I'm baaaaaaack!
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Well it isn't as if the gauge is giving me all kinds of screwy readings, which might suggest a connection or electrical issue... it's just that apparently it gets "stuck" at 4 bars when going from full to empty. When I added fuel, the gauge properly went up to full. I reset my trip counter so I can monitor my next tank to make sure the gauge is dropping at a normal rate as well.
It certainly could still be a connection issue, but I would bet it's something more along the lines of the floater getting caught up in the filter or something like that. That diagnosis seems to make the most sense. Luckily it's an annoying issue, but not a "my car doesn't run" issue which is what I initially thought when it shut down on me. Almost 15 years of driving and this was the first time I ever ran out of gas.
It certainly could still be a connection issue, but I would bet it's something more along the lines of the floater getting caught up in the filter or something like that. That diagnosis seems to make the most sense. Luckily it's an annoying issue, but not a "my car doesn't run" issue which is what I initially thought when it shut down on me. Almost 15 years of driving and this was the first time I ever ran out of gas.
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From: Right Here.
Originally Posted by Druz,Oct 28 2009, 01:15 PM
I'm going to have to agree with this as well. The floater attaches to the pump housing and can easily get snagged while pulling the pump in and out of the tank. When it was put back in, it could have got bumped and now is getting stuck at the 4 bar reading.
The pump is a PITA to get at unless you are pretty tiny and can slide behind the seats. Im not that big and it wasn't too easy for me to fit in there. Having a second hand helps greatly.
The pump is a PITA to get at unless you are pretty tiny and can slide behind the seats. Im not that big and it wasn't too easy for me to fit in there. Having a second hand helps greatly.
then you can just pop the panel off and BOOMderyago
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From: Laurel
Originally Posted by vbb,Oct 27 2009, 09:25 PM
Well, my thirst to get back into an S2K was finally quenched, because I just picked up a MY05 AP2! For the few older people who remember me, I used to have a berlina AP2, but sold it a couple of years ago and got a BMW 335i. I still have the 335i as my daily (although I might be getting rid of it for an SUV for my wife and taking her car as my daily in a few months, but that's another story) but the S2K is definitely my "weekend warrior."
Now for the catch. There seems to be a problem with the gas and temp gauges. For the first time in my life, I ran out of gas. The car wouldn't accelerate, then it just shut off on me. I tried to restart it, but it would sputter out and quit. Finally, it wouldn't turn over at all. I got a ride to a gas station and put a gallon in it on the roadside and it started up after a little coaxing. I was able to drive it to a gas station and filled it up, and it's running fine. I drove it home and restarted it a few times without issue. The problem is my gas gauge still had 4 bars, saying I had a little under a quarter tank when the thing cut out on me. Now that I've filled it up the gas gauge is reading full. So apparently 4 bars actually means empty now??? Also, my temp gauge never moved off of one bar past the cold side even though I drove it for over 30mins straight. I don't remember that from my prior AP2. This all has me a little confused.
To make matters more interesting, the previous owner has the AEM EMS running the car. It's still installed. Could that have anything at all to do with it? Unfortunately, I've never dealt with EMS.
So two questions really, 1.) does anyone have any idea what may have caused me to run out of gas while the gauge still showed 4 bars or the temp gauge not to have moved? 2.) Anybody know of a good local shop (in SOVA) with EMS experience so that I can get the car looked over to make sure everything is tuned and looks right? I just kinda want to give it a once over to make sure everything is fine. Tony, you still around?
Thanks in advance guys, and it's good to be back!
Now for the catch. There seems to be a problem with the gas and temp gauges. For the first time in my life, I ran out of gas. The car wouldn't accelerate, then it just shut off on me. I tried to restart it, but it would sputter out and quit. Finally, it wouldn't turn over at all. I got a ride to a gas station and put a gallon in it on the roadside and it started up after a little coaxing. I was able to drive it to a gas station and filled it up, and it's running fine. I drove it home and restarted it a few times without issue. The problem is my gas gauge still had 4 bars, saying I had a little under a quarter tank when the thing cut out on me. Now that I've filled it up the gas gauge is reading full. So apparently 4 bars actually means empty now??? Also, my temp gauge never moved off of one bar past the cold side even though I drove it for over 30mins straight. I don't remember that from my prior AP2. This all has me a little confused.
