erratic fuel gauge
 

28 ft. Wellcraft, Coatal, 1989 with low hours. Have some gauge
problems. temperature gauge problem solved with new wire from sender.
Recently noted erratic fuel gauge. It would show no fuel at one time
and then 3\4th. fuel , then 1/4 fuel, etc. I know that there was about
30gal. in a 200 gal, tank. All the connections to the gauge look fine.
Where is the problem apt to be?. Is there a sensor or a float that
indicates the amount of fuel in the tank? Is it a wire? How to test!
I would hate to run out of gas 20 mi. out in Lake Erie The fuel tank
is sort of buried under the aft deck. I cannot see any gauges, wires or
anything leading to the tank. Help,please.!Bill Fletcher

erratic fuel gauge
 

"Wm. E. Fletcher" wrote in message
...
28 ft. Wellcraft, Coatal, 1989 with low hours.

I cannot see any gauges, wires or
anything leading to the tank. Help,please.!Bill Fletcher

If the boat was built according to the accepted standards then there should
be access to the fittings on the tank, including the sending unit. It
doesn't mean there is room to change it, but you can at least inspect it.
Look for access hatches or removable panels.

The first thing would be to check if the wire on the sending unit is just
loose.

An experiment you could try would be to run a new temporary wire between the
tank and gauge. Just get a long wire, lay it out on the deck and connect at
both ends. If that solves your problem then figure out how to route a
similar wire beneath the deck.

If the erratic behavior persists then replace the sending unit. The sending
units are usually adjustable within a range, so measure the height of the
tank and buy the replacement unit that works in that range.

Rod

erratic fuel gauge
 

Locate the sender wire at the tank sender unit and ground it with the
key on. If the guage pegs, it's OK. The tank sender unit is probably
failing. Your gonna have to find it and remove it. Senders are generally
cheap.
JR

Wm. E. Fletcher wrote:
28 ft. Wellcraft, Coatal, 1989 with low hours. Have some gauge
problems. temperature gauge problem solved with new wire from sender.
Recently noted erratic fuel gauge. It would show no fuel at one time
and then 3\4th. fuel , then 1/4 fuel, etc. I know that there was about
30gal. in a 200 gal, tank. All the connections to the gauge look fine.
Where is the problem apt to be?. Is there a sensor or a float that
indicates the amount of fuel in the tank? Is it a wire? How to test! I
would hate to run out of gas 20 mi. out in Lake Erie The fuel tank is
sort of buried under the aft deck. I cannot see any gauges, wires or
anything leading to the tank. Help,please.!Bill Fletcher

erratic fuel gauge
 

"JR NORTH" wrote in message
...
Locate the sender wire at the tank sender unit and ground it with the
key on. If the guage pegs, it's OK.

He said that the problem was that the gauge was erratic. If it happens to
be "working" when he touched the wire to ground then it would not prove
anything.

If the wire isn't loose on the top of the sending unit then my bet is on the
sending unit being bad.

Rod