Fuel gauge stopped working

[Jamesd]

I suspect that the fuel sender float has sunk as my petrol gauge now reads empty although the tank is full. The low fuel light is now on all the time. No other malfunctions with any instrument.

The problem seems to have occurred over a 6 week period when the car was tucked away in the garage.

Before I buy a new sender / float etc. would there be any other possibilities worth exploring.

James D
Dolomite Sprint LKN 10W

[Tony Burd]

You could try removing the sender, draining the float & resealing it with a soldering iron to melt the plastic to make it water tight again. Depends if it is a small pin hole or a large crack.

[xvivalve]

I have some spare floats I kept from corroded sender units

[Jamesd]

So I removed the sender and found the float about half full of something, presumably petrol.

No obvious leaks and the float still floated when I put it in a bowl of water. Replaced it all and gauge now reads 1/4 (tank is pretty much full)

I guess the float should be completely empty so a spare empty float would be much appreciated.

[xvivalve]

It would still be buoyant in water when half full of fuel as oil (petrol) floats on water.