RE: IML: 81-83 fuel gauge funnies

["Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm sorry, I should have made it clear that I am only talking about 81-83
EFI cars, where the fuel level is picked up by a sender that is part of the
in-tank fuel pump.  I'm nearly certain that the problem with the flaky
readout is related to the analog to digital converter and the computer which
operates the display, not the sender.  Most likely the subroutine (program)
which does the display computation is de-railed once in awhile by an
electrical disturbance of unknown cause.

I've replaced the in-tank fuel pump in most of my cars over the years,
including my present daily driver, and I always verify that the sender has
no dead spots or other problems while I have it in my hands - yet the
occasional nonsense reading still occurs.

The factory converted cars did away with this whole shebang, so my comments
do not apply to those cars.  As for a backyard conversion, I'd have no ideas
about it at all.  They don't exist in my part of the country, because the CA
smog police won't let you drive one!

Dick Benjamin (who used to design similar systems for other (much higher
flying) vehicles, back in the 60's and 70's).

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rob P
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 6:16 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: IML: 81-83 fuel gauge funnies

A common problem?  I'm surprised.  I've been driving one (okay one '83 or 
the other '82) daily since January 2000 and it's never happened to me 
before.  I've also put over 300,000 miles on 3 different fwd mopars with 
digital readouts without incident.  Those had the bar where a light goes out

as the gallons are used.  Not sure if you remember, but my car has had fuel 
delivery issues, and I believe it currently has a tank vent problem so I 
can't always fill the tank up.  No need to worry about cooling the pump 
because it has been moved outside the tank by some hack.  Guess I'll go 
through it next time I have off, but that won't be for another two weeks.

On a seperate fuel sender note, my '83 is backyard converted toa 360/4bbl.  
I believe it still has the original dash. The fuel gauge reads full for 
about half and tank and then drops about twice as fast as it should.  I am 
correct in assuming that has something to do with the voltage conversion on 
the efi dash as opposed to the conversion dash?  Not a big issue for me, but

I'd like to know.

Oh, and Paul to answer your question on the list: YES, I STILL LOVE MY 
CARS!! This is fun! ;)

Rob

Also, sorry about the lack of subject in my first post. Had trouble sending 
it, so I cut and pasted and of course forgot to post the subject.




>From: "Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: IML: 81-83 fuel gauge funnies
>Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2005 15:06:33 -0700
>
>Rob, unfortunately, this is a common problem with these cars.  All of mine
>have done this with the fuel gauge display occasionally.   I've learned to
>just ignore it.  The display typically comes back to normal on its own,
>sometimes when you restart, and sometimes when it just feels like it. Sorry
>about that.
>
>Keep track of your odometer, and if you don't smell gasoline, you can be
>pretty sure that you won't run out of gas if you stop every 200 miles or 
>so.
>The car should go 300 to 350 miles easily without running out, but if the
>car is still EFI, you should keep at least 5 gallons in the tank at all
>times for pump cooling.
>
>Dick Benjamin
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rob P
>Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 1:42 PM
>To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: IML:
>
>
>Sunday, in my '82, about 45 miles after filling up with some of NJ's finest
>@ $3/gallon, the "low fuel" started flashing.  For those not familiar, this
>car has the digital display.  I was monitoring my gas mileage, hoping to
>keep it over 20 mpg, I switched from the mpg function to fuel remaining and
>it stated "0" gallons.  All while I'm traveling through beautiful downtown
>Newark.
>
>I was worried I cut a fuel line and lost all my gas.  I checked the range
>function and it stated "0" miles to empty.  Since it'll usually show some
>gas left and the low fuel first flashes at 2 gallons left, I figured that
>the float fell off the sender or the gauge malfunctioned somehow.  Got to 
>my
>
>destination and of course, I shut the car off and turned it on and it has
>worked normally ever since.  Any possible causes or things to look at?
>
>I've had a ton of cars with digital dashes and they have all been rock
>solid.  This is my first ever intermittent problem with one.  I'm hoping it
>was an anomaly.  Knock wood.
>
>Rob
>
>
>
>
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