Author Topic: I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....  (Read 6598 times)

April 07, 2009, 04:07:58 pm

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« on: April 07, 2009, 04:07:58 pm »
I need my temperature gauge to work. My brain wants to explode every time I try to follow the wiring diagrams, but in the end I have not really tried hard enough.

Could it be a bad ground that is causing both to not work. I have replaced the fuel sending unit and when I drain the coolant Im going to replace the two temperature units that are directly below the oil pressure unit...

In the end how do the temperature units go bad anyways? Wouldnt it be more the wiring or the gauge?

Thanks for the help!!!
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon

Reply #1April 07, 2009, 04:19:56 pm

Vincent Waldon

  • Global Moderator
  • Veteran

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 3255
    • My collection of HOWTOs
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2009, 04:19:56 pm »
Simultaneous failure of both the temp gauge and fuel gauge is a common issue most often caused by a failure of the voltage regulator that they share, or intermittent contacts where the voltage regulator plugs into the cluster's circuit board.

Bentley service manual has pictures, diagnostics, etc... or do a bit of searching and you'll find numerous threads on this puppy. :wink:
Vince

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2001 silver TDI Jetta Malone Stage 1.5 , 2001 blue TDI Jetta SBIII 216s Malone Stage 3, 1970 Bay Window bus

Gone but not forgotten: 1969/1971 Beetles, 1969/1974 Westies, 1979 Rabbit, 1986 TD Jetta, 1992 gas Jetta, 1994 TD Jetta

Reply #2April 07, 2009, 04:24:46 pm

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2009, 04:24:46 pm »
Thanks! On to the Bentley :D

I was just going to live with it... Fill up every 4 hundred something miles, but it started to get to me on long trips that I would have no idea I was overheating until catastrophic failure... :cry:

Thanks again...
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon

Reply #3April 07, 2009, 04:30:18 pm

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2009, 04:30:18 pm »
Wow, I feel stupid for posting. It all makes sense. I guess I should have looked instead of posting first... Thanks again, though... :oops:


Will this have to be a junkyard find?
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon

Reply #4April 07, 2009, 05:05:29 pm

commuter boy

  • Veteran

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 277
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2009, 05:05:29 pm »
Nope, just pull the cluster, open up the back and bend the resistor wires to make them connect better, or perhaps a tiny bit of solder.

Reply #5April 07, 2009, 05:13:22 pm

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2009, 05:13:22 pm »
Thanks!
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon

Reply #6April 07, 2009, 05:20:59 pm

spencebm

  • Veteran

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 686
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2009, 05:20:59 pm »
youll know if that baby is overheating or not!  just open the heater vents and let it coast...then fire it up again when it cools down.  if you have good coolant/waterpump/radiator/fan then i don't think you will have a problem, especially with no big nasty charger and lots of fuel... :twisted:
Ben Spencer

Reply #7April 07, 2009, 05:21:47 pm

spencebm

  • Veteran

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 686
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2009, 05:21:47 pm »
p.s. stay off my forum 8)
Ben Spencer

Reply #8April 07, 2009, 06:23:17 pm

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2009, 06:23:17 pm »
Quote from: "spencebm"
youll know if that baby is overheating or not!  just open the heater vents and let it coast...then fire it up again when it cools down.  if you have good coolant/waterpump/radiator/fan then i don't think you will have a problem, especially with no big nasty charger and lots of fuel... :twisted:


Hey, baby... I do have good coolant, New WP and hoses. The fan is original along with the Radiator...Why dont you let me come dig through one of the many Broke down Volkswagens you have on the good old Spencer farms.  :evil:
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon

Reply #9April 08, 2009, 06:11:23 am

spencebm

  • Veteran

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 686
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #9 on: April 08, 2009, 06:11:23 am »
tell me what you need and you can have it, i already have a few presents for you
Ben Spencer

Reply #10April 08, 2009, 06:16:07 am

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2009, 06:16:07 am »
Quote from: "spencebm"
tell me what you need and you can have it, i already have a few presents for you


5-speed?
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon

Reply #11April 08, 2009, 06:40:17 am

spencebm

  • Veteran

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 686
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2009, 06:40:17 am »
haha, what ratio trans do you want?  we might be able to find you one in a junk yard, we have a bunch here but i don't think i am allowed to give those away
Ben Spencer

Reply #12April 08, 2009, 06:44:59 am

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2009, 06:44:59 am »
I knew you couldn't. :(  We are going to take a Pull-A-Part trip to Louisville soon, would you like to tag along?
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon

Reply #13April 08, 2009, 08:44:02 am

shegel

  • Veteran

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 312
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2009, 08:44:02 am »
when i pulled the warning light fuse for the battery light on my 86 golf the fuel / temp guages stoped working also
1986 Golf 1.6l non turbo (R.I.P.)
1999.5 jetta (bought with 122145)
1969 karmann ghia(diesel swap dream)(most likely going to be subaru powered)
1998 jetta tdi (parents car)

Reply #14April 30, 2009, 08:17:39 pm

katakura silk

  • Junior

  • Offline
  • **

  • 92
I could care less about the fuel gauge, but....
« Reply #14 on: April 30, 2009, 08:17:39 pm »
Update:
Problem solved!
It was the V regulator.
Thanks Vince/everyone for the input.
Working as it should.
Thanks!!!!
1979 Diesel Rabbit L - 60k :)
1982 Diesel Caddy (RIP) now 1.8L Gasser
1998 Passat Wagon