odd problem with fuel sender

[toolman4]

Hi all, I have a 1999 starcraft 1810lx in which the fuel sender isn't working right. I pulled it out of the full tank and it works fine. The ohms changes like its supposed to and the fuel gauge moves like it supposed to. The cork floats in water so thats fine. As soon as I put it in the full tank it doesnt work. I bought the boat last fall so I don't know if it the sender starts working right once the fuel goes down. Any suggestions?

 

[oops!]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

i think you have a ground problem

 

[toolman4]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

Thanks for the reply. The only thing is it works when not in the hole. So in the air not touching the boat, it works and its not grounded by anything but the wire.

 

[MyViewGS]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

I agree, sounds like a grounding issue, however, make sure to check all the wire terminals on the sending unit. It may be that a wire has vibrated from the crimped wire terminal causing a bad connection.

MyViewGS

 

[Silvertip]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

Is the float arm hanging up on the side of the tank?

 

[toolman4]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

I don't think it is hanging up. The fuel tank is full so I'll have to look closer. It stays on E however. In the air when I'm testing it outside the hole am I acting as ground that it works? I tested it in water but maybe it is sinking in the fuel?

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

When you have the sender out of the tank, clip a lead from the body of the sender to a ground wire. If it does not work then you sender is shot. If it still does work connect a separate ground from your tank to a good ground wire. You should also have a ground from your tank to filler body for static . Just because.

 

[toolman4]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

Thanks for the help everybody. I tried the ground thing grounding to the chair and the motor but no dice. Is that a good enough ground to check? Anyway it turned out the float was saturated. It worked in water but not in the gas, straight to the bottom. Curious though should grounding to a unpainted nut on the motor work?

 

[Don S]

Re: odd problem with fuel sender

Those sending units are adjustable. When you buy them you have to set them per the instructions and mount the resistor on the unit. I have run it to several customer installed units that didn't work because the resistor was installed upside down. With it out of tank, hook it up to the gauge and see if full up on the float shows empty and full down shows full.