Fuel gauge needle stuck pointing straight up

[BillTheButcher]

Hello. :)

I picked up a 996.1 911 Carrera Cabriolet last weekend.

Great car but there is one small fault that I would like to try to fix...

The fuel gauge needle is stuck pointing straight up, i.e. way past 4/4 on the gauge. The previous owner mentioned that this might be something simple that I could fix myself.

Can anyone tell me what might be causing this fault?

(Apologies if this is a repost. I searched but couldn't find anything.)

Thanks. :thankyou:

Edited February 25, 2013 by BillTheButcher

[halik]

Does it stay there when you turn the car off?

[BillTheButcher]

Good question. I haven't looked after the car's been switched off. I'll check tonight. :)

Edited February 25, 2013 by BillTheButcher

[BillTheButcher]

Yes, the needle still stays pointing up when the engine's off.

This has been suggested as a possible fix but I'm not brave enough to try it:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_fuel_tank_sender_replace/911_fuel_tank_sender_replace.htm

[Loren]

What exact model and model year is your car?

There were a couple of TSBs for issues.

[BillTheButcher]

What exact model and model year is your car?

There were a couple of TSBs for issues.

It's a 1999 Carrera 2 Cabriolet. :)

[Loren]

You are likely going to need to find a shop with either a Porsche PST2 or Porsche PIWIS tester. They will need to run some diagnostics to see if the problem is the instrument cluster or the fuel level sensor. Sorry...

BTW... the fuel system TSBs are not for your year/model.

[BillTheButcher]

No need to be sorry. That's really helpful. Thanks. :)

[Ahsai]

Yes, the needle still stays pointing up when the engine's off.

That sounds like a mechanical problem of the gauge itself. The needle should have a hair spring that returns it to the "empty" position when there's no power applied to the cluster (when car is off). Photo here http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?631436-My-gauge-cluster-setup&p=8232801&viewfull=1#post8232801

All the other gauges work the same way (needle at lowest end when key is OFF). Maybe the gauge overshot before for some reason and got stuck there? or the spring is broken. Maybe you can remove the cluster and try to gently feel move the needle a bit and see if it's sticking.

[BillTheButcher]

^ From what you've said there it does sound like the spring might have gone.

I'll have a look at how easy the cluster is to remove. Unless it's completely straightforward I won't be competent enough to do it.

It's due for an MOT in April so I'll get it fixed then if not before.

Edited February 27, 2013 by BillTheButcher

[Loren]

Another possibility might be that a previous owner did a gauge face plate change and did not properly align and set the face plate and/or needle.

[Ahsai]

Another possibility might be that a previous owner did a gauge face plate change and did not properly align and set the face plate and/or needle.

Yea, very possible messed up by the previous owner since they just don't fail like that by themselves.

In US, there are instrument cluster repair shops that would repair anything wrong on the instrument cluster for a few hundred dollars (flat rate). If you have some similar shops in UK, the most cost effective way is to remove the cluster by yourself (It's not difficult. There are plenty of instructions and photos if you google), then pack it well and send it to them for repair.

[BillTheButcher]

Thanks for all the replies. :)

AFAIK the previous owner didn't change the face plate so it looks like something has failed rather than just not being put back right.

I removed (and sent away for repair) the instrument cluster in my old B5 RS4. The pixels were dying so a group buy was organised. The results were excellent.

[BillTheButcher]

It's the fuel sender in the tank. It's over £300 to fix which seems a lot for what is a minor inconvenience so I'm going to leave it as it is for now.

[Ahsai]

Good to hear you found the culprit. Curous though how a bad sender can make the needle stay straight up with and without power applied. Any idea?