126 fuel gauge question...
 

A few months ago , when my fuel gauge started vibrating like it was on fire -I followed the advice found on the forum , borrowed the monster 46mm Socket , pulled the fuel sending unit out and cleaned it out. The needle insanity vanished immediately... Great.
However - the gauge has become quite inaccurate... It indicates empty when there is actually at least a quarter tank hiding in there.
(The low light indicator does function on the day)
- From what I've read before most gauge problems are attributed to the sending unit. Do you think mine is too ? or could it be that after fixing the sending unit ( is it fine, is it not ?)- this is a different problem. an actuall gauge malfunction ? how common is that ?
Much obliged.

If it fixed the shaking...
 

and now you have a different problem that was not there before. Most likely your problem is the fuel sending unit. Just buy a new one and forget about it for another few thousand miles. It is less than $50 from Fast Lane.:cool:

It is actually more like $84 from fastlane - Which is why I was trying to find out the likelyhood that it might be a faulty gauge, (I wonder how often does that happen ?) rather than striking out again on the fuel sending unit...

Oops! I forgot you mentioned 126!
 

My car is a 124. I also had a problem with my fuel gauge, specially when the tank was less than 1/2 full. I replaced the fuel sending unit and my problem was gone.
Is this the same problem that you have?. May be or may not be. Every car is different!.
However, for what I read in this forum, it is very common. Probably you already did a search, so you know how many posting there are on this topic. Come out with your own conclusions.
The only way to find 100% sure answer (maybe) is to take it to a trusted MB mechanic and have it fix it.
Good luck!:cool:

....The only way to find 100% sure answer (maybe) is to take it to a trusted MB mechanic and have it fix it...
That is a whole other issue.
Going back to my original question. I don't want to sound like a bore by pressing the issue and I do appreciate the participation and information one finds on this site, but I want to go to the shop with more info. I say this after reading many strings here -
I know for a fact that replacing sending units ( I had cleaned mine and reinstalled it ) does not always fix these "gauge accuracy reading"problems. There are many unresolved issues with VDO gauges and no conclusion.
The bottom line here...I was trying to see if anyone reading this post could tell me " Oh Ya, mine was
definetly the gauge itself, not the sending unit" or something to that effect.

thanks again