Fuel gauge issues

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ridethesplit
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Fuel gauge issues

Post by ridethesplit »

Ok, let's talk fuel gauges! Our gauge is like a deathly slow metranome. It goes from well under empty to just over a quarter and stops wherever it feels whenever it feels like it.

If I put more fuel in, and it gets over half full it goes up to where it should be (I think), but then every corner or hill it has a dramatic dip or raise, before settling again where it should be (I think).

If it drops below half it goes back to being a deathly metranome!

Anyone else had these symptoms. Apparently the previous owner replaced the whole tank and sender.


'84 scirocco
'91 golf
'87 westfalia
mr.brown
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Location: Surrey

Re: Fuel gauge issues

Post by mr.brown »

Cornering and hill issues are "characteristics" of the system - it's just a plastic float bobbing in the fuel that moves an arm up down a resistor. There are no baffles in the tank to prevent the fuel sloshing this way and that - so that float is constantly moving and affecting the readings.

For the mk1 injection it's actually a clever design trick (or accident) - the fuel outlet is at the rear of the tank - so there's less chance of running out of fuel going uphill. More chance when going downhill but hey, who cares, you're going downhill! :-D


Lukeh17
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Re: Fuel gauge issues

Post by Lukeh17 »

mr.brown wrote:Cornering and hill issues are "characteristics" of the system - it's just a plastic float bobbing in the fuel that moves an arm up down a resistor. There are no baffles in the tank to prevent the fuel sloshing this way and that - so that float is constantly moving and affecting the readings.
What Mr. Brown said!


Mark H
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Location: Bolton

Re: Fuel gauge issues

Post by Mark H »

Mine experiences the same issues, definitely worse with lower fuel in the tank.


Mark

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VW Scirocco GT2 (1991)
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