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You can jump across the 2 terminals on your sending unit (on the tank) if your gauge goes to full, the sending unit is bad. If this is the case, you can get a replacement sending unit here on iboats. You will want to know the depth of your fuel tank to get the proper replacement. <br /><br />If jumping across the terminals does not make the gauge go to full, then you have a wiring or gauge problem.
Just take the sending unit lead off and ground it with the key in the on position. If the gauge goes to full, the sender is bad. Might watch for sparks if it's in a confined area when you do this...
What Rick said. You will probably have 2 leads on the sending unit. One will most likely be attached in some fashion to one of the screws holding the sending unit in; this is the ground wire. The other lead will be going to a terminal in the center of the sending unit; touch this lead to a ground, that should send the gauge to full if the gauge and wiring are good.
Ok picking this up again. There is a green wire, heavy gauge goes from transom to a metal tab like appendage with a terminal on it, this green wire also connects on that terminal to a black wire. This is port side on starboard side of tank area is a pink wire, much finer gauge however it disappears under deck and I am unable to get at any type of terminal. These are the only two wire that lead under the deck to the gas tank area.
The pink wire is the standard color for gas tank senders. Remove the pink wire from the "S" terminal on the back of the gauge, jumper from the Ground terminal to the "S" terminal and turn the key on, the needle should go to "Full" if not then probably bad guage, also measure to make sure the gauge is getting 12v (purple wire? or "I" terminal) if gauge is ok then either a bad wire or sender in the tank. Most boats have some kind of an inspection cover over the part of the tank where the connections are. Make sure all connections are tight and the ground is good. Here is a link to some good info on fuel gauge/senders, scroll down in the middle section to fuel systems. Gauge Help
Thanks Boatin Bob, jumped the pink and the gauge went to full with key turned. Next step ..I'll have to get at the pink wire on the tank and look for bad connection, ..correct? Thanks for the link.
I would have guessed that from the beginning. Most boat fuel senders are not very reliable (they are basially variable resistors with a float arm hung off of them. They take a real beating in a bouncing boat.
They are available from any marine store, and are pretty cheap (for boat stuff!). Easy to install (don't smoke and make sure the boat is on land and the tank is not 100% full).
Now you may ask if you can spend more money and get a better one. The answer seems to be no.
OK...last test would be to jumper from ground at the tank to the pink wire at the tank and then turn key on, if gauge goes to full like first test then you've proven the pink wire is good from tank to gauge, only thing left is the sender.
