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1madmanx Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007 Posts: 686 Location: Wilmington, NC
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 6:08 am Post subject: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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On my drive into work this morning in the Thing my 1/2 tank of gas (registered on the gauge when I left) was registering full when I arrived work. While I know my coffee hadn't kicked in yet, I'm pretty sure I didn't stop and fill the tank
I pulled the wire off the sending unit and the gauge fell to empty. I put the wire back on and the gauge moved to full. I banged on the top of the tank thinking the float might be stuck, but no change.
Where should I start? Pull the sender and verify that the float isn't stuck? Replace the sender? By the way, $75 seems a little steep from one of the "specialty" shops. What year is this sender equivalent with on a Beetle? I have a '74 Thing.
Thanks for any pointers.
Bud _________________ Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
'66 Kombi Bus
'73 Thing
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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First thing to do would be to pull the sender from the tank and inspect closely for operation as well as broken wires and such.
They are fairly easy to fix up with a little work, and very easy to get to on a Thing!
Here is a Bus sender (very, very similar) that I took apart. I cleaned up all the contacts of the float lever and all that, warmed the board that the resistance wire is wrapped on and flexed it towards the wiper arm, and on this one had to repair a broken contact wire.
I did basically the same operation to the sender on my Thing when I got it up and running.
_________________ Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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1madmanx Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007 Posts: 686 Location: Wilmington, NC
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 8:34 am Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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Thanks Dave. I've never taken one apart before. Does look pretty simple. I'll give that a try tonight.
Bud _________________ Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
'66 Kombi Bus
'73 Thing
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 8:37 am Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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Good luck!
There are just little tabs that hold the float lever cover in place, so just bend them back to open it up.
Then take a little sandpaper and clean up everything where one part is supposed to contact another.
If your resistive wire is broken, I believe it can be replace inexpensively. I've found a couple threads in the Bay forum outlining replacing the wire and where to find it. _________________ Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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1madmanx Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007 Posts: 686 Location: Wilmington, NC
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 10:49 am Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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Interesting (at least to me) update: I filled the tank at lunch today to make sure I don't run out of gas until the issue is resolved. Part of me wanted to see if by pushing the float all the way up, I could "shock" the sender back to it's senses. Initially nothing happened (still read completely full), but after driving down the road a bit the fuel gauge went to empty (actually out of sight empty). Almost as if the wire was pulled off the sender (which it wasn't).
We'll see what we shall see when I pull the sender out.
Thanks. _________________ Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
'66 Kombi Bus
'73 Thing
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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lqqkatjon Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2013 Posts: 36 Location: St. Cloud, MN
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 1:25 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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I purchased the sender from Thingparts.com, was reasonably priced.
from my understanding, is it is the same as a bug/beetle sender, without the cover over the terminals on the top. I understand The more expensive Thing shop sender is just like the OEM with the cover over the terminal on top. |
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1madmanx Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007 Posts: 686 Location: Wilmington, NC
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 1:38 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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lqqkatjon wrote: |
I purchased the sender from Thingparts.com, was reasonably priced.
from my understanding, is it is the same as a bug/beetle sender, without the cover over the terminals on the top. I understand The more expensive Thing shop sender is just like the OEM with the cover over the terminal on top. |
Thanks. After getting some sticker shock looking at the $75 sender, I checked the price on the VDO sender at CP1. It was $25. I was just curious of the cross Type (of VW) compatibility.
Bud _________________ Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
'66 Kombi Bus
'73 Thing
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1madmanx Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007 Posts: 686 Location: Wilmington, NC
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 1:41 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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vwwestyman wrote: |
Look closely at the wires too.
If there is a chafed part, it may have grounded out causing the full reading. If it broke all the way, you may have it occasionally grounding out, and other times no connection at all. |
Thanks again. I'll look closer tonight. It's interesting that I've not had any intermittent issues leading up to this. I'm really hoping it's just the sender because it is WAY easy to get to.
I know some of the VW gauges have a "vibrator" unit on the back of the speedo for the gas sender. Do you happen to know what symptoms I would see if that was going bad?
Bud _________________ Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
'66 Kombi Bus
'73 Thing
Visit my Galleries:
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mondshine Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006 Posts: 2770 Location: The World's Motor Capital
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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I noticed that the wire coils are not evenly spaced.
Maybe that's why I can go about 140 miles before my gauge reads 1/2, than 60 more miles to empty |
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7393
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 6:29 am Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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I would like to understand what contacts were cleaned and what piece was pushed over in reference to the photos.
Thanks for the help. |
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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helowrench Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2003 Posts: 567 Location: dallas texas
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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http://www.midsouthvw.com/TechTips/tech_tip_FuelGauge.htm
this applies to your system as well.
Rob _________________ Current VWs:
70 bug vert for wifey
73Thing bucket o rust
73 914 1.7
12 Passat 2.5 Highway cruiser |
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1madmanx Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007 Posts: 686 Location: Wilmington, NC
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 7:21 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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The weather has finally cooperated and the brown truck has delivered my parts so I was able to fix my sender/gauge issue. Unfortunately the fix wasn't the obvious one!
Best I can tell there are three components to the fuel gauge system: 1) sending unit in the tank, 2) the vibrator on the back of the speedo that the sending unit wire goes to, and 3) the gauge itself. Being the methodical person I am, I started by replacing #1. While part of this thread talked about repairing a sending unit, I didn't find anything wrong with mine and it still didn't work. New one it was. FAIL! New sending unit didn't fix the problem either.
On to #2. I replaced the vibrator with a new one. FAIL! New vibrator had no effect.
Last, but not least the gauge itself #3. I replaced the gauge in the speedo and DING DING DING, we have a winner! Who knew?
I've never heard of a gauge going bad and since I've never really looked at one before, I have no clue what's wrong with the old one.
Moral of the story, it's always the last place you look
Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. I learned a lot.
Bud _________________ Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
'66 Kombi Bus
'73 Thing
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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If you still have the odds gauge, look carefully inside. You'll see a very thin wire attached to the needle. If it breaks, the gauge won't work.
I had something hooked up wrong on a different bus and burned that wire up pretty quick, since the vibrator was accidentally bypassed, sending full voltage to the gauge. _________________ Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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1madmanx Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007 Posts: 686 Location: Wilmington, NC
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 6:03 am Post subject: Re: Fuel Sending Unit/Gas Gauge Issue |
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vwwestyman wrote: |
If you still have the odds gauge, look carefully inside. You'll see a very thin wire attached to the needle. If it breaks, the gauge won't work. |
I do and I did look but wasn't sure what I was looking for or how the thing actually worked. The needle seems to be attached/sits on a flat and horizontal rod (lets call it). Sort of like how a scale in a Dr's office works with the weights sliding left to right.
I didn't notice a wire connected to the needle. I didn't think to take a picture of the new one to compare. Oh well.
Thanks. _________________ Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
'66 Kombi Bus
'73 Thing
Visit my Galleries:
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GI Joe Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2005 Posts: 2012 Location: Athens, TN
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