5 replies to this topic

[LukeH]

Hi,

I was having problems with the fuel level reading on my Cooper MPI so I fitted a new sender unit on Saturday. Getting it into the tank was a bit of a pain to do but I got there in the end. I filled up with fuel this morning but I've noticed that my fuel is reading at just over half full despite sticking a full tank of fuel in.

I've tried turning the engine off/on a few times but the gauge keeps reading at the same position. Is it possible to calibrate the reading ? If so, how ?

Thanks

Luke.

[L400RAS]

I would suspect either a faulty voltage stabiliser, or possibly petrol has entered the float on the sender in the tank, thus its not quite floating anymore.

To test the sender, remove the green wire to the sender in the boot, and touch this to earth (body), and turn the ignition on. Does the petrol gauge reed full. If full, sender is at fault. If only half full, you have a faulty voltage stabiliser.

[LukeH]

I would suspect either a faulty voltage stabiliser, or possibly petrol has entered the float on the sender in the tank, thus its not quite floating anymore.

To test the sender, remove the green wire to the sender in the boot, and touch this to earth (body), and turn the ignition on. Does the petrol gauge reed full. If full, sender is at fault. If only half full, you have a faulty voltage stabiliser.

Thanks for the pointers. I will check this out in daylight. I'll be disappointed if it's a faulty sender as it's brand new from mini spares and cost me £30.

Luke.

[LukeH]

I tested the fuel sender this evening as instructed and it was fine. The needle moved all the way to full and returned to empty when I turned the ignition off.

Assuming the voltage stablizer is at fault, my next question is, what does the voltage stabilzer look like and where will I find it ?

Mini Spares or Mini sport don't appear to have them listed as a replacement part !?

Cheers,

Luke

Edited by LukeH, 08 December 2010 - 10:21 PM.

[orcadian]

Hi,
I've just had a good look through my Rover workshop manual and can't see a voltage stabiliser on the instrument panel (where it used to be on early cars)
Anyway, if it reads full and empty outside the tank at extremes of movement of the arm, then is it just that the arm needs a little adjustment by careful bending? It's only a piece of stout wire. The reason I say this is that I have had to do exactly that on my MPI Clubman Estate. After modifying the new Estate tank, the gauge would not show full and it showed empty when there was still over 2 gallons in, although it showed full scale when outside.
As the float rises in YOUR tank it reaches the top surface of the fuel before it has got to the end of the slider, so bending the wire DOWNWARDS at about the mid point will correct it.
I realise it's a bit 'hit and miss' and awkward inside the boot, but you can offer it up to the side of the tank and guestimate where the float should be on a full tank and get someone to watch the gauge needle.
I have got mine reading full on a brimmed tank and empty with about half a gallon still in.

[LukeH]

Hi,
I've just had a good look through my Rover workshop manual and can't see a voltage stabiliser on the instrument panel (where it used to be on early cars)
Anyway, if it reads full and empty outside the tank at extremes of movement of the arm, then is it just that the arm needs a little adjustment by careful bending? It's only a piece of stout wire. The reason I say this is that I have had to do exactly that on my MPI Clubman Estate. After modifying the new Estate tank, the gauge would not show full and it showed empty when there was still over 2 gallons in, although it showed full scale when outside.
As the float rises in YOUR tank it reaches the top surface of the fuel before it has got to the end of the slider, so bending the wire DOWNWARDS at about the mid point will correct it.
I realise it's a bit 'hit and miss' and awkward inside the boot, but you can offer it up to the side of the tank and guestimate where the float should be on a full tank and get someone to watch the gauge needle.
I have got mine reading full on a brimmed tank and empty with about half a gallon still in.

Hi,

Thanks for replying. I had suspected that I would need to do this and was hoping that I wouldn't considering what a pain the sender was to fit. I'll have a look at the weekend in the daylight and give it a go.

I managed to get a copy of the Rover workshop manual in pdf format and a quick search for 'Voltage Stabilzer' did not find anything so I assume they don't have one fitted ?

Cheers,

Luke.