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  #1  
Old 07-01-2003, 12:03 AM
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gas guage bounce

My 87 300Es gas guage sometimes bounces about while driving. Is this most likely a sending problem or dash problem?
Thanks

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  #2  
Old 07-01-2003, 09:53 AM
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If the bouncing always occurs at the same level, it is certainly the sender. If it can happen at any level, first suspect is the cluster or gauge itself. If you narrow it to the sender, this is what I did:

fuel-level sensor clean - W201

Steve
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  #3  
Old 07-02-2003, 01:36 PM
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I got a new sender, and it still frequently reads full even when it is low. Sometimes it is accurate, sometimes it reads full.

If you have this particular symptom, you are not alone. Many others have reported this. I tried everything short of replacing the gauge, so perhaps that is where my problem lies...

That, or a short I could not find...

Best of luck.
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  #4  
Old 07-02-2003, 02:25 PM
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where is access for 87 300E sender?

Do I get to the sender via the trunk? Pull up the mat and look for a door?
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  #5  
Old 07-02-2003, 04:27 PM
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If you suspect the gauge....

....which reports resistance at the sender, you might like to jimmy up an ohmmeter connection in place of the gauge and see if you get the same symptoms - an analog (needle) type would be far safer when driving than trying to read a digital one. Thus if you already have an ohmmeter, you save spending on a gauge which might end up being OK in the first place.

I do not know the 300E, but the gauge will probably be in much the same location as on my 300SD which is accessed after removing the rear seat back. The slider inside the gauge's tube brings varying lengths of wire into circuit, altering resistance as it does so, which is what your meter reads. Try dismantling the tube and cleaning the (very fragile) wires, ensuring that the puck/slider moves freely on them.

One other problem source can be a bad ground - check the connections (brown wires, lots of them) and clean/retighten when you pull the instrument panel.
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  #6  
Old 07-02-2003, 04:37 PM
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In the 300E, the sender is accessed through the trunk.
Remove the panel at the front of the trunk compartment which covers the tank.

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