[Mk2] [Turbo] Fuel gauge reading incorrectly.

Anything and everything to do with mechanical issues with your Mk2

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Buster
Posts: 125
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2018 3:47 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Fuel gauge reading incorrectly.

Post by Buster »

pbmr2 wrote:from your description, the needle is reaching it's upper limit of movement at full tank.

my 2 cars have both got stock fuel gauges, one of them goes just past the top mark when full, the other only reaches the top of the top mark. the one with the higher reach, runs out of fuel just after the bottom mark.
the other car goes about another 30 miles before running out and sit even lower on the gauge.

I think you needle has been taken off and put back on facing too high. so fill the car to the brim.. like fill it, wait 20 second and then slowly fill some more. really make sure you can get no more fuel in.

then take the needle off and replace it with it pointing to the top of the top mark and no higher.
stick a small petrol can in the boot and drive till you run out of fuel. see where it got to.

if it's anything like the 3 or 4 gauges I've messed with then it should be just under the minimum mark it runs out.
the warning light is not very good, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. ignore the light.

have you checked the plugs under the ashtray? there are 2. one if for the pump, the other is for the sender. just make sure they are not damaged etc and plugged in well.

I've known a few senders to fail but only after being parked up for a long time



That's what I'm thinking mate, before the dials were changed the fuel needle would go right down and when the red light came on I always had another 10-15 miles left.

I'll fill it up like you said and then remove the needle and put it on at the top.
Buster
Posts: 125
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2018 3:47 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Fuel gauge reading incorrectly.

Post by Buster »

Righty, fuel tank filled to the absolute brim with my usual V-Power, waited until any bubbling or expansion had calmed down and gently repeatedly topped up again and again until the tank was absolute full and then some so to speak.

The fuel gauge needle is now way past the letter F for full, as in nearly another quarter tank full. Before the plasma dials were fitted, the ones that don't require you to remove the needles the fuel gauge would go slightly past the F for full in the gauge. Now it's well behind that.

Now I've driven about 15 miles back to my house off Boost on the motorway to conserve fuel consumption and the needle is still past the F for full on the gauge.

I'm going to put the car on level ground and top right up again with my emergency 5 litres of V-Power and then remove and refit the fuel gauge needle.

Is it simply a case of gently removing the needle and positioning it back of at the correct place or is there anything else I should be aware of like any pretensioning for example.

Thanks again for the help and advice.

Chris.
Buster
Posts: 125
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2018 3:47 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Fuel gauge reading incorrectly.

Post by Buster »

Bump
pbmr2
Posts: 929
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 12:49 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Fuel gauge reading incorrectly.

Post by pbmr2 »

right so you have proven that the needle is on too high, so never reaches empty mark. .

check out youtube for gauge fitting for the mr2 or celica, this will be the best way to learn how to remove the needle and not move the spindle etc.
Buster
Posts: 125
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2018 3:47 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Fuel gauge reading incorrectly.

Post by Buster »

Filled to the brim with V-Power than drove home, topped up from the fuel can in the boot right to the brim again and let the gauge settle.

Took off the needle and repositioned it bang on the full mark.

All good.
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