petrol guage woes

L

Larry

Guest

• Oct 8, 2005

• #1

I am getting increasingly fed up with the erratic performance of my petrol
guage lately. Sometimes it will read full up, sometimes not read at all, and
when it is working it shows half full as full and declines from there.

Assuming the problem it is most likely at the speedo end has anyone had
problems with fitting an after market guage seperatly, would this still
suffer from voltage regulation problems (if that is the fault with the
original) and would the thing calibrate properly with the sender ?

I might as well fit a seperate temp guage too while I am about it because I
am beginning to suspect that as well.

I think it would be too much hassle to replace the whole speedo when it is
doing a satisfactory job.

Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes

 

P

Paul - xxx

Guest

• Oct 8, 2005

• #2

Larry came up with the following;:

> Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?

Advise might be more forthcoming if the vehicle model was known. My S3
gauge was fine and needed a sender unit, Similarly my Disco has a bad
sender/pump unit and needs replacing. However my mates Range Rover did need
a gauge ....

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

 

B

beamendsltd

Guest

• Oct 8, 2005

• #3

In message <[email protected]>
"Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Larry came up with the following;:
>
> > Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?
>
> Advise might be more forthcoming if the vehicle model was known. My S3
> gauge was fine and needed a sender unit, Similarly my Disco has a bad
> sender/pump unit and needs replacing. However my mates Range Rover did need
> a gauge ....
>

It's very rare that the guages go wrong. From your description I'd
venture that sender is the problem.

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!!
Boycott the Yorkshire Dales - No Play, No Pay

 

T

Tom Woods

Guest

• Oct 8, 2005

• #4

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005 12:26:33 +0000 (UTC), beamendsltd
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In message <[email protected]>
> "Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Larry came up with the following;:
>>
>> > Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?
>>
>> Advise might be more forthcoming if the vehicle model was known. My S3
>> gauge was fine and needed a sender unit, Similarly my Disco has a bad
>> sender/pump unit and needs replacing. However my mates Range Rover did need
>> a gauge ....
>>
>
>It's very rare that the guages go wrong. From your description I'd
>venture that sender is the problem.

aye, all my landie fuel gauge problems have been the wiring or the
sender. Gauge itself has always been fine.
They are pretty erratic/creative even when theyre new.

The gauge's in my 2A all read high because i dont have a voltage
regulator.

Larry - to test if the gauge and wiring works remove your seat and try
earthing the wire that goes to the sender. The gauge should move all
the way then.
If you want to rule out the wiring you may have to fit a new wire to
the back of the gauge and try earthing that.

You might have some success with the sender if you take it apart and
clean the crud off the coil.

I personally never trust fuel gauges anyhow. I know pretty much how
many miles i can get off a tank and fill up to the brim before i go
that far!

 

N

Nigel

Guest

• Oct 8, 2005

• #5

Larry wrote:
> I am getting increasingly fed up with the erratic performance of my
> petrol guage lately. Sometimes it will read full up, sometimes not
> read at all, and when it is working it shows half full as full and
> declines from there.
>
> Assuming the problem it is most likely at the speedo end has anyone
> had problems with fitting an after market guage seperatly, would this
> still suffer from voltage regulation problems (if that is the fault
> with the original) and would the thing calibrate properly with the
> sender ?
>
> I might as well fit a seperate temp guage too while I am about it
> because I am beginning to suspect that as well.
>
> I think it would be too much hassle to replace the whole speedo when
> it is doing a satisfactory job.
>
> Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?

My fuel gauge used to read erratically, just like yours, just replace the
voltage
regulator and everything goes back to normal again. Only costs a couple of
quid.


Nigel
--
nigel@leginDOTorg
1979 Lightweight

 

J

JD

Guest

• Oct 8, 2005

• #6

Larry wrote:

> I am getting increasingly fed up with the erratic performance of my petrol
> guage lately. Sometimes it will read full up, sometimes not read at all,
> and when it is working it shows half full as full and declines from there.
>
> Assuming the problem it is most likely at the speedo end has anyone had
> problems with fitting an after market guage seperatly, would this still
> suffer from voltage regulation problems (if that is the fault with the
> original) and would the thing calibrate properly with the sender ?
>
> I might as well fit a seperate temp guage too while I am about it because
> I am beginning to suspect that as well.
>
> I think it would be too much hassle to replace the whole speedo when it is
> doing a satisfactory job.
>
> Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?
>
>

It would help if we knew what type of Landrover you are talking about. If it
is a Series 2a/3 the problem may be the voltage stabiliser on the bulkhead
on the S2a and the back of the speedo on the S3, or it may be a faulty
earth to the stabiliser.
If it is a 90/110, it will almost certainly be a faulty earth to the gauges
if it involves both the temperature and fuel gauges.
In either case, if it is the fuel gauge only it could be a faulty sender or
the earth to the tank or sender, or a faulty earth between the engine and
chassis, or possibly a wiring fault (either intermittent connection or
short).
It would be very rare for the gauge itself to be faulty, although anything
is possible.

