Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Dan Hope on 03 February 2010, 21:15:32
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Hi peeps
My omega has started doing something strange today. This morning my fuel guage was just above red and usually gives me about 30-40 miles to go. when i left work the 'range' showed 55 miles, i drove 12 miles to work, same journey i always do, nothin exciting happened but when i got to work it said range 5 miles.
Strange i thought. so filled up and range said 305 miles (which i'd never get with my short journeys). When i got in the car this evening to go home it kept saying range was 'F'. i reset the display and it would go back to saying 300 odd miles but then flick back to 'F' which ive never seen it do before.
Anyone had this before??
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"F" means fault ... so its not at all happy.
Sounds to me like it either doesn't quite know how much fuel is in the tank, or the rate at which you are using it, .. :(
Does the instantaneous readout make sense or is that giving silly figures as well ??
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Clean the fuel level gauge in the tank. Take off the round plate in the boot floor, unscrew the tank cap carefully and remove the sender. Check the contacts and wipe clean with a baby wipe and re-assemble. If that doesn't fix it, you'll need to get it Tech2'd as it may be the ECU throwing a wobbly.
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Hi again
Drove to work this morning and no 'F'. I think the readouts are normal(ish) and it doesn't seem to be dropping dramatically like yesterday so maybe it has gone away but that sounds like a job for the weekend, cleaning that contact just in case.
thanks for the advice guys, always appreciated :)
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We'll look at this on sunday (illness permitting) if it's still a problem :y
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haha, add it to the list ;)
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If you do get the sender out of the tank for cleaning/examination, please save yourself a later re-visit by checking the following.
Here's a rough-and-ready sketch of the gauge sender:
(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/EZ_Pete/DSCN1511.jpg)
As well as fuel level making the float move up and down vertically, there are forces on the float when braking and accelerating, as the fuel surges backwards and forwards in the tank, attempting to take the float with it, that tend to try to move the thing forwards and backwards in the tank.
The bit I've labelled "Critical angle" will, over the years, tend to open out a bit and reduce the pressure of the contact on the resistance track, via its leaf spring.
The first time I got in there, I just re-bent the leaf spring a bit, which seemed to give an improvement, but only for a week or two. Trouble is, if that critical angle has opened up too much, the contact will still be able to pull away from the track if the upward movement shown in this pic (front to back when in the tank) is too much. Because the PCB is in the way of movement that will tend to close the angle up, these forces will have an 'opening' effect on the critical angle, on average.
Dismantling the rod from its plastic mountings, and giving that bend a little 'tweak' to close it up a bit, should solve the problem if this is what is happening.
You can see whether it is the problem by just moving the float about in all directions, and observing whether the contact leaves, or nearly leaves the track.
If this does turn out to be relevant to your problem, take some photos and write a little "How to", as I think this problem will become more and more common as the Omegas 'mature'. :y
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I've got a complete tank sitting in the garage if you want me to do a HowTo?
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blimey its suddenly all got a bit technical haha. well if Matt's (Gaffer) better on Sunday maybe we'll have a look if its still doing it :D
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It might sound technical when I try to describe it, but when you have the thing in front of you, and you find that you can make the contact leave the track fairly easily, it all becomes clear.
What's really satisfying is that delicately removing the metal rod with the 'critical bend' from the plastic bits and gving it a gentle tweak to close that angle up a touch, is really a very simple, and completely free fix.
From what I remember Vx want about £70 for a new sender! ::)
PS: Wellung, if you can do a "how to" on this, please do. :y
Alternatively, if anyone has a sender removed from their car that doesn't work, I'll be happy to try to resurrect it (FOC), making a "how to" as I go, and then you can sell it to another OOFer or keep it as a spare.
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It might sound technical when I try to describe it, but when you have the thing in front of you, and you find that you can make the contact leave the track fairly easily, it all becomes clear.
What's really satisfying is that delicately removing the metal rod with the 'critical bend' from the plastic bits and gving it a gentle tweak to close that angle up a touch, is really a very simple, and completely free fix.
From what I remember Vx want about £70 for a new sender! ::)
PS: Wellung, if you can do a "how to" on this, please do. :y
Alternatively, if anyone has a sender removed from their car that doesn't work, I'll be happy to try to resurrect it (FOC), making a "how to" as I go, and then you can sell it to another OOFer or keep it as a spare.
If we end up doing this, it'll take some pics and write a how-to (it'll be me first!) :D
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A fuel sender virgin eh ;) ;D ;D ;D No smoking of the woodbines while your doing it though!
I'll pull the sender out of the tank tomorrow and take some pics :y
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We'll look at this on sunday (illness permitting) if it's still a problem :y
Are you still under the weather Gaffers? :(
Have you tried Motillium, available without prescription? I have found this a lifesaver in settling my 'stomache' pain (I haven't got one now my but nervous system doesn't know yet ;D) and it really helps get you back on your feet again. Hope you feel better soon mate ;)
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I'm having stomach troubles..... I can't see over it to tie my laces ;D ;D ;D
(Those who know me know why I'm laughing ;) And for those who don't... I'm 10 stone pi$$ wet ;D ;D )
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We'll look at this on sunday (illness permitting) if it's still a problem :y
Are you still under the weather Gaffers? :(
Have you tried Motillium, available without prescription? I have found this a lifesaver in settling my 'stomache' pain (I haven't got one now my but nervous system doesn't know yet ;D) and it really helps get you back on your feet again. Hope you feel better soon mate ;)
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1265321559/0#0
When it's this severe anything that tries to bung you up will not work and will make things worse
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I'm having stomach troubles..... I can't see over it to tie my laces ;D ;D ;D
(Those who know me know why I'm laughing ;) And for those who don't... I'm 10 stone pi$$ wet ;D ;D )
In that case... You can do all the lifting when Triggers Broom gets Gassed... You obviously need building up ;D ;D ;D