Honda Car Forum

hi

can't figure this one out:

have an '89 civic dx hatchback & the fuel gauge "sticks".

have replaced the gauge - same problem.
have replaced the sender - same problem.
have checked the earth in the trunk - the trunk light now works, but the
above problems still persist.

have checked the wiring - 7.6v at the sender, the book says should be
battery. but if i disconnect, the gauge goes below zero, if i short, it
goes to full, so behavior indicates that's ok. and if i disconnect,
then reconnect, the gauge moves to register the fuel level present at
that time, then it stays at that level and won't move again.

i've also double checked the sender and it's output is within the
resistance ranges quoted in the helm manual.

anyone got any ideas?

Was the 7.6V you saw the variable output of the sender, or the Vbatt that
is supplied to the sender? If it's Vbatt, then this is a problem
(regardless of what happens when you short terminals out...)

If not, check for any corrosion at the sender terminals or the wire side of
the connector. If sender inputs check out, sender checks out, sender output
checks out, and sender output checks out *at the instrument cluster*, then
it starts to feel like the cluster itself?

-Arthur

jim beam wrote:

> hi
>
> can't figure this one out:
>
> have an '89 civic dx hatchback & the fuel gauge "sticks".
>
> have replaced the gauge - same problem. have replaced the sender - same
> problem. have checked the earth in the trunk - the trunk light now
> works, but the above problems still persist.
>
> have checked the wiring - 7.6v at the sender, the book says should be
> battery. but if i disconnect, the gauge goes below zero, if i short, it
> goes to full, so behavior indicates that's ok. and if i disconnect,
> then reconnect, the gauge moves to register the fuel level present at
> that time, then it stays at that level and won't move again.
>
> i've also double checked the sender and it's output is within the
> resistance ranges quoted in the helm manual.
>
> anyone got any ideas?
>