Firstfives.org

So....after having thought I'd solved the gas-gauge-hangs-at-1/4-until-the-yellow-light-comes-on-then-whack-the-dash-to-see-it-drop-to-empty problem, I finally have the solution. While I could make it work for awhile, I could not get reliability from the fix (see the FAQ). Now I do.

The last attempt produced a really twitchy needle after awhile. So I removed the assembly from the cluster, plugged it in while sitting in the driver's seat and started grabbing, twisting. I narrowed the twitching down to the ribbon cable. The rivets that attach the cable to the plastic housing and that connect the ribbon cable to the stud that plugs into the gauge itself are just a press fit. Carefully applying solder to the rear mount and the ribbon has fixed this annoying problem now for over two months. (I buy $5 worth of gas just to watch the needle faithfully move through 1/4 mark to the orange area! )


A picture is worth more than these words:



Maybe Peter can add this to the FAQ...

Just an FYI
I had a 'gauge stuck at aprox 1/4 tank' problem that I cleared by cleaning the gang-ground in the trunk - includes the sending unit.

Nice work Lenny. I played some games like that one time on an E21 and it's temp gauge. I didn't go quite that far, I think I crimped it or something like that, it's been a couple of years. Yeah, it's maddening when corrosion gets in someplace like that where you can't take it apart, you can't tighten it, you're kind of stuck. Until creative people come along

Thanks, Mike, I played heck with this thing for way too long. And yes, I am easily amused (still doing the happy dance)...I can't believe it's actually fixed.... You know, something as insignificant as the GAS GAUGE

So I guess the creativity from my musical career paid off this time, although me and solder go waay back.

edit: wanted to say this in the first post, forgot, and forgot again 'till now - yes, I did the other side (temp) as well.