fuel gauge stopped working

[cameron02]

Hello boys and girls,

My fuel gauge has stopped working. I'm using a fuel sender from an EB falcon. The actual gauge is VDO and hardly used so I'm assuming the sender is the problem.

I was going to get another sender but a replacement from the wreckers will cost me $80. So I'm wanting to make sure the sender is stuffed before I invest in another one.

I've had a look at the sender and the wires look OK. I have a multi meter but I'm not sure what to do with it.

Any ideas?

[Tenrocca]

Should be a resistance type- if you can move the float up and down you should see a change in resistance on the MM? Have no idea of the range it should be in though.

[Merv and Sharon]

Do you have meter? Alternatively the coils should all be intact and there is a slide that moves across them inducing a variable resistance to current flow. Is it contacting the coils? Or is it bent away too far? Post a pic maybe Cameron.

[cameron02]

Thanks people,

I will try the multi meter tonight to see if i get something. The points seem to be contacting from visual inspection.

[cobbindale]

Hi Cameron,

The old sender may be repairable by carefully removing the float arm from the unit and bending the wiper arm back so it again makes contact with the variable resistance printed on the circuit board. The circuit board and arm wear over time so they may no longer make contact. You can disassemble the unit to remove the arm to bend the contacts back (be careful to to go over board). Watch out you don't lose the spring when you do it, tend to fly off when you pull the unit apart. Be acreful not to otherwise bend the float arm or you will stuff up the readings you get. You can test if it's fixed with a multimeter measuring the resistance (see your shop manual).
2 Ohms Low stop 12 Ohms Empty 2.3 Ohms pre EB II
66 Ohms Half 81.2 Ohms Pre EB II
149 Ohms Full 200.7 Ohms Pre EB II
176 Ohms upper Stop

The VDO gauge itself should read 10 ohms empty, rising to 180 ohms when full.

Also check to make sure you have a common continuous ground between sender and gauge.

Hope this helps.

Dale

[cameron02]

Thanks everybody,

I did all the things you suggested and the sender checked out OK.

So I pulled the dash out to check the wires to the gauge and........it seems i did not connect one of the wires to the back of the gauge

It ended up being lucky that I pulled the sender out though as the rubber I used to seal the tank was disintergrating. I'm sure I purchased fuel resistant rubber. Does anybody know where I can get some actual fuel resistant rubber?