Funky fuel guage

[632 Regal]

I know there was a thread on this but I can't find it because I am lazy. what did you guys do, clean the pickup or was it in the dash? I hate this fly by wire guessing how many miles to empty and will fix whatever if I know where to aim my technologies LOL.

Thanks in advance.

[yaofeng]

I was lazy too. Both of my e34's had the same symptom. I picked up two fuel pump assemblies for $50 each to replace the old ones. That did the job.

[bubba966]

This the thread you were thinking of? http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41748

I still haven't properly diagnosed it. Started to pull the sender out of the tank to give it a look see & cleaning but figured I should get new gaskets before I do that and had to order a set. Haven't had a chance to give it another go yet.

[bimmo_2007]

I was lazy too. Both of my e34's had the same symptom. I picked up two fuel pump assemblies for $50 each to replace the old ones. That did the job.

I'd rather go with cleaning the fuel sender first, start with the easy one. My guess the fuel sender unit is sending intermittent signals to the OBC which is why it is displaying (accurate/close to accurate) reading.

[shogun]

http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/fuel_sender/fuel_sender.html
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/maxf_website/gauge.htm

[632 Regal]

http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/fuel_sender/fuel_sender.html
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/maxf_website/gauge.htm

I think I'll start with jiggling the connection first and hope that helps. Looks easier than the dash too.

[Omega]

I think I'll start with jiggling the connection first and hope that helps. Looks easier than the dash too.

Hey, Jeff!!

Poke a stick down the filler hole. If it comes out wet, you have gas. Dry and you are running on fumes.

If you want to get really technical you can even mark the stick with E - 1/4 - 1/3.. I know you never full it up further than a few bucks so any greater graduations are irrelevant.

:p

Laterz..........

[Bo525i]

When I fixed mine I found that I had to change the sender, wiggle the connector @ the pump/sender unit after reinstalling and make sure that the wiring behind the dash was properly inserted to get it to work 100%!

[GoldenEagleFan]

I had been having problems with my fuel gage and ended up taking out the pickup assembly to have a look. Didn't see anything obvious and the float seemed to be free and the guide wire appeared varnish free. When I put it all back together the gage worked fine for one week. Then no fuel gage again.

Frustrated one morning I got out and just wapped hard on top of the sender assembly and when I got back in the car the gage was working again.

That night I took the connector off of the assembly, used a small pick file and cleaned out the female connectors on the plug and sprayed contact cleaner and file on the male prongs. Since then, approx two months the gage has performed flawlessly. Hopefully the same will work for you.

[632 Regal]

I'm into this one! +1
I had been having problems with my fuel gage and ended up taking out the pickup assembly to have a look. Didn't see anything obvious and the float seemed to be free and the guide wire appeared varnish free. When I put it all back together the gage worked fine for one week. Then no fuel gage again.

Frustrated one morning I got out and just wapped hard on top of the sender assembly and when I got back in the car the gage was working again.

That night I took the connector off of the assembly, used a small pick file and cleaned out the female connectors on the plug and sprayed contact cleaner and file on the male prongs. Since then, approx two months the gage has performed flawlessly. Hopefully the same will work for you.