Technical Weird Petrol Problem

[cnewton]

Hi all

My dad just went to garage to put some petrol in his 2002 Punto 1.2.

He was trying to put £20 worth in as the petrol light was on. When he got to about £17 the petrol came flooding out of the petrol cap so must have been full, yet when he go back into the car the petrol gauge is only showing half full and there is a strong smell of petrol when he drives.

Anyone heard of this before?

Chris

Quick update, taken it to garage and they have said fuel gauge is faulty, and the smell was the petrol coming out of the overflow pipe near passenger side. Anyone know how much it would cost to get a fuel gauge replaced?

 

[Brendan W]

Unlikely the gauge is faulty, more likely and probably what the garage meant is then the sender/ballcock in the tank is acting up.
Aftermarket replacements are available for about £40 and should take no more than an hour to fit. Genuine Fiat presumably a bit more for the part. Ask around.
During the meanwhile you can use the trip counter as a proxy fuel gauge. In reasonable state and driven sensibly the fuel consumption is steady at 9 miles per litre. So a full tank should be good for at least 320 miles with reserves. Every 11 liters added is good for 100 miles and so on.

 

[fingers99]

Probably isn't the gauge, but the sender in the tank (generally a float thing, rather like the device in a toilet cistern).

 

[homeward]

Anyone know how much it would cost to get a fuel gauge replaced?

Best to replace the whole cluster -- if you're sure it's the gauge (and not the sender itself) that's at fault. £20-£30 from eBay; and it's a simple job to change over. You will, however, need to ensure that the replacement cluster has a lower mileage on it; and that you obtain something like multiecuscan (MES) to update the mileage, and, if necessary, proxy align it (i.e. getting it to talk to the electronics in your car...). :idea:

If all this sounds like mumbo-jumbo, please feel free to ask questions...!

In a nutshell, though, MES is a programme that runs on Windows (so you'll need a laptop); connects to the car's OBD (on-board diagnostics) port, via a dedicated USB lead; and allows you to access -- and fiddle with -- various aspects of the car's electrickery...!

 

[cnewton]

Best to replace the whole cluster -- if you're sure it's the gauge (and not the sender itself) that's at fault. £20-£30 from eBay; and it's a simple job to change over. You will, however, need to ensure that the replacement cluster has a lower mileage on it; and that you obtain something like multiecuscan (MES) to update the mileage, and, if necessary, proxy align it (i.e. getting it to talk to the electronics in your car...). :idea:

If all this sounds like mumbo-jumbo, please feel free to ask questions...!

In a nutshell, though, MES is a programme that runs on Windows (so you'll need a laptop); connects to the car's OBD (on-board diagnostics) port, via a dedicated USB lead; and allows you to access -- and fiddle with -- various aspects of the car's electrickery...!

Wow !! there is NO way on this earth we would be able to do all that...but i really appreciate the reply! there are some very knowledgeable people on this site !!

Im hoping its the ballcock thing! ill get it checked out!

Thanks again for all your help

Chris

 

[s and b]

they go faulty
i did one tother month, car showed half full, they ran out on motorway,
hardest part is removing old one
i did a sticky update in the guides if garage struggle