Fuel gauge stopped working

[Ade1]

Hi I have a problem with my fuel gauge.
It seems to be stuck just around the nearly empty orange mark. I don't actually think it's an electrical problem as the rest of the electrics on dash are working (not sure if I should post this in fueling section). The car was sat for a few years and when I tried to get it started again I had some fuelling issues. I am worried that the old petrol that was sitting in the tank could have corroded something. Although it runs fine now I'm a bit concerned about the fuel gauge being stuck there.
Can someone explain how the gauge works?
Where does it measure the fuel from? (I assume it's in the fuel tank)
Is there any chance something can physically affect the reading?

[Dazdub]

There will be an arm with a float that will go up and down in tank this is under the rear seat under a black cover with 3 screws and is easy to get to if you need to check it

[mark1gls]

Looks like this if you have a carb car, if fuel injection there is a fuel pump also attached to the end.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MK1-2-SCIROCC ... SwyQtV3ai1

Could just be the float it stuck or rusty connection.

If the car has been sat for a while it's worth having a good look inside the fuel tank, get a torch and have a good look, if rusty bits in the fuel tank get a magnet on a stick etc and try to fish out as much rust as possible then clean the magnet and drop it in the fuel tank then it will collect any other bits of rust while in there, don't put the magnet to close to the fuel sender float as you dont want that to stick to the magnet!

To remove the fuel sender from the tank you only need to turn it about 30 degrees then it should lift out, watch out for the rubber o-ring and make sure there's a good seal when putting it all back together or you will get a fuel leak/smells from the tank.

If your sender is plastic you will need to make/get creative a tool to slot into the grooves to turn the sender, if it's metal you can use a metal bar and hammer to hammer it around, you only need to move it a little to free it up.

[mark1gls]

Pictures if you can see them on this thread of the metal fuel injection sender etc...

https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.ph ... ti-running

[Ade1]

hi thanks for the replies.
Not had time to have an investigation yet.
Thanks for the thread you linked to mark1 - hopefully my is not as severe as that guys but a lot of useful info.

Will update you on my progress.