Fuel Gauge Fault on 440 XI

dmz · Aug 27th, 2007, 14:34

Hi all,

I'm going to be driving a K reg 440 XI for the next month or two while my other car is repaired. The car drives really smoothly and is pretty comfortable however it does have a small(ish) fault, the fuel gauge doesn't work at all. Does anybody know what could be causing this fault?

Any help you can give will be appreciated

shimon340 · Aug 29th, 2007, 14:35

hi there!

My K reg also has a non existance gauge problem.

Initial repair, I swapped the fuel gauge for another. the temp and fuel is one unit. this worked ok but the temp gauge dhowed very high temps when the engine was cool. further digging showed this gauge was from a diesel. not sure if that was the fault or if the "replacement" I bought was actually broken.

My 440 diesel recently showed 1/2 tank of fuel for three days and 120 miles... seemed a little suspect.

I removed the sender unit from the top of the tank and with the ignition on moved the float to see how the gauge responded. it seems to work ok but it is a little slow to respond. recently it works ok but once below 1/6 to1/8 tank it varies from showing 1/6 or 1/8 tank to empty...

I need to do some more digging on the K reg petrol with the non existance gauge but either the sender unit isnt working - most likely wiring fault connecting to the resistor tract or a fualt with the wiring between sender and gauge or the gauge itself.

Ive got a plan how to check the gauge using a spare sender unit. if the gauge responds with the spare, then the original sender isnt working. if it fails to respond with either, then its wiring or the gauge. something to check is the multiconnectors on the back of the binnacle- also check for cracks in the track.

Im hoping to get aday to work on the K reg to try to find the fault. hopefully the above is of somehelp but ideally i'll have some pics and a process of checking to post soon

good luck and keep us posted!

S

dmz · Sep 8th, 2007, 13:00

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply just got back from a driving holiday in a volvo 240 estate, what a solid car!

Anyway back to the fuel gauge. the needle has never moved since buying the car, and i'm not even sure if the petrol warning light works (it if the car has one?)

I may try visiting a few scrap yards to see if i can find a new gauge. At least that would be one suspect to rule out.

Any help or pics you could give would be really appreciated.

shimon340 · Sep 8th, 2007, 21:41

hi there

ahh.. so the fuel needle doesnt move at all.. does your temp gauge work ok?

if so you car and my dads havethe same symptoms!

I'll keep you posted on progress!

kind regards

shimon.shapiro@volvo340.com

Volvo Dave · Sep 9th, 2007, 13:29

Hi a few months back my wife was using my 460 to travel to work when it ran out of petrol. When I put any petrol in I always reset the milage however she said that according to the gauge the car had fuel in it. A few days later I was driving the car and the gauge suddenly dropped then came back up again! The fault was traced to a dodgy conection on the alternater! So I would check the condition of the wiring and conections under the bonnet!

dmz · Sep 12th, 2007, 12:32

shimon340, the temp gauge works fine but the fuel has never moved since i've owned the car (only owned the car a month or two so no idea how long it has been like this).

Volvo Dave - thanks for the advice, will have a check for loose / damaged wiring when i get in.

Just out of curiosity, how big is the volvo 440 fuel tank (in litres)? May help with my fuel consumption guesses :-)

Aug 27th, 2007, 14:34	#1
dmz New Member Last Online: Oct 26th, 2007 23:09 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: nairn	Fuel Gauge Fault on 440 XI Hi all, I'm going to be driving a K reg 440 XI for the next month or two while my other car is repaired. The car drives really smoothly and is pretty comfortable however it does have a small(ish) fault, the fuel gauge doesn't work at all. Does anybody know what could be causing this fault? Any help you can give will be appreciated

Sep 9th, 2007, 13:29	#5
Volvo Dave Senior Member Last Online: Oct 9th, 2021 19:37 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Newton Aycliffe,Co Durham	Hi a few months back my wife was using my 460 to travel to work when it ran out of petrol. When I put any petrol in I always reset the milage however she said that according to the gauge the car had fuel in it. A few days later I was driving the car and the gauge suddenly dropped then came back up again! The fault was traced to a dodgy conection on the alternater! So I would check the condition of the wiring and conections under the bonnet! __________________ Volvo 855 S 2.5 10v (P reg) - 134k

Aug 29th, 2007, 14:35	#2
shimon340 Senior Member Last Online: Mar 2nd, 2023 14:47 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Manchester	hi there! My K reg also has a non existance gauge problem. Initial repair, I swapped the fuel gauge for another. the temp and fuel is one unit. this worked ok but the temp gauge dhowed very high temps when the engine was cool. further digging showed this gauge was from a diesel. not sure if that was the fault or if the "replacement" I bought was actually broken. My 440 diesel recently showed 1/2 tank of fuel for three days and 120 miles... seemed a little suspect. I removed the sender unit from the top of the tank and with the ignition on moved the float to see how the gauge responded. it seems to work ok but it is a little slow to respond. recently it works ok but once below 1/6 to1/8 tank it varies from showing 1/6 or 1/8 tank to empty... I need to do some more digging on the K reg petrol with the non existance gauge but either the sender unit isnt working - most likely wiring fault connecting to the resistor tract or a fualt with the wiring between sender and gauge or the gauge itself. Ive got a plan how to check the gauge using a spare sender unit. if the gauge responds with the spare, then the original sender isnt working. if it fails to respond with either, then its wiring or the gauge. something to check is the multiconnectors on the back of the binnacle- also check for cracks in the track. Im hoping to get aday to work on the K reg to try to find the fault. hopefully the above is of somehelp but ideally i'll have some pics and a process of checking to post soon good luck and keep us posted! S

Sep 8th, 2007, 13:00	#3
dmz New Member Last Online: Oct 26th, 2007 23:09 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: nairn	Hi, Sorry for the late reply just got back from a driving holiday in a volvo 240 estate, what a solid car! Anyway back to the fuel gauge. the needle has never moved since buying the car, and i'm not even sure if the petrol warning light works (it if the car has one?) I may try visiting a few scrap yards to see if i can find a new gauge. At least that would be one suspect to rule out. Any help or pics you could give would be really appreciated.

Sep 8th, 2007, 21:41	#4
shimon340 Senior Member Last Online: Mar 2nd, 2023 14:47 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Manchester	hi there ahh.. so the fuel needle doesnt move at all.. does your temp gauge work ok? if so you car and my dads havethe same symptoms! I'll keep you posted on progress! kind regards shimon.shapiro@volvo340.com

Sep 12th, 2007, 12:32	#6
dmz New Member Last Online: Oct 26th, 2007 23:09 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: nairn	shimon340, the temp gauge works fine but the fuel has never moved since i've owned the car (only owned the car a month or two so no idea how long it has been like this). Volvo Dave - thanks for the advice, will have a check for loose / damaged wiring when i get in. Just out of curiosity, how big is the volvo 440 fuel tank (in litres)? May help with my fuel consumption guesses :-)

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