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Erratic fuel gauge , advise needed .

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:04 pm
by connorb16
Hi Guys, hoping you can help , I have a e30 316 f89 with the M40 engine , the petrol gauge seems to be a bit erratic i.e. if I brake it goes up and if I accelerate it goes down ? im not to sure where to start has this is my first e30 so it is all new to me , I have found some paper work to say it had a new fuel pump at bmw a couple of years ago , would appreciate all advice , thanks

Re: Erratic fuel gauge , advise needed .

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:08 pm
by smithy318i
How much does the guage move ?

Re: Erratic fuel gauge , advise needed .

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:13 pm
by connorb16
Well at the moment its on just over 1/2 a tank and goes up/down a quarter either way .

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:32 am
by cro320
SI board batteries dead or you need to thighten small screw behind gauge (remove cluster)

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:53 am
by connorb16
Where would i find the SI board batteries ? you will have to bare with me im a bit of a novice , thanks

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:45 am
by carlos_320i
Mine did that and I changed the clocks If I had of known this it would ov saved me £30 :evil:

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:06 pm
by DaveD
maplins sell the batteries,but check first to see what type the are as some of the later ones had the flat sort...and if you post an email address i have a how to pdf i can send you

but maybe you just need a new sender?

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:12 pm
by slinky2000
DaveD, send me that link there too. stefan_ray [at] hotmail.com

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:18 pm
by DaveD
sent

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:59 pm
by brian325i
sorry for interupting your thread but my fuel gauge reads full most of the time..give it a few slaps and it gives correct reading but still varies a small bit but hit a bump and it goes to full again????????

clocks or the sender in by the fuel pump or what is it?its common cause my friends is exact same :D bmw engineering 8) always make you feel good by pretending you have full tank of petrol :)

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 1:03 pm
by connorb16
I would appreciate that pdf, I have managed to remove the cluster I tightened a 7mil nut that holds the gauge in place im hoping this is what you mean ? took it for a drive and still doing the same , so I took it apart again found the batteries they are two round tubular ones they look ok but they don't look that easy to remove has the ends look like they are soldered to the contacts ? thanks for your help :D ps E~ MAIL sent via pm thanks appreciate your held DaveD

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 1:06 pm
by DaveD
sent

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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 1:26 pm
by glenbat
Brian325i I'm not certain on this so I may stand corrected, I thought i heard once that some E30's have either 2 'tanks' or 2 sensors, and if one fails you are actually out of petrol when your gauge reads half full? I had a prob like this on an old 318iS as sono as I got to half full on gauge, she ran out... i might be completely wrong so if i am apologies as it was several years ago :o: :o:

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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:46 pm
by Sy_325
any chance i could get this pdf??

much appreciated

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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:43 pm
by slinky2000
I'll post up a link when I get home this evening and uplaod it to a server

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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:03 pm
by bam2002
I had the same problems on a car. It turned out to be a ground fault. So I had to track down where the ground attached under the dash. Plus back at the tank under the seat.

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Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:09 pm
by B51ngh
DaveD can you send me that link also please? its balsinghg - at - hotmail.com

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Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:06 pm
by tannerman8807
Dave D you got PM:: :mad: