Fuel Gauge Drops To Empty After 7Mins Of Driving

[rondofj]

As the title says, my fuel gauge dropped to empty after 7mins of driving this morning.

The only thing I did was disconnect the battery, remove the washer bottle and drill a

hole under the battery tray last evening to allow fitting of intercooler pipes.

Someone please tell me whats with the fuel gauge playing up??? What should I do??

thanks

[Moodles2]

All I can suggest is take the battery terminals off and give the terminals and the terminal posts on the battery a good wirebushing.

[89CAL]

Yeah check for a dodgy earth as well.

Or a massive fuel leak

Hopefully it's just a dirty battery terminal (as above). Check around there If youve been playing with that area

[Duncan]

lol I get through heaps of fuel in 7 minutes.....but that is the race car at full throttle

it is almost certainly the fuel sender. they are a dodgy little plastic float with a metal arm that contacts on a little metal scale. if the arm is bent/crooked/mount broken it will not read right.

it is very easy to break if you move it (changing fuel pump in particular), but can even break on it's own.

just replace it....and have a good look at the new one and make sure it is good

[marksuxass]

check resisatance through your fuel sender. It should vary as you move the float. If you get an erratic reading your sender is f**ked.

[BLITZ-26]

mine played up to after a track day where i spun out, after that it just read full till about 1 quater then dropped over a few seconds it was really strange :S

[rondofj]

thanks for the replies guys, after doin a lot of net searching myself I'm now certain its that bloody fuel sender unit pn top of the tank - the dodgy white plastic tube/cap with connnections. Just before I rush off to buy a new unit, I'm goin to take off and put back the battery terminals again and see whats the deal.

Starting the car again the gauge goes up to a quarter tank, then back to empty, then back up a bit while driving...then I switch off the engine and hey presto, it goes to the correct reading - about 3/4 tank. Switch off the engine and on again and it goes to 3/4 tank.

Now where in Sydney can I find a good cheap fuel sender??? Will one from the wreckers do or can't guarantee if that will work???

cheers n

[rondofj]

The last time I switched on then off, it went back to a quarter tank but I know I have AT LEAST 3/4 tank of fuel in there..