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Fuel gauge or Sender problem

M

mark_searay

Contributing Member
Hello, I have an 85 Sea Ray SRV255 twin 470’s and fuel gauge or sender is acting up.
On first use this year gauge initially bounced from 90% full, the actual level to empty and eventually stayed full "empty". Now on second trip gauge deflects to full travel “empty” when ignition is on or boat is running. When the pink (sender) wire is jumped to ground at the gauge the gauge deflects to full. With the key “on” it is hard over to empty, now all the time, thus jumping the purple to ground doesn’t do anything. All grounds are tight, gauge connections clean. Cleaned the sender connections but the ground rivet holding the sender spade lug spins. When ignition is off, gauge releases back to about "1/8th tank".

I’m 3 hours from boat and didn’t measure resistance of sender, should have. Tank is metal, 150 gal., I believe the sender and know the gauge is original. Any thoughts as to if the sender or gauge is bad? Access to the sender is terrible.

Thanks, Mark
 
thus jumping the purple to ground doesn’t do anything

Purple wires are usually hot with the ign on. Pink wire is what you ground at the gauge to test the gauge at full travel. Pink in what you ground at the tank sender to check the wiring .You also need a tank ground. Most builders run it aft to the bilge pump ground bus or the ground at the engine block.
 
Ground the sender at the tank,pink to the ground lug.Check the guage.If it's all the way.The sender is bad.Ethanol is not our friend.Actually has water in it.The water is causing rust and messing with the old senders.
Use Ethanol stabilizers if you don't keep the tank full.
Keeping the tank partially full will allow condensation to form and the E don't help.J
 
Hello, fixed the problem. grounded gauge as before = good gauge. Grounded sender at top connections and showed good gauge and good wiring. Pulled sender and the sender worked when at full position and became intermittent as soon as it moved a bit lower from full position = bad sender, it was open at anything less than ~"7/8-3/4" of a tank, thus the intermittent indication and going "bad" over the first 3 hours of operation this season as tank came off of full. Replaced w/ generic sender seems to work, hope it is as accurate as the OEM part.
Checked inside of my non-lined 150 gal metal tank, got lucky, the areas I could see were spotless and no water drops or crud in the bottom. Tank is full over the winter with stabilizer and I use Seafoam in season, getting gas at a high volume service dock (phillips 66)
Thanks, for the help!
Now for a new house battery (made it 5 years) and taking care of the teak with a little knock on wood for good boating this year.
 
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