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Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 12:20 pm
by Stevearniepalmer
Hi All
Could someone advise me please .Got in Audrey this morning (1967 4 door) standard 1098 engine and the fuel gauge has stopped working!Im not very good at fiddling but I’ve checked obvious things such as fuses .I had between a quarter and half a tank yesterday and I can’t smell or see any petrol on the floor so I’m thinking a wire or something .Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The speedo was taken out last year and given a good clean etc if that helps.
Many thanks
Steve

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 2:56 pm
by ianmack
Sometimes elderly guages stick and will respond to a gentle tap like a barometer. Failing that check the connections, then earth the wire at the tank to check the sender. When earthed the guage should read full. If the wiring and sender are ok the guage is faulty.

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 2:58 pm
by simmitc
The fuel gauge "system" is quite a simple circuit, and faults are usually down to loose or dirty connections. The fact that the speedo has bene out could indicate a loose connections behind there, but let's be methodical rather than jumpig to conclusions...

Firts thing, look under the wooden floor in the boot. On top of the petrol tank should be a wire connected to the fuel gauge sender unit. It should be a push-on spade terminal. Short that to earth. Now witht he ignition on, does the gauge read full?

Do you have a multimeter? If yes, then measusre the voltage (if any) on that wire.

With tests complete, reconnect the wire to the sender and report back.

Are other ignition switched items such as indicators, wipers and heater blower all working correctly?

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 5:42 pm
by Stevearniepalmer
Thanks for your help as always.When you started saying about the wooden floor in the boot etc i started to wonder about something.This morning when i went to the car a full bottle of dot 4 brake fluid had managed to empty itself all over the boot😞😞It was in the spare wheel compartment and all over the boot generally.Do you think this might have got into the part you were talking about and damaged the fuel gauge bit that you mentioned? have taken precautions for said bottles not to do that again.Im in the early stages of ownership so you live and learn.😁

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:04 pm
by mogbob
Steve ,
Check out as the other guys have suggested for your main problem.
You may now have a secondary problem. Brake fluid is quite a good paint stripper ! I suggest removing the boot floor asap to see the full extent of the damage. Have sheets of newspaper laid out so you can scrape off the dissolved " yucky " paint and put it straight onto the newspaper for disposal. I would use Mentholated Spirits on either rags or paper towels to mop up and to get the metal really clean. Mask up the unaffected areas and blast the boot floor with some primer aerosol and then top coat. Make sure the creases are well cleaned out.
Bob

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:25 pm
by Stevearniepalmer
Thanks for the added advice Bob.My car doesnt really have paint in thr boot area .It has a sort of black stuff which started to soften slighty when the fuel tank pipe started leaking.I will get the boot floor off as soon as i can and investigate the damage .Thanks again
Steve

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:36 pm
by Stevearniepalmer
Another wonder.
If I am right and the brake fluid has got into the wiring for the sender what damage if any will be done and what can I do to sort it out?
Steve

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 8:02 pm
by Sleeper
The winding inside the sender is copper wire with a coating of I think either shellac or enamel, it will not do the shellac any good but shouldn't affect the reading..

John :wink:

Re: Fuel Gauge

Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2019 1:20 pm
by Stevearniepalmer
Hi All
Just an update on Audrey.
Having read the helpful replies I’ve been and had another look at Audrey.When I discovered the brake fluid leak the other day I removed the spare wheel and jack etc.When I looked again today I found that the wire that is at the top of the petrol tank had become unclipped!!! I fastened it back on and all is well fuel gauge is working again.
Thanks once again for taking the trouble to reply to my questions I’m sure I shall have some more soon!
Steve