S2 - fuel sender not working
Discussion
Guys
I am after some advice / help please, had the S2 parked up over winter doing some general maintenance, and just got the old girl fired up and noticed the petrol gauge on empty.... put some extra petrol in, still no movement. Carried out the obvious tests and proved the electrics and the actual gauge all ok (i.e. pulled the wires at tank and looped with ignition on), therefore must be the sender in the tank.
The question is , how easy is it to get a spare fuel sender, and how easy is it to replace any step by step guides, is it a diy job, or best to get it done by a professional?
I am in Suffolk, so if a prof job anyone knows someone local?
See picture attached if that helps show what type, as I believe there are various types used.
I am after some advice / help please, had the S2 parked up over winter doing some general maintenance, and just got the old girl fired up and noticed the petrol gauge on empty.... put some extra petrol in, still no movement. Carried out the obvious tests and proved the electrics and the actual gauge all ok (i.e. pulled the wires at tank and looped with ignition on), therefore must be the sender in the tank.
The question is , how easy is it to get a spare fuel sender, and how easy is it to replace any step by step guides, is it a diy job, or best to get it done by a professional?
I am in Suffolk, so if a prof job anyone knows someone local?
See picture attached if that helps show what type, as I believe there are various types used.
The mounting for the sender is pretty standard and they are fairly readily available as after market units (Car Builder Solutions are useful and well respected). The problem however is that these generic ones are not suitable for use on the TVR as they stand. The TVR tank has a baffle across it which is too close to the fuel sender mounting to allow the sender arm to move across a full arc. The sender arm has to be shortened, normally by careful bending. However this needs to be done with care, if the float on the arm is moved out of line from its original position the electrical contacts which measure the position of the arm will not connect properly.
So you have got to try to bend the arm so it misses the baffle and still moves through about the right arc to give you full to empty. If you can get it right and accurate then very well done!! You may be the first!
It really isnt a very good arrangement but it can be made to give some reasonably reliable indication whether there is fuel there or not.
Mine shows empty when the tank is full, the arc goes so high that it comes off the electrical contacts! Then I am about half way down the gauge suddenly comes alive (first it flickers on sharp left corners to remind me it is there!) then reads pretty accurately to the bottom and I now know zero gives me about 20 miles. Better than putting a stick in and seeing where it is wet.......!!!
???
So you have got to try to bend the arm so it misses the baffle and still moves through about the right arc to give you full to empty. If you can get it right and accurate then very well done!! You may be the first!
It really isnt a very good arrangement but it can be made to give some reasonably reliable indication whether there is fuel there or not.
Mine shows empty when the tank is full, the arc goes so high that it comes off the electrical contacts! Then I am about half way down the gauge suddenly comes alive (first it flickers on sharp left corners to remind me it is there!) then reads pretty accurately to the bottom and I now know zero gives me about 20 miles. Better than putting a stick in and seeing where it is wet.......!!!
???
Guys
Thanks for you all responses, but I think I am more confused now.!!! :-)
I guess what I am after is where I can simply buy the parts to replace the sender and sealing ring, as don't want to have to start bending and guessing the fuel sender just to get a reading. I looked on the alternative parts list and it just says - SF00014.
Anyone know if it is possible to get a replacement that will fit, the sealing ring, or is it a bodge up with a different part and hope?
Cheers guts and sorry if I am being thick!!!
Thanks for you all responses, but I think I am more confused now.!!! :-)
I guess what I am after is where I can simply buy the parts to replace the sender and sealing ring, as don't want to have to start bending and guessing the fuel sender just to get a reading. I looked on the alternative parts list and it just says - SF00014.
Anyone know if it is possible to get a replacement that will fit, the sealing ring, or is it a bodge up with a different part and hope?
Cheers guts and sorry if I am being thick!!!
I tried to make a special tool and failed! But Laser products have one, 20 quid from all sort of net suppliers.
I use a short (4 inch) piece of 15mm copper tube flattened at the end as a 'drift' with a small hammer, tapping each lug of the ring anti-clockwise, in turn, until it comes loose. Copper or brass rod would be better, but I don't have any. You need to attack each lug as near its base as possible; they will bend too easily. You won't want to re-use the ring, so buy a couple - they're cheap enough.
Copper or brass, because they won't strike a spark when hitting steel: thought to be a good idea when working close to petrol vapour!
I've had mine out half-a-dozen times, but only recently realized that the nylon base on the sender (mine looks like this) has two projections which stop it from compressing the rubber gasket. I removed these with a knife, and all was well. This may be the source of the advice in the revised parts list to use two gaskets!
I've no idea whether this Maestro item is the right one. If my sender was bust and not repairable I'd take a punt on it, as there's now an electronic gadget (Car Builder Solutions have one) which recalibrates any sender output to match any gauge.
Now that I look, I can't see a Landie gauge on the net which looks like this: all have a ring of screw holes in a metal flange, which obviously wouldn't do, with the locking ring design. But the ring is definitely a Landie part!
If you do go the Maestro route, let me know and I'll tell you how to make a weatherproof cover for it!
This is the sort of research and fiddling that makes TVR ownership worth while (to me, if to no-one else).
I use a short (4 inch) piece of 15mm copper tube flattened at the end as a 'drift' with a small hammer, tapping each lug of the ring anti-clockwise, in turn, until it comes loose. Copper or brass rod would be better, but I don't have any. You need to attack each lug as near its base as possible; they will bend too easily. You won't want to re-use the ring, so buy a couple - they're cheap enough.
Copper or brass, because they won't strike a spark when hitting steel: thought to be a good idea when working close to petrol vapour!
I've had mine out half-a-dozen times, but only recently realized that the nylon base on the sender (mine looks like this) has two projections which stop it from compressing the rubber gasket. I removed these with a knife, and all was well. This may be the source of the advice in the revised parts list to use two gaskets!
I've no idea whether this Maestro item is the right one. If my sender was bust and not repairable I'd take a punt on it, as there's now an electronic gadget (Car Builder Solutions have one) which recalibrates any sender output to match any gauge.
Now that I look, I can't see a Landie gauge on the net which looks like this: all have a ring of screw holes in a metal flange, which obviously wouldn't do, with the locking ring design. But the ring is definitely a Landie part!
If you do go the Maestro route, let me know and I'll tell you how to make a weatherproof cover for it!
This is the sort of research and fiddling that makes TVR ownership worth while (to me, if to no-one else).
I just checked and TVR Parts NOW LIST THE SENDER and the seal and the sealing ring. The new sender comes without arm and float so you have to keep the old one and transfer it to the new one. I have not actually heard of anyone doing this yet but perhaps this will get someone to add a note here. Or perhaps you can get one and let us all know how you get on.
It isnt cheap compared to an aftermarket one but, as far as I am aware, any aftermarket one will need modification.
https://tvr-parts.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tvr-s...
It isnt cheap compared to an aftermarket one but, as far as I am aware, any aftermarket one will need modification.
https://tvr-parts.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tvr-s...
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