RE: [Chrysler300] Fuel gauge problem

As mentioned earlier, you can get those floats at Ford dealer. Nice, real brass ones. Have used on Mopar and Studebakers (cork!!) . I only bring it up again as I went crazy for 3 months looking for those, not a whole sender.

I think someone should tell Van’s or put up on site, that the units commonly sold are not calibrated right. Drives you crazy. They are OK when checked at full (about 10 ohms) and E , about 90 , but gauge reads just above E when are just below half , rather suddenly ; I have to leave a post it on my gas gauges in different cars because of this. Last 150 miles is dicey, yet at first if you go in with it near E it only takes 10-12 gallons. This on 3 cars now, so not a fluke of car. So you start driving bit on E, ----then you run out!!!! Happened on left lane in Harrisburg PA big interchange at 80 mph , with a bunch of Hell’s Angels bike guys off my right rear tail fin. Not pretty. Try to pull over to right coasting….

Yes the little brass tank fails , but then it usually sinks, stays on E. but as long as resistance wire winding is intact, about 90 ohms , even with arm down on rest , then you can fluff it up. I threw them out, mistake . Do not increase tension on the little contact, which seems to be too light in it’s touch, as then it tears up the resistance wire .Ask me how I know . A day to get in and out. Does not need “improving” . That is an end of life mode too, wire breaks on winding from wear. But generally filled with crud and rust …clean and new float tank should be good , if resistor wire not broken/unrolled .

Some day might measure it ( real one) at 4-5 places record ohms, plot curve. ; have not done that.

From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of dan300f@xxxxxxx [Chrysler300]
Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2016 6:31 PM
To: mobydoug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Fuel gauge problem

Doug:

My first thought is that your float needs to be replaced. If it is copper then it perhaps has sprung a leak. If it is composite, it may be saturated.

Dan Reitz

Bell Canyon, CA

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In a message dated 4/17/2016 6:14:36 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Good Morning,

The L emerged from winter storage flawlessly. It started, moved, turned, and stopped at my command. (It did a lot better than many people—but I digress.)

When it went down for the winter there was gas in it—probably 7 or 8 gallons, and the fuel gauge registered very low. When it started this spring the fuel gauge was LTWS (lower than whale s—t). First drive was to the gas station to get some puny 91 corn oil laced fuel. I bought 7 gallons, and the fuel gauge went to 1/4 tank. The gas station is about 2 miles north. I went to cruise-in Friday evening, and drove about 7 miles. the gauge started that trip below 1/4, and I parked at cruise-in “nose tilted up” so gauge would naturally read less. When I started the car to come home, it read LTWS, and did not improve when I stopped or caused gas to move to the front of the tank. There are no leaks or drips, and I have a hard time believing I am getting 1 or <1 MPG.

My experience last summer was a full tank registered full, and then it went to zero almost immediately from 1/2. When I filled it, it often would fill at 12 or 13 gallons—so the zero reading was really about 1/2.

Is my fuel reporting system broken at the sending unit or in the electrics in the dashboard? Current sending unit is a Van’s purchased unit, 3 years old. The original unit is rebuilt, and will be installed when there really is very little gas in the tank, but if the problem is up front, then I better gear up for removing seat and knee panel and instrument panel.

Thanks for your help.

Doug
Doug Mayer
Northport, Maine
sent from my older iMac