944 Gas Gauge Erratic

[Dano944]

On my 1983 944 the gas gauge shows erratic gas levels. It skips around a bit before settling to a consistent spot. I don’t trust it’s accuracy, so I keep an eye on my miles driven. I’ve read that the gas sending unit, accessible from under the carpet in the rear, might need cleaning. Is this a job for a repair shop or is this doable by a nube like me?

[Eskozki]

It is doable, just be careful because of the fuel vapors etc. You will be dealing with. So have an fire extinguisher at hand. Clarks-garage.com has a an article about the procedure. Fuel Level Indication Problems / Repairs

[Dano944]

Originally Posted by Eskozki

It is doable, just be careful because of the fuel vapors etc. You will be dealing with. So have an fire extinguisher at hand. Clarks-garage.com has a an article about the procedure. Fuel Level Indication Problems / Repairs

Thank you! I’ll read the article

[walfreyydo]

Clarks-garage.com is one of the most authoritative go-to sources for DIY assistance on these cars. I would recommend bookmarking and reading through the entirety of the workshop manual. It will vastly improve your knowledge of these cars just by reading through this wonderful resource.

[Autobreza]

My 944 had sat for years before I bought it, so the fuel sender was encrusted with crystalized gasoline. It only read up to 1/8 then froze, and the low fuel light was non-op as well. I removed the sender, which the most difficult part was removing the 2 hoses w/o shredding the ends, totally disassembled it, cleaned it out, and reinstalled it. It now read the fuel level but still no low-level light. Turns out the wire dedicated to that function was broken. Replacing it with a new one which I recommend over repair. These unit get quite fragile in their old age and multiple uninstall/reinstall will probably lead to associated issues with hoses and seals. OBTW you'll need a replacement upper seal as the new (Uro) unit does not come with one. [Not sure about what is included with the OEM unit.]