fuel gadge f*** about

[zimmer-320i]

some times the fuel gadge flickers and totaly drops to the bottom emty the temp gadge flickers as well any ideas?? im thinking the unit its self or would it be electrics??

[stonesie]

Nuts...... There's a nut behind each of those gauges and they work loose, the one for my fuel gauge was totally missing so that's the first thing to check.

The speedo is electronic so no speedo cable to wrestle with and you can get the cluster out with the steering wheel in place.

[Ritz]

Nuts...... There's a nut behind each of those gauges and they work loose, the one for my fuel gauge was totally missing so that's the first thing to check.

Ditto here, did it yesterday. Just tighten the nut on the back if there's one there or fit one. Works a treat.

[zimmer-320i]

just tightened mine, but as its few and far between it happening so ill have to see cheers for the advice

[stonesie]

If they were loose than im 99% sure youve just fixed it

[zimmer-320i]

they wernt lose but could be tightened qauter/half turn so what does that bit connect to and how does it affect it?

[robbo86]

IIRC its the earthing point for the circuit which the dial is connected to

Bad earth=poor reading

[zimmer-320i]

YER BUT SPEEDO AND REV COUNTER ARE SPOT ON ILL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK

[Brianmoooore]

It's one of the connections to the dial itself - there's another similar one for the temperature gauge.
A problem with these nuts won't affect anything else.

[zimmer-320i]

so what am i looking for??? what colour wires or part of the clock

sorry to be so vauge but never had a bmw b4

[robbo86]

you take the clocks out by whatever means is easiest for you (i found it easier to remove the wheel others manage withou) the wires unplug and lift the clocks away and flip the over..... there is a small copper nut at the back of the fuel guage and at the back of the temp guage (6mm maybe, possibly smaller), tighten and refit, plug in problem solved. remember if you park on a camber (like i do with mine)for a long while it will under read or over read dependant on steepness of the camber and on what side of the road it was on for a short while i had same problem and this cured it.... i know the speedo works fine but so did mine

[zimmer-320i]

ok firstly that was awnsered and secondly i said i tried it and it hasnt worked infact

[robbo86]

my mistake.... domnt know then, ask brianmoore he will be able to let you know

[zimmer-320i]

yer thats cool was just montioning it dont realy bother me i suppose its the fun of having a 19 year old car and i got her on classic insurance best thing is im 23 with 4 yrs driving but no claims lol came out at 384 but with repayment %age it worked out £408.00 !!!

[robbo86]

nice, im 22, 2 years driving 1 years no claims and in my first year it was 1100

my second year £500 with loads of free stuff chucked in

woop woop

your from sevenoaks right, goignt ot he ashford meet next weeknd?????

look for it on the meet events and shows section

[zimmer-320i]

ashford meet????

since when

[robbo86]

since about novemebr last year.... should check the meets section more often.....ust seen that you sigend up

[zimmer-320i]

yer im defently going +1 so will be cool ill make up some flyer for it unles there is one avalible

[robbo86]

yeah, speak to steveE30 about that, sure he would apreciate the good publicity

[donR]

I also have this fuel gauge problem. I checked the solder joints and cleaned up the connections and tightened the nuts on the fuel and temp gauges due ot intermittent working.

The temp gauge now works fine but the fuel guage is now completely dead.

I tested the continuity between the board and the fuel gauge and there are no dry joints. Also seems to be voltage going to the gauge.

Any one have any other ideas of what else to check in the case of a dead fuel gauge on an E30 323i 1985 model?

I would appreciate any tips before I go pulling out fuel senders and replacing gauges.

[Brianmoooore]

Lift up the rear seat cushion and pull out a multi pin plug and socket from under the steel tube on the right hand side.
Switch on the ignition, and use a piece of wire to short the brown/green wire to earth. If the fuel gauge goes to full, the problem is the sender.

[gareth]

my gauge problems turned out to be the n/s sender. the resistive wire inside had broken.

[donR]

Lift up the rear seat cushion and pull out a multi pin plug and socket from under the steel tube on the right hand side.
Switch on the ignition, and use a piece of wire to short the brown/green wire to earth. If the fuel gauge goes to full, the problem is the sender.

Ok, many thanks for this response. I did this test and the fuel gauge does go to full.

Now, I guess my next stop is the sender.

Having not worked down at that end of the car, where do I find the sender and what does it look like? I've read that there are two or something?

[zimmer-320i]

its under the seat,

[zimmer-320i]

the rear seats that is

[donR]

where abouts is the sender? on the left or right, couldn't see anything that would pull out, what does it look like? Is it a matter of replacing it or is there some way to test it.

[zimmer-320i]

pass, the sender is the passenger side not drivers side so near side havent looked but its proberly bolted in or there a plastic ring that unscrews, to test it when its out have it connected and push the float up and if the gadge goes up then it works but also go up gradualy and watch the gadge as they are some times dodgy like that, well from previos experence with a friend bmw

[Brianmoooore]

4 pot cars have one, 6 pot cars have two.

[zimmer-320i]

but does it only have one pick up??? i was going round a large round about admitaly quite fast as in nearly qauter mile round about joining m25 and another moter way etc and i was lowish on fuel, as i was going round the car started to splutter and as i took my foot off it obisly picked the fuel up as it sloshed back?? has happened twice now when i was drifting in a large carpark too, doespiss me off but i suppose ill have to fill up more b4 i do such things lol

[donR]

I have a friend who has a fuel sender from an e21 323i. Does anyone know if it is the same as one for an E30?

[donR]

4 pot cars have one, 6 pot cars have two.

So is the idea to replace both or test them some how?

[Brianmoooore]

4 pot cars have one, 6 pot cars have two.

So is the idea to replace both or test them some how?

Keep the fuel level below half, and short them out, one at a time, to identify which one is faulty.
With the faulty one shorted, you will get a stable, although inaccurate, reading.

[gareth]

on mine, the reading was intermittent and didn't immediately show up until i gave the tank a few thumps, with the ignition on, and saw which one made the gauge go all british leyland on me!

[maxlee]

cracking post i will be having alook at my funy fuel gage soon