Fuel gauge still not working, What am I missing? Options

[john77]

With the ignition on the needle on the gauge lifts to E but goes no further despite the tank being full.

I pulled the sender, wired up a new ground and hooked up a new wire from the gauge to the sender and tested the sender manually by turning it upside down and then back. The needle goes from empty to full and back to empty. Just to double check I test the resistance, 0.2 ohms right side up, 89.9 ohms upside down (the range is 0-90 ohms).

So I put the sender back in the tank with the new wiring, switch on the ignition and... the needle rises to E and goes no further.

So I think maybe, somehow, the floats not lifting. So I pull the sender, fill a bucket of water, dip it in, and the needle on the gauge rises and tells me I have half a tank - or less or more depending how much I submerge it. In other words, the damn thing is working.

So I put it back in the tank and nothing, the gauge rises to E and stays!!!

What the hell am I missing here? It works in a bucket of water but move it a foot and put it in my gas tank and nothing.

John

[timothy_nd28]

Yah, something isn't right with that sender. If it wasn't so new and possibly under warranty, I would say take it apart. Get on the phone with them, maybe they will take all of it back.

Why are you using an aftermarket sender and gas gauge? Does your old combo gauge not work?

[john77]

Yah, something isn't right with that sender. If it wasn't so new and possibly under warranty, I would say take it apart. Get on the phone with them, maybe they will take all of it back.

Why are you using an aftermarket sender and gas gauge? Does your old combo gauge not work?

It's a 6 conversion with a 2.7RS. The guy that built it swapped out the gas gauge for a 911 oil temp/oil pressure gauge.

The sender and gauge aren't new, the set up just wasn't working when I bought the car. So I could take it apart, I'd just need to find a plate to cover the hole in the tank... And probably increase my skill level...

I'll give the guy a call Monday and if my only option is to replace them I'll consider taking them apart.

[timothy_nd28]

Yah, something isn't right with that sender. If it wasn't so new and possibly under warranty, I would say take it apart. Get on the phone with them, maybe they will take all of it back.

Why are you using an aftermarket sender and gas gauge? Does your old combo gauge not work?

It's a 6 conversion with a 2.7RS. The guy that built it swapped out the gas gauge for a 911 oil temp/oil pressure gauge.

The sender and gauge aren't new, the set up just wasn't working when I bought the car. So I could take it apart, I'd just need to find a plate to cover the hole in the tank... And probably increase my skill level...

I'll give the guy a call Monday and if my only option is to replace them I'll consider taking them apart.

Consider purchasing a triple or quad gauge, it would look better IMHO. IF the sender is old, there is a possibility that the float somehow got saturated full of gas. This would explain why it doesn't float in gas, but only floats in denser fluids like water. I'm pretty sure the whole car is ruined now, please pull the engine and send it to me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[john77]

Yah, something isn't right with that sender. If it wasn't so new and possibly under warranty, I would say take it apart. Get on the phone with them, maybe they will take all of it back.

Why are you using an aftermarket sender and gas gauge? Does your old combo gauge not work?

It's a 6 conversion with a 2.7RS. The guy that built it swapped out the gas gauge for a 911 oil temp/oil pressure gauge.

The sender and gauge aren't new, the set up just wasn't working when I bought the car. So I could take it apart, I'd just need to find a plate to cover the hole in the tank... And probably increase my skill level...

I'll give the guy a call Monday and if my only option is to replace them I'll consider taking them apart.

Consider purchasing a triple or quad gauge, it would look better IMHO. IF the sender is old, there is a possibility that the float somehow got saturated full of gas. This would explain why it doesn't float in gas, but only floats in denser fluids like water. I'm pretty sure the whole car is ruined now, please pull the engine and send it to me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

Haha, I have a guy crating the engine as I type.

There's a chance the sender was sitting in gas for a long time - that sounds like a very plausible explanation. Is that something I could possibly take apart and reseal?

Never knew you could get triple/quad gauges, any idea who makes them? It would certainly look cleaner. The only bitch is that the builder screwed the holder for the new gas gauge straight into the front of an otherwise perfect dash. Well, otherwise apart from the hole they then cut in it to run the wires into the back of the gauge cluster. So if I do clean it up with a triple gauge I get to stare at two screw holes...


Edit: I just used this new thing called google and found a couple of places: North Hollywood Speedometer and New Vintage gauges. Not sure how much $$$$ they are, so f anyone has any other recos feel free to chime.