Do all e30s have a finnicky gas gauges?

[Kozworth]

I've had 2 e30s and both gas gauges would fall/raise a quarter tank randomly without driving much.

In my eta I drove 7 miles home. In the period of 7 miles, my needle went from slightly below a half tank, up to slightlyy above a half, then down close to a quarter tank, then when I parked back to slightly below a half.

My 325 would do the same thing, I had 2 different floaters too.

Is it possible the floater needs to be cleaned?

Also, my eta is supposed to half a 14 gal tank (early tank) but filling my tank when its on e is usually 11 gal. Lastly, does the early eta have a low gas light, I've gotten it really low and never noticed one.

[5Toes]

We need a write up how to fix one! Or can somebody link me to one?

Mine has never worked, and the cluster ground is on super tight!

[89 e30]

I had the same problem fixed it by tightening the nut on the back and blowing some air through the gauge to get the dirt out

[Kozworth]

I wouldn't think its a ground issue, its just the variable resistor in the sending unit keeps reading incorrectly. I'm wondering if the float is sticking to create a higher reading of gas, but I do not understand how it could read lower, since the float would have to drop. I guess the only way is if you are going uphill and the gas shuffles awayy from the float.

[mrcheezle19]

I have a 318i and my gas gauge is the same way, just today I went out for a drive and it went from a quarter of a tank to half to 3 quarters. As of right now its showing half a tank of gas but my low fuel light is on. I know the light is accurate so I just run off that but a working gauge would be nice. I gotta take it apart and tinker around with it, I've read there's a nut on the back that can come loose and need to be tightened or a wire has a bad connection. Dreading the dash removal though.

and yes your eta should have a low fuel light.

[M-technik-3]

have you replaced the intake sender? They tend to hang up That's normally the issue.

[Vivek]

My 318i had an absolutely perfect gas gauge that was never finicky, until I took off the muffler to fix a weld and it broke when I ran the car with no muffler. No clue if those two were connected or if it was just an odd coincidence. It also appears to read the correct amount of gas and not bounce around when the key is in position 2 and the engine is off...no clue about that one. My dad's 325i's gauge works, but fluctuates about 1/8-1/4 of a tank.

And also ^^ you don't have to take off the dash. The cluster should be easy to remove although i've never personally done it.

[Massimo]

I love when I am driving with a quarter tank then all of a sudden I am just off of the red line.

Start thinking to my self. That lunch from those lights back there really chewed though my gas.

[mrcheezle19]

My 318i had an absolutely perfect gas gauge that was never finicky, until I took off the muffler to fix a weld and it broke when I ran the car with no muffler. No clue if those two were connected or if it was just an odd coincidence. It also appears to read the correct amount of gas and not bounce around when the key is in position 2 and the engine is off...no clue about that one. My dad's 325i's gauge works, but fluctuates about 1/8-1/4 of a tank.

And also ^^ you don't have to take off the dash. The cluster should be easy to remove although i've never personally done it.

Thanks for the tip, it's one of those things I've never looked into yet. Got other more important things on my list before that.

[5Toes]

My 318i had an absolutely perfect gas gauge that was never finicky, until I took off the muffler to fix a weld and it broke when I ran the car with no muffler. No clue if those two were connected or if it was just an odd coincidence. It also appears to read the correct amount of gas and not bounce around when the key is in position 2 and the engine is off...no clue about that one. My dad's 325i's gauge works, but fluctuates about 1/8-1/4 of a tank.

And also ^^ you don't have to take off the dash. The cluster should be easy to remove although i've never personally done it.

Extra vibration form loud exhaust probably rattled something off

Which sender likes to go bad? I understand that late models have two. My gauge doesnt flicker at all (it normally goes high to low constantly) when I held the connector on to the one sender tighter by hand.

[Kozworth]

Cluster removal isn't bad, but it is a bit of a tight fit and you got to jumble it around just right.

I gotta read into that, because the p/o removed the MIL bulb, so I need to get into there anyways. I need to read up on where the sending unit is on an early outboard fuel pump, I haven't had any experience with external fuel pumps.

[TurboJake]

Mine has given me issues in the past, but it's been rock solid for over 2 years now.

Reflowing all the solder joints on the cluster PCB worked wonders.

[rustybullet]

Yeah all of my e30's have had the same issues. From the late 318is to my 325ix and then both my e28's.

[Rsully70sev]

Mine is dead accurate, then something happens (I can't pin point a specific cause) and it jumps to 100% full. Sometimes it seems to be when I turn the A/C on, sometimes it's a bump in the road, I'm not sure. I think my SI batteries may be going bad? Sometimes knocking on the dash helps it go back to normal.

[CrusherCurtis]

Mine has fine until last week. Now it randomly reads full until I tap the cluster. So now I have finicky gas gauge and temp gauge. :-(