Sticky Fuel Gauge

[88GreenVN]

The fuel gauge copped a pounding today. I smashed it with a sledge hammer.

After months of it working - then not - then yes - then NOT. So today it became many parts of a fuel gauge. RIP.

Now having done this to the gauge - I get to thinking what made it fail some times. Hmmmm. cant do it now can I.

So now I'm looking for a few local's (having the same issue of sticky L3 fuel gauge) to try a spare gauge of mine to see if it fixes it - if so, then try and work out why it fails. PM me if you live south of Adelaide and would like a free replacement gauge to see if it fixes the problem.

[88GreenVN]

Dont know if hurts a fuel gauge - but I put 12 volts into one today. Moved the needle every time and quick too

[vp_commo]

the gauge probably works on resistance from a position sensor in the tank.
somthing like

4 - 20 milli amp
empty full - being 4 milli amp is empty and 20 is full.

sounds like Holden might be using a very weak current to move the needle.

Is the needle hooked up to any computer?
Or is it completely analouge (raw signal)?

I mean if what your saying that the 12 volt stops it sticking then maybe all you need to do is drop the resistance a little, by replacing any resistor with a slightly weaker one allowing a bit more current, then calibrating the new current range with the thing you where talking about at the rear of the gauge.

Would have been better if you had a tank unit out of the car and a gauge as well.
get a multimeter and read the volts/amps it uses (while in car), set it up on a table with a 12 volt battery mimicking the car set up and go for it.

Chances are it uses 12 volt and the resistor is built into the gauge and sender unit, so a straight 12 volt battery might be all you need to hook up

(but i am not too sure there).




Cheers

Dan

[88GreenVN]

I do have a sender unit and some dash loom wires. Should set it up proper hey. Then I can move the sender by hand and see if the gauge works correctly.

[Shearer]

So now I'm looking for a few local's (having the same issue of sticky L3 fuel gauge) to try a spare gauge of mine to see if it fixes it - if so, then try and work out why it fails. PM me if you live south of Adelaide and would like a free replacement gauge to see if it fixes the problem.

If only I lived a little closer

[VXHBD6]

Shane: I'm guessing this is what you have been planning to try?

You should try set it up at home what vp commo says seems to make sense ay.. Be very interesting to try..

[Insomniacs Dream]

Sounds like it would be the wires/resistor causing the problem though rather than the actual gauge if it never sticks when you apply a voltage to it. Does it noticeably pause when you apply voltage or does it move too fast to see?

[88GreenVN]

If only I lived a little closer

PM sent

[88GreenVN]

Sounds like it would be the wires/resistor causing the problem though rather than the actual gauge if it never sticks when you apply a voltage to it. Does it noticeably pause when you apply voltage or does it move too fast to see?

The unit I was testing was not the faulty one. I smashed the the faulty one in temper and now cant test it. Thats why I'm looking for a replacement sticky gauge

[88GreenVN]

If only I lived a little closer

Gauge and voltage regulator sent to you for a good old testing

Replace the gauge first to see if it is still sticking or not. If so then replace the voltage regulator and put your old gauge back in.

If your gauge is the bit that is sticking - can you send it back to me so I can see if I can find the fault/fix for it.

Cheers.

[Warranty Void]

Best way to test would be to set the gauge and sender up on the workbench with 12 volts from a battery. If you use a battery charger for testing components you can get weird shit happening because the 12v DC ain't clean, theres 50hz fluctuation in it that will affect frequency sensitive instruments.
Check the wiring to and from sender/gauge with a test light and give it a good wriggle to check for internal breaks. Both sender and gauge could have areas of resistive/induction coils winding shorted, giving ok behaviour up to a point then acting up then ok again.
Good luck!

[88GreenVN]

I've got a car battery in the shed and just zapped the gauge from that I also have a set of dash wires and sender unit already to go into a "test bench" so I can test the callibration of gauges. The L3 units all seem to be on the low side (read empty well before they are).

This all came about because my gauge would stick even after trying several voltage regulators. Change the gage and the problem went away.

[mischa]

What i noticed on a dash I got once was when the car got left in the heat, the little pin the needle sits on that's painted black heats up enough to make it sticky and the needle would stick to it needing a bash to dislodge it.

[VXHBD6]

So Shane got any updates on sticky fuel gauges in general (not just mine)?

Did you set up the sender unit etc.. on a bench and test it that way?

[88GreenVN]

What i noticed on a dash I got once was when the car got left in the heat, the little pin the needle sits on that's painted black heats up enough to make it sticky and the needle would stick to it needing a bash to dislodge it.

Yep that can happen too. Seen it a few time now. They clean up OK and work properly after that. I give the gauges the "flick test" when putting cluster back together.

[88GreenVN]

So Shane got any updates on sticky fuel gauges in general (not just mine)?

Did you set up the sender unit etc.. on a bench and test it that way?

Got it half done on the bench - just too much work on at the moment to get to it There are a heap of wires to sort through.....

Your cluster is all back together.

[VXHBD6]

Sounds good, it sounds like a pretty hard task to do but definately worth it - helps narrow down everyones fuel gauge problem. Im dying to get mine perfect, I get jealous seeing Dads VY gauge go flying up everytime

Okay awesome, did the RPM needle get sorted out?

[88GreenVN]

Sounds good, it sounds like a pretty hard task to do but definately worth it - helps narrow down everyones fuel gauge problem. Im dying to get mine perfect, I get jealous seeing Dads VY gauge go flying up everytime

Okay awesome, did the RPM needle get sorted out?

Bin job. Shiney new second hand unit in it's place. (cant trust the old one now)

[VXHBD6]

Oh right, cheers.

So you tested the fuel gauge in your car - worked fine every time correct?

[88GreenVN]

Oh right, cheers.

So you tested the fuel gauge in your car - worked fine every time correct?

Yep. that it did.

[VXHBD6]

Alright, will be interesting how it goes in my car. If it turns out sticky in the VR what do you think would be some good things to check?

[88GreenVN]

Alright, will be interesting how it goes in my car. If it turns out sticky in the VR what do you think would be some good things to check?

I'd say it will be he voltage regulator - the thing that goes into the middle of the cluster. I've replaced that too.

Fingers X'ed all will be good.

With the L3 you can use the diag mode to test the voltage from the sender unit. The sender may have a bad connection and not sending the corect volts through to the gauge. (the plug at the fuel tank)

[Shearer]

Gauge and voltage regulator sent to you for a good old testing

Replace the gauge first to see if it is still sticking or not. If so then replace the voltage regulator and put your old gauge back in.

If your gauge is the bit that is sticking - can you send it back to me so I can see if I can find the fault/fix for it.

Cheers.

I'm going to try that right now....

[Shearer]

The results....

1) Shane's fuel gauge + My regulator = Gauge moved instantly

2) Shane's regulator + My crappy fuel gauge = Same (required a 'small' tap)

[VXHBD6]

Shearer: Sounds good mate, luckily for you it was only simple.

I gotta wait till I get my L3 cluster back from Shane and i'll test as well and post my updates.