Gas gauge doesn't go below 1/2. Fuel sender does not appear stuck.

[sugarwood]

From a full tank, it will go from full to 1/2 then stop.
Gas gauge doesn't go below 1/2.
I think once I get to low, a warning light goes on.

I pulled out the fuel sender and it didn't appear stuck.
The thin wire is smooth and not a hint of rust or corrosion.
The float moves up and down smoothly, the entire range.

What's the next step?

Fuel gauge ground?

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

From a full tank, it will go from full to 1/2 then stop.
Gas gauge doesn't go below 1/2.
I think once I get to low, a warning light goes on.

I pulled out the fuel sender and it didn't appear stuck.
The thin wire is smooth and not a hint of rust or corrosion.
The float moves up and down smoothly, the entire range.

What's the next step?

Check the ground located in the frunk adjacent to the fuse panel,
and, the connection (G) on the back of the gauge (Green wire).

Good luck,

Gerry

[timmy2]

Does the level on the gauge drop if you firmly tap the gauge?

[blucille]

The next step is to see if the gauge shows less than 1/2 full if you manually slide the float down. I went thru this too, swapping in another used sender, keeping the same symptoms, many different gauges tried....turned out the fix was a brand new sender.

[dap930]

I had a similar problem with mine. I replaced the sender and that didn't fix it. I replaced the fuel gage and that didn't fix it. I removed the sender from the tank and reconnected the cable and checked manually and it worked perfectly. Put it back in the tank and it would hang up. I finally discovered that the tank top was slightly dented in, which changed the location of the sender at the bottom. When all the sender fasteners were tightened, the bottom of the sender was hitting against the tank back and binding the float movement. I had to make a half-moon shaped shim that fit over the mounting studs that I epoxied (JB Weld) to the tank top opening. The shim was installed at the front of the sender opening, which shifted the bottom of the sender forward. The sender rubber gasket sealed any small imperfections to the shim.

So, the first thing to do is remove the sender, reconnect the sender to see if the gage reads fully when shifting the float up and down. If that is OK, check the tank top.

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

From a full tank, it will go from full to 1/2 then stop.
Gas gauge doesn't go below 1/2.
I think once I get to low, a warning light goes on.

I pulled out the fuel sender and it didn't appear stuck.
The thin wire is smooth and not a hint of rust or corrosion.
The float moves up and down smoothly, the entire range.

What's the next step?

If you have the sender out and the aluminum shroud removed you can connect all the wires, move the float up and down to the bottom and watch the gauge. Or have someone watch the gauge while you are doing it. That up and down movement should move the gauge needle continuously from full to empty. You can do the same with the sender out but completely assembled. Turn it right side up + Gauge on empty. Upside down = gauge on full. And with slow turning over any position in between. What has to happen is the the small slider contacts against the two wires make continuously good contact. Even if the wire seems OK poor contact of the slider contacts on the float could cause erratic gauge behavior.

I fixed my "79SC sender a couple of years ago. The float was frozen on the center slide rod and the wires covered with crud from old gasoline. After a good cleaning of all the elements the sender now works fine over the whole range with even the red light coming on when the tank is practically empty.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

From a full tank, it will go from full to 1/2 then stop.
Gas gauge doesn't go below 1/2.
I think once I get to low, a warning light goes on...

I had the exact problem, so I was going to suggest to remove the sender and... But you did that. I also did that and everything look OK.

The floater ride the wire with no problem when out side the tube but back in the tube it free fall one way but bind the other way. Took a look at the tube and it was slightly out of round. Roll it carefully like a cigar and it did the trick.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by 86 911 Targa

Check the ground located in the frunk adjacent to the fuse panel,
and, the connection (G) on the back of the gauge (Green wire).

Gerry, I just cleaned the 2 frunk bay grounds when I did my headlight relays.

The gauge always works between F and 1/2 and then stops in the same place every time.
Would a bad connection at the gauge cause such a consistent behavior?

[sugarwood]

Thanks, I will remove the sender, move the float by hand,
and see if the gauge matches the float position.

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Gerry, I just cleaned the 2 frunk bay grounds when I did my headlight relays.

The gauge always works between F and 1/2 and then stops in the same place every time.
Would a bad connection at the gauge cause such a consistent behavior?

Yes, a series resistance could give these symptoms.

pm me as needed.

[slodave]

I'm going with a bad sender. I have basically the same problem and after much testing, have decided that the sender is bad. The float moves freely up and down, grounds are good, other connections are good. I even get the idiot light.

[sugarwood]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I got motivated by all the replies and just got back from the garage.

Here is the deal.

The fuel sender float is not stuck.
It freely travels the entire length of the shaft.

Here is a video of me sliding the float between the top to the bottom a few times.
Notice the range of the fuel needle.
Even though the float is going to either extreme, the needle does not go much below half once the float is at the bottom.
I can live with this, and just need to remember that 1/2 really means 1/5, but am curious what causes this miscalibration.
Anyone have a friend who would actually just relabel "1/2" to "E" and black out the stuff below 1/2 ?



Also, it's not like something is physically blocking the needle from going lower to the empty reading.
Note, when the ignition is off, the fuel needle rests at the very bottom.

[JJ 911SC]

See what you got with the plug off and with the cable "jump". If you got "empty" and "full" (or vice versa), as per slodave: time for a new senders.

[DRACO A5OG]

Well, let's try one more thing.

If you are brave enough, you can re-flow the solder joints in the gauge itself. It worked for me but later if came back. I had NoHo redo it properly and still I get false readings so yesterday I swapped the sender.

Old sender looked fine except a bit of residue on the float. Wires are so thin, how the heck can anyone really see if it is fouled? I must be getting old

If you do go with a new sender make sure you get a new rubber gasket.

Jim

[sugarwood]

JJ,
I'm not sure what the cable jump is.
Are you implying that even though the float freely travels from top to bottom, the sender might still be defective?

Draco,
Did your new sending unit fix the problem?
Looks like 90174180100 is about $150

[DRACO A5OG]

Not sure, have to go empty to find out but it seems like it is.

Gauge is refurbed so all should be working now, I will know in a week or less.

I had exact same symptoms the re-flowing helped but was not permanent.

Jim

[slodave]

I went as far as taking my gauge apart. The needle moved through the arc just fine, when moving it by hand. No sticking spots. I took the sender out and manually tested it and watched the gauge. Needle would stick at certain points and would not really fall below half. TRE and I are on the same page about a failed sender. Kinda proven by the fact the idiot light does go on when nearly empty.

[azhodge]

When you insert the sender does it go all the way down in the tank. I mean all the way down. if the tank is deformed at all the sender will bind as you tighten it down.

[DRACO A5OG]

Originally Posted by slodave

I went as far as taking my gauge apart. The needle moved through the arc just fine, when moving it by hand. No sticking spots. I took the sender out and manually tested it and watched the gauge. Needle would stick at certain points and would not really fall below half. TRE and I are on the same page about a failed sender. Kinda proven by the fact the idiot light does go on when nearly empty.

Sugarwood, this is a pretty good endorsement.

Do the swap and be done with it. Since you took it out, it isn't a big deal just do not over torque the nuts :-) 18 INCH/LB, star pattern.

Smear some gas on the new one so it will slip in nicely. Remember the new one will have a pin in it for shipping. Pretty obvious but you never know

[DRACO A5OG]

Originally Posted by azhodge

When you insert the sender does it go all the way down in the tank. I mean all the way down. if the tank is deformed at all the sender will bind as you tighten it down.

It is actually an encapsulated sender the moving components are shielded, Yeah a dented up tank would cause problems if it hit the sender