixing it: Could anyone kindly advise me if the sender unit for a Coupe is the same as a saloon or touring? I think this is where the problem lies, as the needle never moves and the fuel light always remains on.

I have heard that the sender unit and fuel pump are essentially the same component - Is this so, or can the items be split so I keep my existing fuel pump?

[sniff diesel]

Sender and pump are indeed the same unit, and the same part on saloon/coupe/touring/cabrio.

I've got one off a 318i I'm breaking ATM, PM me if you're interested.

Edited by sniff diesel on Tuesday 21st July 23:01

[80quattro]

Thanks Sniff, mucho appreciated

[Shropshiremike]

Have you checked the wiring on top of the sender under the back seat?

[bennyboysvuk]

Shropshiremike said:

Have you checked the wiring on top of the sender under the back seat?

This is a good point. My old 328 sport had a problem with the fuel gauge and it turned out to be nothing more than a wire that had come adrift at the top of the sender unit under the back seat.

[80quattro]

I had the back seat up earlier this evening - unscrewed the cover plate and metered the connectors, and all was OK. I managed to clout off the plastic bezel and pulled out the pump/sender unit. Whilst kneeling in the rear footwell & being slowly gassed by half a tank of unleaded, I spotted a broken wire leading up to the back of the connector to the sender unit. A quick solder, put it all back together & hey presto, one fully operational fuel gauge and a nice suprise 1/2 a tank of fuel when I thought it was pretty dry Happy days and I appreciate the pointers