Petrol guage going crazy

[glenhendry]

My fuel/petrol guage in my 2000 4.6 has started acting up. It has been fine for the last 18 months. Now it shows low when full or high when empty, or middle when either. There is no rhyme or reason to it.

Should I suspect the sender or the guage?
Where is the sender?
Anyone know a good way to test both?

Thanks!

[Hoges]

Hi Glen
the sender is usually the problem. It's attached to the pump. It can get "gunk" on it which plays up with the variable resistor... hence unpredictable readings on the gauge.

I had this problem a couple of years ago... as a quick fix, I put a couple of cans of fuel injection cleaner in the tank on a long trip (BNE-SYD) and it eventually cleared... maybe worth a try

cheers


PS: Do you have a Faultmate? If so, you can test the gauge: In the BECM mode (IIRC) Faultmate allows you to "force" the gauge to "full" and "empty" ..

[wayneg]

I had a problem just after I got the car. Ran out of fuel when the gauge read 1/4. As Hoges did I took advice on using Injector cleaner in the fuel and no more issues. I dont think its that uncommon if you do a bit of searching. I must admit I lost faith then and its never completely returned, I never let the tank get lower than 1/4 without reserves at hand.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/p38a-range-rover/93280-fuel-gauge-fault.html

[poleonpom]

Mine does the same. It happened before the fuel-pump conked out on me, so I've had the fuel sender out. I tried to clean mine up, but I think it just physically wears out. I can tell you it's not the petrol gauge as I swopped mine out for new oem green background gauges and the result is the same odd and the no reading at all.

[poleonpom]

Btw, if you decide to remove the fuel pump to get at the sender, make sure you stir the tank up good and pump out all the fuel and have a new fuel filter as you'll stir a heap of dirt in the tank

[rhinoP38]

Hi,
I had the same issue with my beast and I kept running out of fuel.:mad:

I ended up taking the fuel tank out and removing the variable resistor (fuel sender) and cleaning it by hand with some WD40. I also bent the prongs for the sender contacts in a bit so they made good contact with the potentiometer.

Seems to work fine now, although Im cautious about letting it get too empty.

[poleonpom]

Hi,
I had the same issue with my beast and I kept running out of fuel.:mad:

I ended up taking the fuel tank out and removing the variable resistor (fuel sender) and cleaning it by hand with some WD40. I also bent the prongs for the sender contacts in a bit so they made good contact with the potentiometer.

Seems to work fine now, although Im cautious about letting it get too empty.

I tried that too and made mine worse:o

[redandy3575]

I found that E10 can have an adverse effect on the fuel sender also. Don't use E10 anymore due to that reason plus more.

[Hoges]

There was a TSB issued a few years ago on exactly that point warning not to use ethanol blends as they cause problems with the resistance of the sender unit...

[RR P38]

I found that E10 can have an adverse effect on the fuel sender also. Don't use E10 anymore due to that reason plus more.

I have been using plus ulp from united for 12 years cant say i have had an issue with my fuel guage. Infact i am continually amazed how accurate it is. I routinely guess by the guage what i will put in to fill the tank.

[Scouse]

I'm sure there's a problem with my gauge too. I fill the car up & the gauge reads 'F' but when it's my turn to drive it, it's on 'E'.

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

[poleonpom]

Anyone know of a replacement or fix it? I don't want to have to replace the whole fuel pump apparatus just for the sake of the fuel gauge

[DT-P38]

I'm sure there's a problem with my gauge too. I fill the car up & the gauge reads 'F' but when it's my turn to drive it, it's on 'E'.

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

That **** happens here in all three of the cars we use regularly, and the pantry and the fridge. I was thinking I must be going mad, but seems I am not alone with this problem.

Is there a fix for it, it's costing me a bloody fortune?

One positive, and I thank god... it doesn't happen to the beer fridge too often!

[DT-P38]

Anyone know of a replacement or fix it? I don't want to have to replace the whole fuel pump apparatus just for the sake of the fuel gauge

Old school dip stick.

Sorry, I meant go old style and use a dip stick!

[Scouse]

Anyone know of a replacement or fix it? I don't want to have to replace the whole fuel pump apparatus just for the sake of the fuel gaugeWhat year is your RR?

GEMS cars & early Bosch cars have the sender unit available separately.

GEMS: WGI100000 - about $25 from Land Rover (run out price)
XA to 430701: WGI100020 - about $150

[PeterAllen]

That **** happens here in all three of the cars we use regularly, and the pantry and the fridge. I was thinking I must be going mad, but seems I am not alone with this problem.

Is there a fix for it, it's costing me a bloody fortune?

There is a solution but it will cost you a hell of a lot more than just re-stocking every week.;)

[poleonpom]

That **** happens here in all three of the cars we use regularly, and the pantry and the fridge. I was thinking I must be going mad, but seems I am not alone with this problem.

Is there a fix for it, it's costing me a bloody fortune?

One positive, and I thank god... it doesn't happen to the beer fridge too often!

Yep,

know that feeling, but my bar fridge is the 1st place raided thanks to my teenage son. :mad:

Thankfully he's just discovered beer brewing and we're brewing up a storm - I haven't done it in years, but used to be a bit hardcore. Over the past two weeks we've made a San Miguel, Coopers Red went on last night and Newcastle Brown planned for next week (full mash) - that's 7 1/2 slabs in total at a cost of approx $6 a slab - so there is a fix!

Stuck $100 of 95ron in today and the needle is showing 4 bars, that can't be right? Anyone know where the needle should be?

Jonathan

[PeterAllen]

My fuel warning indicator had just come on and needle sits just above the first line. Put $100 in which was 66.7 litres and needle sat slightly to the right of the 6th bar ( just over 3/4 full). I guess there is about 10 litres left in the tank when the low fuel indicator comes on. My indicator seems to read differently in the first half to the second half of the tank. What I mean by that is when the tank indicator is at half I reckon I have about 45litres left rather than 50

[Hoges]

My fuel warning indicator had just come on and needle sits just above the first line. Put $100 in which was 66.7 litres and needle sat slightly to the right of the 6th bar ( just over 3/4 full). I guess there is about 10 litres left in the tank when the low fuel indicator comes on. My indicator seems to read differently in the first half to the second half of the tank. What I mean by that is when the tank indicator is at half I reckon I have about 45litres left rather than 50

That's probably correct: the 100L capacity is a nominal amount. More likely, the capacity is 90 L useable.
cheers