C 180 Petrol Gauge, 2nd post

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Michael - 18 Feb 2006 22:22 GMT

Wonder if anyone could explain my problem?
When I fill up with petrol I always fill to max and let it go down to about
a quarter mark before a refill.
The last 3 occasions I filled up to max and the petrol gauge shows empty or
empty with reserve light on. After a couple of days all is then ok, approx
60miles travel.
Can anyone explain this?
Regards and tia
Michael
UK C180 1997.

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taxman - 18 Feb 2006 23:05 GMT

sounds like a failing fuel level sender unit - just have it replaced

| Wonder if anyone could explain my problem?
| When I fill up with petrol I always fill to max and let it go down to about
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
| Michael
| UK C180 1997.

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kipper - 22 Feb 2006 16:01 GMT

I have a C180 year 2000 - I had a similar problem when my car was approx 9
months old. When I filled up it would show full but when it got down to
about three quarters full it would show empty. I didn't fancy waiting to
see if the tank empty warning light would come on as it went down to about 5
litres so I used the trip meter to estimate the amount of fuel in the tank.
I spoke to my brother, who also has a C180 and he had the same problem, and
he said that he just ignored it and it eventually went away. I decided to
do the same and it eventually sorted itself out.

> Wonder if anyone could explain my problem?
> When I fill up with petrol I always fill to max and let it go down to
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Michael
> UK C180 1997.

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Michael - 22 Feb 2006 18:32 GMT

Thanks for the info, hope it works for me.

> I have a C180 year 2000 - I had a similar problem when my car was approx 9
> months old. When I filled up it would show full but when it got down to
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> > Michael
> > UK C180 1997.

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Snowfire - 23 Feb 2006 05:59 GMT

I had a similar problem about 10 years ago, though not with my MB. I
have an '83 Firebird, and the guage would show full when I topped it,
thendrop to empty very quickly. After using the trip odometer as a
gauge until the weather warmed up, I drove it until it was as low on
fuel as I dared guess, dropped the tank out and removed the sending
unit. It turned out that the coil of wire that sent the signal from the
float to the gauge had physically slipped off its' mount partially. It
would make contact when the tank was full, but when the arm of the
float went down just a little, it was no longer making contact. A good
cleaning and some gasoline resistant glue and I was back in business.
YMMV, but this worked for me. Admittedly, dropping the tank on this
car was a tin plated pain in the.......You have to drop the rear axle
first. I hope I don't ever have to do that again.

Rochelle

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