 

D

Derek

Guest

• Oct 8, 2005

• #7

"beamendsltd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:3d94a2b64d%[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>
> "Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Larry came up with the following;:
> >
> > > Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?
> >
> > Advise might be more forthcoming if the vehicle model was known. My S3
> > gauge was fine and needed a sender unit, Similarly my Disco has a bad
> > sender/pump unit and needs replacing. However my mates Range Rover did
need
> > a gauge ....
> >
>
> It's very rare that the guages go wrong. From your description I'd
> venture that sender is the problem.
>
> Richard
> --
> www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]

Richard I've never had the need to remove one but is it similar to the MGB
unit which has the windings immersed in the fuel I replaced one which had
rotted due to water getting through a lace top tank .
Derek
( I really don't want to start a 110 project - but I'm having problems
convincing myself )

 

B

Brett

Guest

• Oct 9, 2005

• #8

Hello
I had a simular problem to what you are discribing it ended up being my fuse
was loose once i tightened it in its holder a bit more no more fuel guage
problem also fixed my brake light problem as well as they must both use the
same fuse well on mine anyway.Probably not a standard wiring job i would
expect as seems to have been a bit rewired here and there from previous
owner
Brett


"Larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I am getting increasingly fed up with the erratic performance of my petrol
> guage lately. Sometimes it will read full up, sometimes not read at all,
> and
> when it is working it shows half full as full and declines from there.
>
> Assuming the problem it is most likely at the speedo end has anyone had
> problems with fitting an after market guage seperatly, would this still
> suffer from voltage regulation problems (if that is the fault with the
> original) and would the thing calibrate properly with the sender ?
>
> I might as well fit a seperate temp guage too while I am about it because
> I
> am beginning to suspect that as well.
>
> I think it would be too much hassle to replace the whole speedo when it is
> doing a satisfactory job.
>
> Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?
>
>
> --
> Larry
> Series 3 rust and holes
>
>
>
>

 

B

beamendsltd

Guest

• Oct 9, 2005

• #9

In message <[email protected]>
"Derek" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "beamendsltd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:3d94a2b64d%[email protected]...
> > In message <[email protected]>
> > "Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > Larry came up with the following;:
> > >
> > > > Can anyone foresee any problems with this approach ?
> > >
> > > Advise might be more forthcoming if the vehicle model was known. My S3
> > > gauge was fine and needed a sender unit, Similarly my Disco has a bad
> > > sender/pump unit and needs replacing. However my mates Range Rover did
> need
> > > a gauge ....
> > >
> >
> > It's very rare that the guages go wrong. From your description I'd
> > venture that sender is the problem.
> >
> > Richard
> > --
> > www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
>
> Richard I've never had the need to remove one but is it similar to the MGB
> unit which has the windings immersed in the fuel I replaced one which had
> rotted due to water getting through a lace top tank .
> Derek
> ( I really don't want to start a 110 project - but I'm having problems
> convincing myself )
>
>

It's the same sort of thing - the usual failure is the wiper wearing
out the windings and thus producing some "interesting" fuel levels.....

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!!
Boycott the Yorkshire Dales - No Play, No Pay

 

L

Larry

Guest

• Oct 11, 2005

• #10

Read my sig, series 3.


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes


"JD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It would help if we knew what type of Landrover you are talking about. If
it
> is a Series 2a/3 the problem may be the voltage stabiliser on the bulkhead
> on the S2a and the back of the speedo on the S3, or it may be a faulty
> earth to the stabiliser.
> If it is a 90/110, it will almost certainly be a faulty earth to the
gauges
> if it involves both the temperature and fuel gauges.
> In either case, if it is the fuel gauge only it could be a faulty sender
or
> the earth to the tank or sender, or a faulty earth between the engine and
> chassis, or possibly a wiring fault (either intermittent connection or
> short).
> It would be very rare for the gauge itself to be faulty, although anything
> is possible.