VN Fuel guage playing up. Always shows full.

[mike_nofx]

Since ive owned the VN (bout 8 months) the fuel guage would only ever reach half full, even when tank is completely full. Below half way the guage was accurate (ie empty to half) and because it still had some accuracy it didnt bother me really.

BUT, just in the last 2 weeks whenever i start the car and regardless of how much fuel is in it (empty, half or full!) the guage will go all the way to full, even a bit over and stay there. So basically its no use at all now.

Is there an easy fix? or is there any way to check what could be the problem?

Thanks

ps. its a v6 auto wagon, series 1

[lord_davros]

my guess would be your voltage regulator is up snuff creek. or possibly the sender.. feel free to correct me anyone if this seems wrong

[Morton]

Yeah, sounds like either a voltage issue, or a mechanical issue with the float in the tank. It's possible that the last person to change your fuel pump, botched the re-installation and somehow mangled the float.

Taking the pump out of the tank to check the sender isn't too hard... putting it back in will drive you insane. It's also possible you have a small mechanical quirk in the dashboard. The easiest option to try first, would be tacking on another dash cluster to see if it's a gauge problem. Then you can strike that off the list, and narrow your search down to the pump end.

My old gauge used to randomly die below halfway. Fitting a level two dash fixed that problem good and proper - probably a loose solder in the old cluster. Different problem to what you have, though. Loose solder = voltage cut, as opposed to voltage peak + hold.

[Whitey]

Taking the pump out of the tank to check the sender isn't too hard... putting it back in will drive you insane.

Yep, wagon fuel pumps are a prick to install !!

Also, run your fuel tank really empty and jack up the front of the car before you pull out the pump and sender unit. My fuel guage was sitting well into the red (empty), and when I pulled the pump out I still had to catch 10litres of fuel that poured out of the tank.

[mike_nofx]

Yeah im gonna remove it and see if it can be cleaned up, or possibly replaced.

I cant really run the fuel right down cause i have no indication of how much fuel is left. I'll just guess and syphon the rest.

So whats the big problem with the fuel pump anyway??

Mike

[Morton]

No need to syphon. Just remove the bottom screw from the pump housing, and keep a few big clean buckets nearby to catch the stuff.

The problem with the fuel pump... mainly trying to fit it back into the baffles. REALLY pay attention to the way you have to twist and turn the pump to remove it. It goes around a few angles to slot in properly... and they're always the LAST angles you try. ACTUALLY took me more than an hour to get it back in the first time. The smell of petrol got quite boring.