Re: [T3] FUEL GAGE ISSUE

[Arkady Mirvis <heaterman@nac.net>]

<x-rich>Many thanks to all for their answers to my questions.


I took the sender apart, saw wires intact and, using my Fluke meter, 
was expecting resistance change while moving the float. The resistance
around 12 MEGOHMS did not change. There was zero ohms measured between
the terminal (to which the wire connecting the sender and the gage is
attached), but same 12 MEGOHMS between the the sender flange and the
flat phosphorous copper stamping-spring to which the thin wire is
soldered. That did indicate that there was no conductivity there. 

I am good at fine soldering and soon a thin copper wire connected the
rod on which the float slides and the stamping.

Now my meter did read 2 ohms at the float upper position and 84 ohms
at the float lower position! 

Re-assembled the sender and the dash fuel gage is in business now. 

I hope my experience will help someone with same problem. There are
probably other solutions and I will be grateful to learn about them. 

I wondered not once about some German engineers lack of knowing simple
facts. Dissimilar metals, when connected, do create a galvanic pair
which, outside of other effects, always develop corrosion between
them. Sender, where phosphorous stamping was sandwiched to the zink
containing flange, is an excellent example - a BUBU, as we, engineers,
call it.

     

    

<fontfamily><param>Helvetica</param>Kind regards

Ark Mirvis


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On Sep 10, 2006, at 11:22 AM, Jim Adney wrote:


<excerpt>On 9 Sep 2006 at 23:39, Arkady Mirvis wrote:


<excerpt>I discovered today that my fuel gage in 1972 Squareback is
not working. 

The tank is full to the point that when I slackened the sender's
screws 

the gas appeared from under the flange. Removed the sender - gasoline 

is at level with the opening.

</excerpt>

<excerpt>Now is the dilemma: what is bad? The sender or the dash gage?
Can 

anyone suggest how one can test each? Any help is appreciated.

Are the sender and the gage still available?

</excerpt>

If you just ground the wire at the sender the dash gauge should read 

full. If the dash gauge reads full when the wire is grounded and 

below empty when the wire is completely disconnected, then the dash 

gauge and wiring are fine.


The sender is most often the problem. You can remove the nut at the 

bottom and carefully take off the alum sleeve. Be very careful with 

the little wire in there. You may be able to clean things, or you may 

want to send it to me for repair. 


The little wire is very soft and fragile. Be VERY careful with it.


-- 

*******************************

Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org

Madison, Wisconsin, USA

*******************************


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</x-rich>