fuel gauge problem - driving me nuts

[Don Jordan]

Back ground: I took the car in and everything worked. They took the instruments out to paint the dash. When I got it back the gas gauge didn't work. How hard can that be?

I tried to trace the lines out with an ohm meter. Couldn't get power to the fuel sending unit in the tank.

The car is a 48 P 15 - I figure I'd just look at the 47 - whoops there's a difference. In the center post on the dash gauge of the 48 there are 2 wires. One is blue - don't remember the other right now. When I look at the 47 there is only one wire from the center post - also blue. I believe it goes to the ignition. I was looking at the wiring diagram and it shows a brown wire but it looks like it's coming out of the back of the gauge.

I don't want to swap gauges until I know what's going on. I mean we're only talking about 3 wires - how hard can it be?

[Norm's Coupe]

Sounds like they hooked it up wrong. The 47 and 48 gas gauge is supposed to be hooked up exactly the same. So........look at the one that's working to determine which wires they hooked up wrong, then correct it.

[Don Jordan]

I hate when this happens - I fiddled with wires, tightened connections, wiggled and moved things. So I don't know which thing I did worked. I drove to the gas station just to make sure the tank was full. Then I just went for a ride. As I was driving the gauge slowly moved up to full - I was very excited. Then with the same slowness it moved back to empty. During the 25 mile drive it just kept going up and then back down.

So I know the gauge works - I just don't know why.

[Norm's Coupe]

Sounds as though you may have fixed the wires. Now you just have to make sure the connections are all good, and also tight. If the dash was painted, you may need to use star washers to scratch the paint off at the connections for a better ground.

[Don Jordan]

Good advice - thank you.

I guess that's what makes this hobby fun. There is always something going on. It's not really life threatening just keeps you on your toes.

[Rollie���]

A Pirate walks into a bar and the bartender notices he has a steering wheel sticking out of his genital area, so the bartender asks "Hey, why do you have a steering wheel sticking out of your pants?!??" The pirate replies "Arrrrgg....I dunno Matey, but it's driving me nuts!