Fuel Gauge and spare tank

JamesH · 27th January 2005, 12:12 PM

Hi All

Noddy's new water tank looks exactly like my spare fuel tank which reminded me of a question. When I flick the swtich to spare tank the fuel gauge moves but it does not go over a little more than half full on the gauge. It stays there until the actual fuel level reaches that point and then sinks with the level but the tank runs dry very early in the red.

It appears that maybe the doovey floaty thingy that returns to the gauge might be getting stuck. Or alternatively it might be just the the gauge just cannot talk to the spare tank in an accurate way.

Doe anyone know how big (ie $) a job it is to get this to work properly? it is not worth a huge fuss but I was wondering if it is simple then why put up with it. It has behaved this way since installation quite some years ago.

thanks for any advice

**DaveS3** · 27th January 2005, 01:02 PM

What vehicle?
What tank?

For most vehicles it is just the sender, should cost no more that about $60 for a non efi engine. Look at just getting one from a wreckers.

Dave

JamesH · 27th January 2005, 03:40 PM

It's a 1996 Defender and don't know who put the tank in but it was done via the dealer by the original owner.

Never got to the bottowm of who actually did but it is the spitting image of Noddy's water tank.

The sender unit, pardon my ignorance but are we talking draining the tank, and farting around etc or is it something exterior to all that?

Jamie

**noddy** · 27th January 2005, 04:27 PM

Howdy -- it is probably made by Long Range Automotive (LRA), as they make virtually the same tank as a fuel tank.

Give them a call on 03 9739 5667 and they will probably be able to advise you if the sender has had it or what you need to do to fix it.

Regards

JamesH · 27th January 2005, 06:13 PM

Thanks Noddy.

**DEFENDERZOOK** · 27th January 2005, 06:56 PM

not being a standard tank a sender unit would have been sourced from wherever they could get them.
the problem is probably just the sender unit does not have enough room to go through its full travel in the confined space. you can frig around with the sender unit you have and bend and adjust it it so it gives the correct readings at full and empty or just plumb an electric fuel pump to pump the fuel into the main tank and go by the guage on that. this also means you will have a second fuel pump on board for remote travel.

you will need to get to sender unit to check it....not sure where it is fitted.
if its fitted on top it might not be such a bad idea to modify the floorpan to gain access to it without having to remove the tank.

check to see if it gets to full at the top of the tank or if it is catching somwhere or running out of travel half way up.
then check to see if it reaching the bottom of its travell just above the bottom of the tank. it shouldnt touch the bottom of the tank or it will give a false reading.

if i have confused ask me again and i will try to explain it a bit differently
like in english maybe.

i understood everything by the way......

JamesH · 28th January 2005, 11:04 AM

Thanks I think I know what you mean. Never seen a sender unit but I can imagine what youre saying.

**DEFENDERZOOK** · 28th January 2005, 10:00 PM

if its one of the old style itll be like the float in a toilet cistern.

otherwise it will be a solid state item which has nothing to adjust.
the only way i can think of to correct the reading on these is to see what resistance you need at the guage the use a resistor to match the reading to the level

Thread: Fuel Gauge and spare tank

Thread Tools

Fuel Gauge and spare tank

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions