No reading on Gas Gauge, What to do??

[prayers1 153]

I have a 1/2 a tank and no reading on my Gauge. I have a New Tank, Sending Unit, Circuit Board and that little Resistor behind the dash. The Gauge & Wiring is the only original in between the two.

 

I'll do the sending unit to ground test tomorrow:

"Unplug your sending unit at the tank and then ground out the wire to the frame, turn the key on. If your gas gauge goes to full then your sending unit is bad."

Thats all I know about chasing a fuel gauge problem. What if the gauge doesn't move. How do you know if the Gauge is bad?

 

AFter doing the above, what else do I need to look for and how to do it?

[det0326 179]

I have a 1/2 a tank and no reading on my Gauge. I have a New Tank, Sending Unit, Circuit Board and that little Resistor behind the dash. The Gauge & Wiring is the only original in between the two.

 

I'll do the sending unit to ground test tomorrow:

"Unplug your sending unit at the tank and then ground out the wire to the frame, turn the key on. If your gas gauge goes to full then your sending unit is bad."

 

Thats all I know about chasing a fuel gauge problem. What if the gauge doesn't move. How do you know if the Gauge is bad?

 

AFter doing the above, what else do I need to look for and how to do it?

I think the first thing I would do is check the wire at the sending unit for voltage I think it should have power not sure if it is full battery voltage or not but it should have power if not it could be a bad wire or maybe power not getting to the gauge at all. Of course the switch has to be on to check for voltage at the sending unit.

[69RavenConv 286]

I think the first thing I would do is check the wire at the sending unit for voltage I think it should have power not sure if it is full battery voltage or not but it should have power if not it could be a bad wire or maybe power not getting to the gauge at all. Of course the switch has to be on to check for voltage at the sending unit.

 

Det0326 is right but the grounding test will prove it out.

 

If the gauge goes to full, something at the tank is bad (the sending unit or float).

 

If it doesn't move, you don't have voltage on the wire. The voltage is provided by the CVR in the dash, which also powers the oil and temp gauges. If your oil and temp gauges work, the CVR is good and you've got a problem with the wiring between the gas gauge & the tank. ("wiring" means wires, connectors, the gas gauge itself, printed circuit, and everything else)

 

If none of those 3 gauges work, look for a bad CVR or missing 12V going to the CVR.

 

And be sure the tank is well grounded to the chassis.

Edited October 9, 2013 by 69RavenConv

[prayers1 153]

Th eonly gauge I'm using is the SpeedO and Gas. I went 1 wire on the alt, so the oem alt wires are not connect to the alt and I unbolted them from the back of the Dash and wrapped the ends in electrical tape. Also, I'm using mechanical gauges for the oil, volt & temp. The circuit board has been replaced as well as the little resistor mounted on the circuit board.

 

I'm calling the CVR/cluster voltage regulator, the little resister.

 

I bolted the tank down with 5/16 bolts and nuts. Do I need to run a seperate ground to the tank.

Edited October 9, 2013 by prayers1

[det0326 179]

Th eonly gauge I'm using is the SpeedO and Gas. I went 1 wire on the alt, so the oem alt wires are not connect to the alt and I unbolted them from the back of the Dash and wrapped the ends in electrical tape. Also, I'm using mechanical gauges for the oil, volt & temp. The circuit board has been replaced as well as the little resistor mounted on the circuit board.

 

I'm calling the CVR/cluster voltage regulator, the little resister.

 

I bolted the tank down with 5/16 bolts and nuts. Do I need to run a seperate ground to the tank.

 

You can simply take a volt meter and with the switch on check the voltage at the sender with the wire disconnected from the sender.

I think it should be around 5 volts. If no voltage the problem is somewhere forward if you have voltage it could be the sender is bad . Be sure to check that the sending unit itself is grounded good to the tank . An easy way to do that is use an ohm meter and check that u have continuity from the

metal part of the sending unit and a good ground somewhere.

[prayers1 153]

OK, I understand the procedures above. Now, if the problem is at the dash, what test are done to confirm if gauge is bad, CVR is bad or something else.

 

I do have a Voltmeter, can do basic checks but need to refresh my memory since it's been a while doing anything with it.

 

What place to set the dial to do what, such as continuity???

[det0326 179]

OK, I understand the procedures above. Now, if the problem is at the dash, what test are done to confirm if gauge is bad, CVR is bad or something else.

 

I do have a Voltmeter, can do basic checks but need to refresh my memory since it's been a while doing anything with it.

 

What place to set the dial to do what, such as continuity???

 

Continuity is checked with the meter on the ohm's scale from the metal part of the sending unit to a good ground you should read zero resistance.

 

If you have no voltage at the sending unit your next step would be to check the voltage at the CVR . If you have voltage to the input and no

voltage from the output then CVR is probably bad. If you have voltage from the output of the CVR then check voltage at the fuel gauge if you have voltage at the fuel gauge then there could be a wire problem going to the sending unit. This is just a simple diagnosis of the voltage from the start to the finish and you can start any where you want to, myself I always start at the easiest place to get to and hope I find the problem without taking so much stuff apart.

[prayers1 153]

OK, I did the quick Voltmeter tutorial with youtube.

 

For now, I used a test light just to see if I'm getting power. Nothing at the tank. I traced the wire to the Door sill plate and placed the probe there, still no power. Yes, the key was on.

 

I just installed the entire dash, I'd hate to take it a part. Where does the power wire go to from the tank? Maybe I can trace it before taking the dash apart.

 

If I have to take the dash apart, how do I test the CVR and should I test the power wire goint to the CVR. What readings am I looking for.

Thanks!

[LoneWolf2U 136]

First you can't use a light to test, a meter is a must.

Second the power to the tank is a pulsing 5-6volts.

Third do the other guages work? Yes, then the cvr of the dash is working and possiable the gas guage is the problem.

If you did the ground the sender wire test and the guage did not swing towards full, you will need to remove the dash to test further.

Following the wiring diaghram the line from the tank sending unit goes directly to the cluster, you need to test it for continuity from tank to dash connector. If it is soild check your guage connections at the film and test the film loop from the harness connection to the guage and also verify the grounds.

[prayers1 153]

I was afraid I had to remove the dash. Nothing here is easy.

 

In regards to other gauges, I'm not using them and as a precaution, I disconnected the wires to the the back of the Dash volt meter gauge, I didn't know if it still had power going to it if the OEM wires weren't connected to the Alternator.

 

I have a one wire alternator with seperate mechanical oil, volt and water gauges. So, basically I only need the gas gauge to work.

[prayers1 153]

Are you saying that the tank power wire (Looks Yellow) is the only source of power coming directly from the gauge.

 

How do you test the gauge & CVR.

 

I also have a few extra fuel gauges, maybe I can experiment and figure how to test them. So, what do I need to do?

Edited October 9, 2013 by prayers1

[prayers1 153]

Here's some diagrams, I'm trying to make heads or tails out of it. I go to trace the Blk/Wht diagram fuel gauge wire and it shows no color.???????

 

Can someone figure whats going on here.

[det0326 179]

I was afraid I had to remove the dash. Nothing here is easy.

 

In regards to other gauges, I'm not using them and as a precaution, I disconnected the wires to the the back of the Dash volt meter gauge, I didn't know if it still had power going to it if the OEM wires weren't connected to the Alternator.

 

I have a one wire alternator with seperate mechanical oil, volt and water gauges. So, basically I only need the gas gauge to work.

 

Could it be that when you disconnected the other gauges that you also disconnected the power from the fuel gauge at another point?

Have you checked all fuses to this circuit ?

[det0326 179]

Are you saying that the tank power wire (Looks Yellow) is the only source of power coming directly from the gauge.

 

How do you test the gauge & CVR.

 

I also have a few extra fuel gauges, maybe I can experiment and figure how to test them. So, what do I need to do?

 

It appears to me that the light blue or purple(hard to till) but it is the resistance wire #30 that comes from ignition switch to the CVR is the supply voltage and it connects to the A terminal of the switch. Check

for 12 volts there.

[prayers1 153]

The big plug in behind the cluster gauges is plugged in. The 2 wires that go to the alt gauge is disconnected. Do you think the the 2 wires going to the alt gauge complete the circuit for the fuel gauge.

[det0326 179]

The big plug in behind the cluster gauges is plugged in. The 2 wires that go to the alt gauge is disconnected. Do you think the the 2 wires going to the alt gauge complete the circuit for the fuel gauge.

 

The diagram is not showing it that way but you never know how someone may have wired something in the past . I would check the terminal A at the switch for 12 volts and go from there.

[det0326 179]

The big plug in behind the cluster gauges is plugged in. The 2 wires that go to the alt gauge is disconnected. Do you think the the 2 wires going to the alt gauge complete the circuit for the fuel gauge.

I went out and took a look at mine which is off the car and it appears that the fuel gauge hot side comes directly from the CVR so disconnecting the other gauges should not make any difference. How did you disconnect the other gauges, just took the printed circuit loose. If so did you insulate the connecting strips so they would not touch anything? Have you did the grounding the sending wire yet if so what did you find?

Edited October 9, 2013 by det0326

[LoneWolf2U 136]

The purple line is a key on power source for the fuel guage.

If your other acc work with key on, then it should be powering the cvr.

Only way to test is have the cluster out but plugged in, test the + side with key on it should show 12v.

Test the output side with key on and it should show a pulsing 5-6v.

Yes cvr is working, No cvr is bad.

Cvr working follow printed line to fuel guage, make sure the guage lugs are not touching housing(they have spacers installed), Now with key on test line to sender, it should show the pulsing voltage from cvr. Yes guage is working, No guage is bad replace.

[prayers1 153]

deto326-All Cluster gauges are pluged in the back of the cluster pod. On the cluster pod, he Alt. Gauge has 2 wires in the back which I disconnected and taped up, the wire for the oil sending unit is not connected under the hood, this is the same for the temp. I did the grounding test, the needle did not move.

 

Mach1Rider- Thank you for the detailed instructions, I will try to get to it tomorrow.

 

My fuel tank wire is yellow/white stripe.

 

Thank you!

[Midlife 814]

The fuel sending line is yellow/white, just in case you're wondering.

[prayers1 153]

On the wire bundle plug in for the Circuit Board, I have 12v to pin 11 & 7, Tracing #11 on the circuit board looks like it provides power to the CVR. I checked voltage to the CVR on the + and got .350, on the outgoing .419 and those numbers kept jumping around.

I checked conitinuity at pin #5 for the fuel sending unit back to the Tank and got the beeps. so, thats ok.

 

I had 2 older CRV's lying around and tried them as well, same results NO 12v.

I'll pick up a new one and see what happens.

 

When I pulled out the dash panel to look at the printed circuit board, I found what I did with the Alt. wires. I pulled them off the wire bundle and wrapped them up with electrical tape. They were pin# 16 Yellow Alt, pin#14 white/orange oil pressure, pin#17 Red Alt & pin and pin# 4 red/ white -I forget.

Edited October 10, 2013 by prayers1

[prayers1 153]

This helped me, so I'll pass it on

 

[det0326 179]

On the wire bundle plug in for the Circuit Board, I have 12v to pin 11 & 7, Tracing #11 on the circuit board looks like it provides power to the CVR. I checked voltage to the CVR on the + and got .350, on the outgoing .419 and those numbers kept jumping around.

I checked conitinuity at pin #5 for the fuel sending unit back to the Tank and got the beeps. so, thats ok.

 

I had 2 older CRV's lying around and tried them as well, same results NO 12v.

I'll pick up a new one and see what happens.

 

When I pulled out the dash panel to look at the printed circuit board, I found what I did with the Alt. wires. I pulled them off the wire bundle and wrapped them up with electrical tape. They were pin# 16 Yellow Alt, pin#14 white/orange oil pressure, pin#17 Red Alt & pin and pin# 4 red/ white -I forget.

 

Its hard to believe all the units you have are bad but I guess its possible.

One thing I would make sure of, is continuity from the wire side plug pin # 11 to the positive on the constant voltage regulator.

[Midlife 814]

I'd also check continuity from the ground (pin 8) to the case of the CVR.

 

A better test is to pull the dash cluster connector entirely and see if you have 12V at pin 11 with the key in ACC. This is the input side of the CVR, and the voltage is reduced once there is a load on it by the CVR. With it disconnected from the dash, it should read 12V; in place it may read 9V or so.

[det0326 179]

I'd also check continuity from the ground (pin 8) to the case of the CVR.

 

A better test is to pull the dash cluster connector entirely and see if you have 12V at pin 11 with the key in ACC. This is the input side of the CVR, and the voltage is reduced once there is a load on it by the CVR. With it disconnected from the dash, it should read 12V; in place it may read 9V or so.

 

Midlife, do you happen to know the resistance on the wire that supplies

the 12 volts? The diagram shows it as being a resistance wire, I have always wondered ? never thought to check it when I had one in front of me.