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  #1  
Old 05-13-2011, 01:00 PM
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fuel gauge issues

my 79 240d fuel gauge worked great when I drug the car home.

I removed the tank and cleaned everything out. But ever since the gauge doesn't work.

I removed the sender cylindar again and cleaned it very well with brake parts cleaner. I made sure to get lots of the solvant inside the cyl so it could brake up the gunk inside.

When I put it back in the gauge lifted from the dead bottom to the 'R' - still showing empty. The tank is full - or nearly so - I just filled it up.

What are the common trouble shooting things I need to look at? Is there a ground I forgot I removed?

did the cleaner kill the sender?

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  #2  
Old 05-13-2011, 01:17 PM
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I did a search and found the link.

When I cleaned it - I didn't know I could pull the cyl apart and clean it from there. I will do that tonight & see if I have it back online.
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  #3  
Old 05-13-2011, 01:17 PM
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Did you take it apart as shown here?

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W123FuelSender

Or did you just dip it in a tub of brake cleaner?

When I took mine apart I found there was loads of gunk in there that would in no way be shifted by brake cleaner through the little holes...

W123 300D Fuel tank sender question





But that is nothing compared with post #22 in the same thread!
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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  #4  
Old 05-13-2011, 01:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrassMonkey View Post
I did a search and found the link.

When I cleaned it - I didn't know I could pull the cyl apart and clean it from there. I will do that tonight & see if I have it back online.
Ha you beat me to it!
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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  #5  
Old 05-13-2011, 03:21 PM
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That's because I'm as fast as my 240D!
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  #6  
Old 05-14-2011, 09:08 AM
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the thin wires break, or the slider malfunctions, difficult to fix, if you have some nichrome wire you can try, mine worked after my fix but only so so
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  #7  
Old 05-14-2011, 03:10 PM
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I got it apart. 1 of the 3 wires is broken. But it isnt one of the two the float rides on. The rod the float slides up and down is/was very nasty and rusty. It took quite a bit of emery paper to get it cleaned. The float does slide easily up and down now.

I re-installed and it goes to about 1/3 tank. I'm hoping it will go down as the fuel level goes below 1/3. If it is accurate for that last third I'll probably leave it.

If not - I'll order a new one.
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  #8  
Old 05-14-2011, 04:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrassMonkey View Post
I got it apart. 1 of the 3 wires is broken. But it isnt one of the two the float rides on. The rod the float slides up and down is/was very nasty and rusty. It took quite a bit of emery paper to get it cleaned. The float does slide easily up and down now.

I re-installed and it goes to about 1/3 tank. I'm hoping it will go down as the fuel level goes below 1/3. If it is accurate for that last third I'll probably leave it.

If not - I'll order a new one.
Ummm sorry to bring bad news - they're not cheap - about 300 euros last time I looked I think. Look for a second hand one.
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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  #9  
Old 05-14-2011, 05:29 PM
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ouch! - I will be trying to repair the wire in this one then. It doesn't look that hard. Solder a new strand in at the top and wrap it around the bottom & repeat. Of course it alwasy sounds easier than it really is.
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  #10  
Old 05-14-2011, 06:02 PM
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I believe the third wire is for the low light, not the fuel level.

I'd recommend doing a search for a pick-n-pull; or post on the parts forum for a WTB.
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  #11  
Old 05-14-2011, 09:02 PM
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as mentioned not any wire will do
look here
Anyone ever rebuild a gas gauge sending unit W114/W115
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2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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  #12  
Old 05-14-2011, 09:44 PM
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interesting - I had thought about pulling a strand of wire from an old cord or somthing. But if its just the low fuel light - I'm golden. so long as the gauge reads the bottom 1/3 of the tank.

I would prefer it float to the top - but beggers cant be choosers.
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  #13  
Old 05-15-2011, 10:51 AM
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The service manual says the gauge/cluster design changed in '82 to include a test of the low light function in position I of the ignition.

If your low light doesn't light up at all, that might mean it's above the limit, or might mean the wire's broken. Later clusters would show the light on start up.

If you get a reading, then the float might be okay. Having a two gallon fuel can in the trunk might be prudent though.

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