Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

[spdrcr7882]

Gas gauge isn't workin' on my 2000 four winns 230 horizon. where do I begin?
I imagine I need to pull a floor panel up, but I am not sure which one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Outside of that all the other electronics work fine.
Justin

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

The gas sending unit is a variable resistor, wire wound, and the wiper is attached to the float. As the float goes up and down, the resistance changes and the current flow in the circuit (threough the meter) changes.

The needle on meter is just following current....the more the more deflection sort of thing.

My experience with them is that sloshing fuel makes the arm move up and down and over time the wiper either wears out and open circuits, or the wire that it rubs on wears through and open circuits causing the problem.

Way to tell is to take the wire off the center of the float cover (about a 3" metallic cover with half dozen screws mounted on top of the fuel tank. With the wire off, the gauge will read either full or empty....forgot but it doesn't matter. Will read one or the other.

Momentarily, and I mean momentarily touch the wire to the mounting plate (where there should be a ground wire attached if it is not a metallic tank and may have a ground wire anyway).

The instant you touch it the meter will peg the needle in the opposite direction.

All you have to do is detect movement. Get off fast because on some meters full current will burn them up.....but this takes a few seconds. If you get on and off you won't hurt it.

If the meter deflects, replace the sender in the tank. If not, check your wiring, clean terminal lugs and terminals sort of thing,and if ok, replace the gauge.

The gauge and sending unit have to be married as the resistance of the sending unit and full scale deflection current for the meter have to be married such that when the tank is full/empty, the meter deflects fully. Otherwise (assuming the float is properly adjusted) you will get an incorrect reading.....like your meter will read half tank when your tank is full.

Mark

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

Normal resistance on a fuel sender is 0 - 240 ohms. That's pretty standard. I would begin at the gauge though and make sure +12V, ground, and the sener wire connections are clean and tight. You can momentarily ground the send terminal at the gauge to see if you get needle deflection. Eliminates the need to pull up the floor to isolate the gauge. Float arms have been known to "hang-up" as well. Floats can sink due to fuel saturation.

 

[spdrcr7882]

Re: Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

I am going to try this out and see what happens and I will let you guys know the result.
Thanks
Justin

 

[spdrcr7882]

Re: Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

Ok, i pulled the floor up on my boat and took the unit out of the tank. I checked and nothing was hung up, I also took the wires off and touched them briefly and the gauge didn't move at all. My gauge cluster on my dash is one big unit, so there isn't any easy way to isolate the fuel gauge wires and check for power. I was wondering, is it possible to buy some after market gauge and run it right off the two wires comin off the fuel unit on the tank. Oh ya, and because my gauge says empty all the time, my dash keeps beepin to warn me of low fuel, it's pretty annoying.
Any help is greatly appreciated, I am hopin to get this resolved before tomoorrow when i go out on the lake.
Justin

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

Did you actually test the sender to see if it measured 0-240 ohms? Did you check continuity of the send wire between the tank and the gauge? Did you check to make sure the ground wire at the tank is actually tied to ground at the other end? Did you momentarily jump the send wire as suggested (at the gauge)? And lastly, did you have the key on when you did whatever tests you did do (except for resistance checks)? Circuits need power to operate. If you won't get under the console and check the gauge you are going to a lot of trouble for what may be an easy fix. And no -- you can't run the gauge with the existing two wires. You need +12V, ground, light, and send functions. If you are getting a low fuel warning the gauge is probably ok. That gauge may also be a special unit because of the low fuel warning so a generic fuel gauge may not work. Why not do the simple stuff instead of trying to band aid a wiring problem.

 

[spdrcr7882]

Re: Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

My problem is that I don't have a meter to check ohms, and the gauge cluster has one big wiring harness going into the back of it under my dash. I did check the gauge with the key in the on position. I did touch the wire to the ground to see if the gauge moved, and it didn't. When I turn the key on, the gauges seems to read 1/4 tank than after a few seconds slowly goes down to E.
Justin

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Gas gauge won't work on 2000 four winns

If the gauge moves then it's probably ok. I've done what I can for you. YOu need to get down and get under. Testers are about $10 bucks at WalMart or your local building centers. We can't test for you. You need to be the eyes in this exercise.