Hi Guys. I have a problem with the readings of the guage.I ran out of fuel when the guage was still reading between a quarter to a third full. I was thinking pf bending the arm on to which the float is mounted (new sender ) Has anybody else come across this before.
General fuel guage readings
- Thread starter phoenix1
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General fuel guage readings
Come on guys somebody else must have had this problem. I had to fit a new sender unit to my 72 500 L.Out of the tank it works perfectly showing full and putting low level light on. But when put in the tank it sticks at about 1/3 full with no warning light on even when empty. I assume I will have to bend the arm but has anyone done this before.
looigi
New member
I guess by the lack of a response you are in uncharted territory here.
My suggestion would be that you make sure that the sender is oriented correctly in the tank before you go bending too much.
Chris
My suggestion would be that you make sure that the sender is oriented correctly in the tank before you go bending too much.
Chris
With an "F" I don't even have a fuel gauge, so I have no direct experience of this on a 500. But the symptoms appear as though the float arm is sticking or catching on something if it gives the correct reading over its full travel outside the tank. Even if you bend the arm now, the reading won't change as presumably it has made its full, possible, physical travel within the tank and must be sitting mid-air.
Another possiblity is that the potentiometer coil on the sender is calibrated for a deeper tank.
Another possiblity is that the potentiometer coil on the sender is calibrated for a deeper tank.
I have a an L model too and my sender unit does not work well either. At full the needle is at 3/4. At empty it is at 1/4. My advice is to forget about getting the sender to read correctly and focus on getting your low fuel indicator light working. That will tell you when you need fuel. As is starts to blink, you know you are getting low. The more that it stays on obviously means, get fuel fast.
I was thinking that way too.
If the float arm does get modified in a way that will make it more effective and activate that light, I would start with an empty tank and fill it until the red light starts to flicker when the car is rocked. Then you will know how man litres are left at the low warning.
My car has about 4.5 litres left when the light is properly on.
Hi This may be a daft answer, but can you put the sender in the wrong way?
I think Iooigi is in the right direction(sender orientation).
I think Iooigi is in the right direction(sender orientation).
It could go in slightly wrong but unlikely as the pipe needs to point towards the fusebox. Maybe it's a manufacturer error if more than one person experiences this?
OK. Mine has had a new sender fitted and tomorrow with the wife in the car I will bend the arm slightly to see if I can cure the problem. It must be that because I know when I built the car I tested it out of the tank and the low level warning light came on. I will let you know how I get on .
Bryan
Bryan
On some Fiat sender units, it's possible to reverse the side that the float points to. I'm referring to the type where the float is cylindrical and fits into an 'o' formed in the wire operating arm.
Working on older Fiats, I've sometimes had no option but to slightly modify a sender unit from a different model to fit and work. I'd always aim to have the gauge read correctly at lower fuel levels, especially near zero, plus ensure the low fuel light, if fitted, was working.
I'd suggest also looking into the tank with the sender unit removed and see where the float arm may be getting caught up. (You've probably already done this, just be careful, no sparks, no mains lights, use a torch!).
I repeat - NO SPARKS! Very easy to forget that when you disconnecting/re-connecting wires while checking the gauge operation, that you're in the vicinity of an open container of fuel. Remember the sender unit, when removed from the tank, needs to be earthed to the body or similar in order for the gauge and warning light to work.
Al.
Working on older Fiats, I've sometimes had no option but to slightly modify a sender unit from a different model to fit and work. I'd always aim to have the gauge read correctly at lower fuel levels, especially near zero, plus ensure the low fuel light, if fitted, was working.
I'd suggest also looking into the tank with the sender unit removed and see where the float arm may be getting caught up. (You've probably already done this, just be careful, no sparks, no mains lights, use a torch!).
I repeat - NO SPARKS! Very easy to forget that when you disconnecting/re-connecting wires while checking the gauge operation, that you're in the vicinity of an open container of fuel. Remember the sender unit, when removed from the tank, needs to be earthed to the body or similar in order for the gauge and warning light to work.
Al.
