348 DIY "Restoration"

[Nosevi]

Nice write up, Jeff, cheers for doing that.

My fuel gauge works but it does meander a bit and I've got a pretty low level of confidence in how accurate it is. Might do what you've done at some point as it is annoying to look at it one minute then back at it and it's somehow gone up a bit. Have had the low fuel light come on once so at least I know that works.

[A348W]

Still a bit shocked at the size of tank ie 95 litres so that's 19 x 5 litre jerry cans if you were emptying from full.

So cost of job = £270 for the sender unit + £170 for 95 litres of fuel = £440 (Cheaper to just take the low level fuel bulb out )

Defiantly nice to have it all sorted and now erratic fuel gauge or warning lights

[irarref]

I think I'm going to dig around and try and find some info on pulling the old one apart - the actual level side was fine - it was just the low warning light that was on all the time and I believe that its something that corrodes and breaks inside makin g the contact on all the time.

If I can fix it I could sell it on ebay and hopefully get the cost of my petrol back! :-)

[irarref]

Just for interest here's a post mortem on my old fuel sender (I actually did it shortly after fitting the new one - just never got round to posting the pics up).


The top spring just twists off. I assume that's to keep the sender in place against the top of the tank.




The plastic cap covering the electronics is just a slotted plastic screw.




With the screw removed the cap covering the electronics can be levered off.




There is a large metal washer/support underneath.




Closeup of the electronics...



Cap at the other end (that had the spring attached) can be levered off but very tight.




This exposes the central spindle that is held in place with a washer






Washer needs levering off too so you can get the other end out.






Then its a case of pushing the other end out which is again extremely tight! :-(




There are 2 coils on the inside - one to connect to the float body and one for the low level light. In my case the 2 coils had become entangled.




My low level light was also snapped too.



There's a plastic cap that can be prised off to reveal where the inner smaller coil should be attached




I cant quite remember now but IIRC the lower connection was still intact before I started taking it apart and it was the entanglement of the 2 causing the spring connection to stay connected and making the fuel low level light to stay on. Doesn't really matter anyway as have replaced it! LOL