Faulty Fuel Gauge

TomP

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
31
Subject boat is a 2007 Cobalt 252 with a 8.1L Volvo Duo prop. Everything seems fine after winter storage except the fuel gauge is stuck on empty. When the engine is turned on, the gauge will jump from below Empty to the "E" position. At first I thought someone had stolen fuel, but that is not the case because I filled the tank up and was only able to add a few gallons (without the gauge moving from the E position).

I would appreciate some help on this. Are there some easy things I can check before having a technician look at it? Does this sound like a gauge problem or a problem at the tank? If it's at the tank, assuming I can access it, how hard is it to change the float system and sender unit? Any idea what the cause of this problem could have been on a three year old boat? I appreciate the help anyone can give me. Even though the boat is under warranty, I don't own a trailer for it and would probably have to spend several hundered bucks (and too much time out of the water) to get the nearest dealer to come 80 miles to pick it up.
 

Lyle29464

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
1,261
Re: Faulty Fuel Gauge

sounds like your guage is ok.
I would start at the sending unit. It may be under a plastic cover in the middle of the floor.
turn key on and short the middle of the sending unit to the ground wire next to it.
If guage goes to full your sender is bad.
If guage does not go to full jump ground on sender to known ground. If guage goes to full ground wire is bad to tank and sender.
if this fails it is your guage or the wire to the sender. Ground the send wire in the back of guage. If that does not peg it it is the guage.

I am guessing sender. they can have a short life if boat is rocking in a slip 24/7
 
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