Wobbly Fuel Gauge

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:45 pm

Its fine when over 2/3rds full but below that it hops about like a kitten on a bbq, and below 1/4 it dont work at all.

Sender o gauge do you think? oh and where is the sender!

Ta

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:54 pm

You get to the sender unit by lifting the rear seat base (tilt forward) and carefully removing the insulation padding (felt-like stuff) under the seat. You will see the connectors on the top of the sender unit. To remove from the fuel tank you need to unscrew the big plastic ring.

It could be either the sender unit or the gauge thats faulty, but maybe something nice 'n simple such as a loose connection, if you're lucky!

roscoe · Post by **roscoe** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:11 pm

It'll almost certainly be the sender. They are a pretty simple unit but I don't think they are repairable if the fine wire windings start to peel off the bakelite centre rod. You can take them apart by carefully prying the bent in tabs out at the top of the 'can' and lifting out the plastic cover and inners. There is a float inside with two metal wipers that moves up and down the centre rod that has the windings on it. Mine was fouled up with the wires that had started to peel off and the wipers weren't making contact. I cut off the loose wires, glued the rest down and checked it out with an ohmeter - it worked most ways except for around the half full mark where I cut the wires and it missed a bit, but the low fuel level worked as well as the rest. I used it like that for a few months until a couple of new ones came up on ebay....now have a new solid state one in my tank that doesn't jump at all

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:05 pm

Ok kewl so does anyone have a good sender unit ?

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:44 pm

Tim,

If its the TXS that has the wobbly readout, why not try sticking the sender from your "naughty" valver in? If it works OK, then you know that the fault must lie in the old TXS sender. If you still have a wobbly gauge, then the sender is probably OK.

I am assuming that the senders on the TXS and 16v are compatible! I've never heard of different types though, so a swap should work!

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:19 pm

Got two here Tim, one (at least) I'm sure was working ok but your's for nothing and happy to send out for postage only. If they are found to be duff just launch them if you like.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:30 pm

Thanks guys, will have a look at the sender on the TXS and see if theres anything obvious and let you know. When it stops raining of course!

Post by **docchevron** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 3:37 am

tim leech wrote: When it stops raining of course!

I think we'll all have died of old age by then Tim......

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:04 am

You can do it from the inside of the car Tim, won't take 5 minutes to get the old one out and examine it.

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:25 am

Just remember to NOT smoke whilst removing it!!!
A lot of pertrol fumes inside a closed car is a recipe for a fireball!!!!

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:55 am

And disconect the battery

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:12 am

OKidokes, and I dont smoke lol

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:14 pm

Ok, no setting fire to yourself first then

Post by **docchevron** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:58 pm

If you donr smoke, what the hell do you do after sex???
Last night I was so tired I skipped the sex and went straight to the cigarette!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 3:26 pm

You need to have sex to be able to have a fag afterwards, hence why I dont smoke lol