To make matters more interesting, the previous owner has the AEM EMS running the car. It's still installed. Could that have anything at all to do with it? Unfortunately, I've never dealt with EMS.
So two questions really, 1.) does anyone have any idea what may have caused me to run out of gas while the gauge still showed 4 bars or the temp gauge not to have moved? 2.) Anybody know of a good local shop (in SOVA) with EMS experience so that I can get the car looked over to make sure everything is tuned and looks right? I just kinda want to give it a once over to make sure everything is fine. Tony, you still around?
Thanks in advance guys, and it's good to be back!
I have an AEM EMS and fuel guage works perfectly. However, with an aftermarket fuel pump sometimes the thing (can't remember the name) in the gas tank used to discern fuel levels gets stuck on the pump.
That would be my guess (it happened to me once on my Walbro 255lph pump)
Edit: Guess I should have read the other posts so as not to waste effort
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From: Right Here.
Originally Posted by ECale3,Oct 28 2009, 04:42 PM
Check to see if it's running an Aftermarket fuel pump.
I have an AEM EMS and fuel guage works perfectly. However, with an aftermarket fuel pump sometimes the thing (can't remember the name) in the gas tank used to discern fuel levels gets stuck on the pump.
That would be my guess (it happened to me once on my Walbro 255lph pump)
Edit: Guess I should have read the other posts so as not to waste effort
I have an AEM EMS and fuel guage works perfectly. However, with an aftermarket fuel pump sometimes the thing (can't remember the name) in the gas tank used to discern fuel levels gets stuck on the pump.
That would be my guess (it happened to me once on my Walbro 255lph pump)
Edit: Guess I should have read the other posts so as not to waste effort
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From: At your mom's house...
sounds like your sending unit is acting up...
Paraphrased from the service manual:
"After accessing the fuel tank unit (removing the rear tray and access panel), disconnect the fuel pump connector and take a voltmeter to terminals 1 & 2 with the ignition switch ON. You should read 5-8 volts. If you have a good reading, you need to take out the fuel tank unit and take resistance readings with the float at different levels (empty, low, 1/2 tank, full). Readings should be 130-132 ohms/EMPTY, 114.4-120.4 ohms/LOW, 52-58 ohms/HALF TANK, and 11-13 ohms/FULL."
if the above checks out good, then it's either your gauge or something between it and the sending unit. i hope this helps!
Paraphrased from the service manual:
"After accessing the fuel tank unit (removing the rear tray and access panel), disconnect the fuel pump connector and take a voltmeter to terminals 1 & 2 with the ignition switch ON. You should read 5-8 volts. If you have a good reading, you need to take out the fuel tank unit and take resistance readings with the float at different levels (empty, low, 1/2 tank, full). Readings should be 130-132 ohms/EMPTY, 114.4-120.4 ohms/LOW, 52-58 ohms/HALF TANK, and 11-13 ohms/FULL."
if the above checks out good, then it's either your gauge or something between it and the sending unit. i hope this helps!
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From: Right Here.
Originally Posted by GetS2pd,Oct 29 2009, 06:53 PM
sounds like your sending unit is acting up...
Paraphrased from the service manual:
"After accessing the fuel tank unit (removing the rear tray and access panel), disconnect the fuel pump connector and take a voltmeter to terminals 1 & 2 with the ignition switch ON. You should read 5-8 volts. If you have a good reading, you need to take out the fuel tank unit and take resistance readings with the float at different levels (empty, low, 1/2 tank, full). Readings should be 130-132 ohms/EMPTY, 114.4-120.4 ohms/LOW, 52-58 ohms/HALF TANK, and 11-13 ohms/FULL."
if the above checks out good, then it's either your gauge or something between it and the sending unit. i hope this helps!
Paraphrased from the service manual:
"After accessing the fuel tank unit (removing the rear tray and access panel), disconnect the fuel pump connector and take a voltmeter to terminals 1 & 2 with the ignition switch ON. You should read 5-8 volts. If you have a good reading, you need to take out the fuel tank unit and take resistance readings with the float at different levels (empty, low, 1/2 tank, full). Readings should be 130-132 ohms/EMPTY, 114.4-120.4 ohms/LOW, 52-58 ohms/HALF TANK, and 11-13 ohms/FULL."
if the above checks out good, then it's either your gauge or something between it and the sending unit. i hope this helps!
