Any way to know how much fuel in tank?

[Jand3rson]

I just recently swapped clusters, and I've been having some trouble with some of the gauges. Right now, I'm worried about the fuel gauge. It was a little over 1/2 the first time I started it with the new cluster, and I've gone on a few drives since. The needle is now right at 1/2, but my fuel light just came on. I don't have an OBC anymore, so I don't really have a way to tell how much fuel is actually in the tank. Is there any way to find out?

[M-technik-3]

You could always give the bottom of the tank a tap with rubber mallet. Dense sounding tap = more fuel than a hollow thud.

[Jand3rson]

I was also thinking, I guess I could just go fill it up... but that's a lot of money to check something like that, especially if it is in fact empty and I considering I drive it only a few times a week. Have to use 92 because of the chip, and it's like $3.07 a gallon right now.

[Philo]

Remove the back seat and have a look down?

The fuel light is the most accurate if your gauge isn't working. OBCs usually read about a gallon short. Have you determined the problem? Bad gauge in the cluster, or bad level sender?

[Jand3rson]

I think it's the cluster. I've been having problems with it since I put it in. The tach doesn't work right, and this is still after changing out the SI board batteries. So now if the fuel gauge isn't working either, I think I'd better just swap to another new cluster. Problem is it's a seta cluster, and they're a little harder to come by. I think I'll just have to have a look down in the tank.

[Philo]

Ha. If you remove the passenger seat first it is a lot easier to get around. 4 17mm bolts on standard seats (not sure on yours).

My gauge jumps around every now and then which freaks me out. G/L with the venture. I'll keep and eye out for a cluster when I go to the yard tomorrow. Motometer or VDO?

[Jand3rson]

It's a MotoMeter, and I need a seta cluster. And I've gotten into that area a few times, so I know how to do it pretty well.

It's too bad that this cluster (might) be bad, I got it for a steal at the U-Pull-It. And what really sucks is that I'll have to do everything over again. Swap the insides into my M3 cluster housing, paint the needles again, and have another Alpina tach strip made.

[Philo]

You should be able to just swap out the fuel gauge if I remember correctly. It's been awhile since i've had mine apart.

[Jand3rson]

I might need to swap out the tach as well, it's been having issues. I suppose I could swap the fuel gauge out of my eta cluster, they're the same. That's why I'm thinking I might as well just get another cluster.

[Philo]

I guess so. I still need to shell out for the little gear to make the odo work, but i'm too much of a cheap ass.

[E30SPDFRK]

The fuel gauges from late models installed in early models read half tank when they're empty. Not sure if the seta is considered a late model or not, but its worth a look. The gauges are interchangeable.

[ak-]

Fill her up.
It's like $3.25 for 90+ octane here :puppy:

[Philo]

Suckers. $2.73 for 91 here. :D

[Jand3rson]

The fuel gauges from late models installed in early models read half tank when they're empty. Not sure if the seta is considered a late model or not, but its worth a look. The gauges are interchangeable.

Really? I have never heard of that! Can anyone else verify this? So when I fill it up, it should be normal all the way until it gets to dead empty, and will then go back to 1/2 and the light comes on? And a seta is an '88, so that would be considered a late-model (facelift tails and wheel arches).

When I first put it in, it was reading just a little over 1/2 a tank. So I've driven it a few times since then, and now it's dead on 1/2, and the light is on.

[E30SPDFRK]

I can tell you that when I put a 89 cluster in my 86 it happened to me.

Give it a try, should only take like 10 minutes to swap that one gauge.