Help please - fuel gauge not working.

Hate to have to ask everyone, however, I am at a loss as to what is going
wrong with my fuel gauge and wonder if anyone would kindly help.

The vehicle is a 1984 110 with 2.5 TD (19J).
Symptons are:
1 Gauge registers full when tank is full
2 At 3/4 full the gauge registers less than half a tank
3 At 1/2 full registers no fuel at all. Then the funny stuff happens.
The gauge keeps going down to the left, off the scale, until the tank is
virtually dry when it goes back up to the normal empty position.

I have checked all the connections for connectivity. Also, I have dropped
the tank out and checked the sender unit, which seems to be fine. The only
thing I haven't checked is the gauge itself or the ballast resistor which is
lurking in the wiring somewhere, but I don't think the answer is with those
two.

Look forward to receiving your replies before I run out of diesel on a
motorway.
Cheers, jase.

Mine sometimes does and most times does not, I have lernt to do without it
and to keep on topping up,

Don't forget the jerrycan.


--
þT

--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes



"Jason" <jasonjbowen@(REMOVE)hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hate to have to ask everyone, however, I am at a loss as to what is going
> wrong with my fuel gauge and wonder if anyone would kindly help.
>
> The vehicle is a 1984 110 with 2.5 TD (19J).
> Symptons are:
> 1 Gauge registers full when tank is full
> 2 At 3/4 full the gauge registers less than half a tank
> 3 At 1/2 full registers no fuel at all. Then the funny stuff happens.
> The gauge keeps going down to the left, off the scale, until the tank is
> virtually dry when it goes back up to the normal empty position.
>
> I have checked all the connections for connectivity. Also, I have dropped
> the tank out and checked the sender unit, which seems to be fine. The only
> thing I haven't checked is the gauge itself or the ballast resistor which
is
> lurking in the wiring somewhere, but I don't think the answer is with
those
> two.
>
> Look forward to receiving your replies before I run out of diesel on a
> motorway.
> Cheers, jase.
>
>

In message <[email protected]>
"Jason" <jasonjbowen@(REMOVE)hotmail.com> wrote:

> Hate to have to ask everyone, however, I am at a loss as to what is going
> wrong with my fuel gauge and wonder if anyone would kindly help.
>
> The vehicle is a 1984 110 with 2.5 TD (19J).
> Symptons are:
> 1 Gauge registers full when tank is full
> 2 At 3/4 full the gauge registers less than half a tank
> 3 At 1/2 full registers no fuel at all. Then the funny stuff happens.
> The gauge keeps going down to the left, off the scale, until the tank is
> virtually dry when it goes back up to the normal empty position.
>
> I have checked all the connections for connectivity. Also, I have dropped
> the tank out and checked the sender unit, which seems to be fine. The only
> thing I haven't checked is the gauge itself or the ballast resistor which is
> lurking in the wiring somewhere, but I don't think the answer is with those
> two.
>
> Look forward to receiving your replies before I run out of diesel on a
> motorway.
> Cheers, jase.
>
>

The only way to check this for sure would be to remove it
from the vehicle, but I suspect hysteresis (damping) has
failed, probably due to some or many of the turns of wire
that the wiper moves over having become damaged (worn out).

Richard
--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done
Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!!
Helping keep Land Rovers on and off the road to annoy the Lib Dems

On or around Thu, 21 Apr 2005 19:16:01 GMT, "Jason"
<jasonjbowen@(REMOVE)hotmail.com> enlightened us thusly:

>Hate to have to ask everyone, however, I am at a loss as to what is going
>wrong with my fuel gauge and wonder if anyone would kindly help.
>
>The vehicle is a 1984 110 with 2.5 TD (19J).
>Symptons are:
>1 Gauge registers full when tank is full
>2 At 3/4 full the gauge registers less than half a tank
>3 At 1/2 full registers no fuel at all. Then the funny stuff happens.
>The gauge keeps going down to the left, off the scale, until the tank is
>virtually dry when it goes back up to the normal empty position.
>
>I have checked all the connections for connectivity. Also, I have dropped
>the tank out and checked the sender unit, which seems to be fine. The only
>thing I haven't checked is the gauge itself or the ballast resistor which is
>lurking in the wiring somewhere, but I don't think the answer is with those
>two.

I reckon it's yer sender unit, even so. You can try testing it with an
ohm-meter - move the arm slowly from end to end and watch the resistance; it
should go from low to high (full-empty) in a smooth steady manner. The 110
one on the tank I took off mine went from about 0-360 ohms, ISTR.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"There are three sorts of people in the world - those who can count,
and those who can't" (Anon)

Jason wrote:
> Hate to have to ask everyone, however, I am at a loss as to what is going
> wrong with my fuel gauge and wonder if anyone would kindly help.
> I have checked all the connections for connectivity. Also, I have dropped
> the tank out and checked the sender unit, which seems to be fine. The only

I'd go back and check the sender again, I had similar problems and
fettled/tightened the arms of the resistor and solved it. I think your
sender is different to mine but might just be worth another look.

Alistair

--
1990 Defender 200Tdi

Thanks for the pointers, especially about the resistance readings from the
sender unit.
As soon as I get a free afternoon I will be going back to the sender unit
again, or may just buy another one for a few quid and see what happens when
I fit it in.
As for the jerry cans, I have currently got 4 all filled to the brim.

Cheers guys, Jase