Technical Fuel Gauge fault finding

[Roadster570]

Hi all,

I have a 1999 Fiat Ducato base motorhome that has had several issues in our 7months of ownership and I am looking for help/guidance.

My latest project is trying to sort the intermittent fuel gauge issue. I have read several threads and would love some thoughts.
Currently the gauge is sat at empty with £60 of fuel in.

I found the connections on the sender to be very poor and clearly has been worked on before with the 'choc boxes'. I remade these connections with new crimps.
This did not fix the issue.



I found the PCB module thing (not sure on the name) which connections looked okay? I sprayed it all with electrical cleaner. Not fixed.
Seen someone has had success resoldering all the joints which I could try


I linked the white/red and blue/brown together from the van side which did get the gauge to read but it only to 1/4.
I tested the sender side and go a resistance valve which made me wonder if the sender is okay...would need to go get that value again


I have heard a dash out repair to but no details on the repair.



So my options are buy a new sender, repair./replace pcb or dig under the dash.
Thoughts?

 

[Communicator]

Hi all,

I have a 1999 Fiat Ducato base motorhome that has had several issues in our 7months of ownership and I am looking for help/guidance.

My latest project is trying to sort the intermittent fuel gauge issue. I have read several threads and would love some thoughts.
Currently the gauge is sat at empty with £60 of fuel in.

I found the connections on the sender to be very poor and clearly has been worked on before with the 'choc boxes'. I remade these connections with new crimps.
This did not fix the issue.



I found the PCB module thing (not sure on the name) which connections looked okay? I sprayed it all with electrical cleaner. Not fixed.
Seen someone has had success resoldering all the joints which I could try


I linked the white/red and blue/brown together from the van side which did get the gauge to read but it only to 1/4.
I tested the sender side and go a resistance valve which made me wonder if the sender is okay...would need to go get that value again


I have heard a dash out repair to but no details on the repair.



So my options are buy a new sender, repair./replace pcb or dig under the dash.
Thoughts?

Post #1 in this MHO thread may add a little to your research.

 

[Roadster570]

Post #1 in this MHO thread may add a little to your research.

Thank you Communicator.

I had read that post and don’t seem to have the issue with the board where wiggling the wires seems to resolve the problem.

 

[Communicator]

Thank you Communicator.

I had read that post and don’t seem to have the issue with the board where wiggling the wires seems to resolve the problem.

I should have added that Ido not regard wiggling wires as a proper fix, as to my mind it is only a diagnostic aid. Further the suggestion of soldered joints drying out is rubbish.

 

[Googlebot]

Needle isn’t sticking is it?

There is a fix in the guides for sticking needles on the speedo and other instruments.

 

[Roadster570]

Needle isn’t sticking is it?

There is a fix in the guides for sticking needles on the speedo and other instruments.

Evening Googlebot,
I don’t think so as it acts irrationally rather than sticking. I’m inclined to pull the sender out and inspect/test then replace.

Just concerned about the lingering diesel smell so will need to blank it off for a while

 

[Communicator]

Needle isn’t sticking is it?

There is a fix in the guides for sticking needles on the speedo and other instruments.

I think that the sticking needle problem applies to x244 and later models. These have electronic dashboards which use stepper motors.