Fried Fuel Guage

[BarryL]

Photo?

Mine have power from key on, to sender, and illumination from light switch.

[EverettB]

Yes, post a photo as Split Bus gauges don't have a ground connection.

When you replaced the sender, did you pull the little tab that locks it in place during shipment so it doesn't get damaged?
If you didn't, I believe it stays stuck on full forever.

If you pull the wire from the sender, does the gauge stay on empty?
It should.
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[NUTSFORBUSES]

Yes, the pin was pulled to release the float.
I will take pics tomorrow. I have 3 gauges.
Mine also have Key-on to sender and bulb, Bulb is fine, meaning Ground-on body.
In off position it drops to 0/0. Key on 7/8 full.

I tested it before I installed gauge>7/8 full and it was grounded OUTSIDE of dash, in other words GROUNDED from sender above engine. I cleaned-up the sender ground-added die-electric grease to ground screw.
The slider moved freely.
So it always reads FULL-I guess.

BTW- I recently installed a shift-lock. It works great !

This may be the problem? I looked at my OG Gauge and it has two tabs-The new has 3
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kaiser kills kids.com

[NUTSFORBUSES]

Here are the OG and the replacement gauges. There is a screw on the OG and a secondary ground on the newer after market.
It is obvious that the OG gauge was made much better with more in mind. There is zero consistency with newer parts.

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kaiser kills kids.com

[Bruce Amacker]

You need to diagnose your problem, not shoot in the dark. Disconnect the sender wire from the back of the gauge, and with the key on, touch a ground wire to the sender terminal. The needle should make a full quick sweep from empty to full. The gauge head grounds through the dash itself, I use a Scotchbrite "cookie" pad on a die grinder to clean the mounting area where the retaining feet touch the dash. If you want to test your gauge head you can also use a variable resistor- here I use a 0-100 ohm resistor to test the head. https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&ar=1&video_id=vI5Gx3xf1R8

Once you rule the gauge head is functioning properly, test the sender. Using a DVOM set on resistance check the wire that you disconnected at the guage- it should read between 0 and 77 ohms to ground. If the tank is full, near 0 ohms (like under 10) and if the tank is empty, near 77 ohms (70-90 would be OK). Here I'm reading 71 ohms which means the tank is very low. As the float rises the resistance lowers. I've also removed the sender and submerge it in a beer stein filled with gasoline to test it, the same applies, 0-77 ohms.

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'66 Deluxe Bus
'65 Standard Bus
Build threads:
'66- http://www.leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2888&sid=54d8dedfb3822f99c7f2ea430cb4e856
'65- http://leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=4263

[Bruce Amacker]

[NUTSFORBUSES]

VERY GOOD ! THANK YOU !
My OG gauge is frozen on FULL-can't move the needle at all.

I have an OHM meter and will try your solution with my remaining two gauges.
one is an ISP and the other unmarked
or maybe just source an OG unit.
Really thanks
Mike
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kaiser kills kids.com

[Who.Me?]

I'm certain I used that pin to earth the fuel gauge I retrofitted to my single cab.

The gauge is mounted in a painted accessory mount/bracket that's bolted to the underside of the dash lip...

I found earth continuity wasn't good enough from the dash, via the painted mount/bracket to the gauge clamp/bracket and on to the gauge itself. The needle randomly jumped back and forth or pegged.

I looped an earth from the bolt in to the dash to that post and it reads steady.
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Andy


Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786

[NUTSFORBUSES]

[Bruce Amacker]