Author Topic: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?  (Read 3288 times)

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Offline DRP535

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Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« on: Oct 4, 2006, 05:40PM »
My N13 Pulsar has got a very annoying fuel gauge. When the fuel tank is absolutely full to overflowing courtesy of my jerry can after rocking the car sideways to expel trapped air pockets the needle of the fuel gauge on the dash only indicates the width of a [language filter smackdown] paper above 3/4. The same inaccuracy exists at the bottom end. I can drive the car way past the empty line and the fuel warning light doesn't even come on. I've never run the car till it stops though, so I don't know exactly how far it will go.

Is there DIY way to adjust the calibration of the fuel gauge and perhaps a guide for doing so?

Offline rathies

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #1 on: Oct 4, 2006, 05:56PM »
umm..get some white out and put new markings on the dash.

but seriously..I think the fuel measuring thing is part of the fuel pump assembly, if you know someone with the same model pulsar try swapping the whole cluster over. that will tell wether it is the actual gauge in the dash or not.
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Offline ashman01

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #2 on: Oct 4, 2006, 06:41PM »
Fill it up completly and run it to nearly empty, record the km and how much fuel it takes when u fill it up and u can accuatly figure out how much you get to a tank. Then you should be able to gauge exactly how much fuel u have left.

Offline DRP535

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #3 on: Oct 4, 2006, 10:03PM »
Fill it up completly and run it to nearly empty, record the km and how much fuel it takes when u fill it up and u can accuatly figure out how much you get to a tank. Then you should be able to gauge exactly how much fuel u have left.

Can't do this because the odometer runs backwards for the first 10km of every trip and then forwards thereafter. Gauging distance travelled is therefore very very difficult.

Offline rathies

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #4 on: Oct 4, 2006, 10:16PM »
damn..sell this car to a circus and buy a proper car. sounds entirely like the gauge cluster is forked. The odometer is electric and not cable driven right? it shouldn't cost more than $100 for a cluster.
« Last Edit: Oct 4, 2006, 10:22PM by rathies »
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Offline chr1S

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #5 on: Oct 4, 2006, 11:10PM »
rofl i remember hearing that, i think someone on here sold this car to you lol

In the fuel tank, there is the level sender, it's an electric potentiometer normally or sometype of it, there is little teeth that act as contacts, when the fuel splashes around it can break these clip things from making the float move quickly, if it snaps off, you get a really erratic fuel pick up, it's a common problem in old cars for bottom end, you can run your car with the fuel light on for like 50km :P.
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Offline Jono

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #6 on: Oct 5, 2006, 02:02AM »
You can run most cars with the fuel light on for 50km or more.

Check the ground from your gauge cluster to the body of the car. I think there's a little potentiometer on the back of the fuel gauge motor in the cluster, you could try twiddling that and see if it makes a difference.
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Offline chr1S

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #7 on: Oct 5, 2006, 08:28AM »
ah well not 50, some weird shit like that...

it's alot more than it should be
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Offline DRP535

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #8 on: Oct 5, 2006, 10:17AM »
damn..sell this car to a circus and buy a proper car.

You see my avatar there? I already have a proper car thanks.

Offline DRP535

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #9 on: Oct 5, 2006, 10:19AM »
rofl i remember hearing that, i think someone on here sold this car to you lol

Not unless they worked at Alf Barbagallo Nissan in around 1992. That's when I bought it brand spankin'

Offline bondy

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #10 on: Oct 5, 2006, 11:00AM »
damn..sell this car to a circus

rofl rathies

Offline dave-trx

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Re: Adjusting fuel gauge calibration - possible?
« Reply #11 on: Oct 5, 2006, 04:42PM »
I use to have a old subaru which the fuel gauge was abit average. What it ended up being was the fuel sender unit. It had copper winding in it that a metal tab would rub against it and moved with the float. The top section of the winding broke which in turn stopped it giving a proper reading.

Hope this helps mate. Good luck.
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