Date:         Tue, 29 Mar 2005 22:09:39 -0800
Reply-To:     Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
Subject:      Re: Fuel Sender Question
Comments: To: Joseph Heil <jose5353@EARTHLINK.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <424A24C4.7040308@earthlink.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

On 29 Mar 2005 at 20:02, Joseph Heil <jose5353@EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:

> I've read most posted archives on the fuel sender unit.  My gauge just
> went to bottom on a trip this weekend and does not respond.  I'm not
> getting any voltage at the T14 Connector (slot 7),  and also replaced
> the gauge with an extra I had that had worked previously with no change,
> so I'm assuming my sender unit is shot.  Because I'm not getting any
> reading at all from the gauge, am wondering if maybe it could be a
> wiring problem.  Does anyone know if this is common or if there is a way
> to get at the sender to do a visual or electric check, or, possibly
> clean up the connection without dropping the fuel tank completely?  Help
> is much appreciated.

You might be able to wiggle the wire, and perhaps even reach the connector at the
sender if you have small, long arms, throught the driver's side wheel well. It will be
the only wire leading down & over the tank just behind where the expansion tank is
on that side. Follow it with your fingers, and wiggle to see if the gauge changes. You
might be able to drop just the rear of the tank and reach it, But if you haven't
replaced your vent lines, you should really drop the tank and do the lot. It's really not
that bad - I've done it twice now, and if you have all the hoses & clamps, it can be
done in a few hours. But if you have seam rust below the filler nozzle, then plan to
spend a weekend, allowing time to scrape undercoating behind the filler neck & re
sealing - this is where the seam rust starts as mud is trapped in there.

Shawn Wright
http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
'85 Jetta D
'88 Westy 2.1L, soon to be 1.6TD 5 speed
'82 Diesel Westy