2002 Utopia 185 Fuel Gauge

[Cest la vie]

I don't think my fuel gauge is working. It was reading empty, so I went to put gas in it and it overflowed, yet still never read over 1/4 tank. Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Cabadiesel]

Mine does not work but shows empty. I have read on this forum that there are issues with some gauges. I did a search to try to find a fix but did not have much luck. I have to eyeball my tank to see how much fuel I have

Sorry I could not be more help

 

[Dr Honda]

Normally... the issue is the float in the sender unit. The old one saturates, and sinks because of our new fuels. The new style float is blow molded... and it will generally take care if the problems.

 

[Cest la vie]

Normally... the issue is the float in the sender unit. The old one saturates, and sinks because of our new fuels. The new style float is blow molded... and it will generally take care if the problems.

Is there an easy way to check this. or will it be obvious once I get in there?

Oh yeah..where is "There" anyway?

 

[Murph_13]

Try filling the tank by not holding the fill nozzle wide-open, a slower fill might cure your overflowing problem...I'd try this first...

 

[Cest la vie]

Ok, so it's been a while . here is an update:
I accessed the fuel tank today and tested the electricity to the fuel gage sender. With the key off, there is nothing. When I turn the key on with a test light on the 2 wires on the top of the sender, it lights up so it is getting electricity.
When I move the float up and down with the key on and test light lit up, there is no reading on the gage.

Is there something else I can test or if those 2 terminals on top are getting power then it is probably a bad sender and I should just go ahead and replace it?

Thanks.

 

[Dr Honda]

Take the sender out of the tank, and check the resistance with a meter. A simple test light won't work.

 

[Cest la vie]

But if I take it out of the tank and move the float up and down, shouldn't the needle on the gage move?
I don't know much about using multimeters, but am not afraid to learn. It there a set of instructions or something?

 

[Dr Honda]

But if I take it out of the tank and move the float up and down, shouldn't the needle on the gage move?

YES... assuming that the magnets are still in it. But, there is a known issue with the old floats. They sink, get soft, and the magnets fall out. Just order a new float, pull the sender, and replace it.

I don't know much about using multimeters, but am not afraid to learn. It there a set of instructions or something?

Yes, it's in the manual. But as above (and from 7 months ago)... it's normally a bad float.

 

[Cest la vie]

Ok. Thanks.
I just wanted to make sure before I spent the money.
The old one was out and I moved it up and down, but nothing happened on the gage. I wasn't sure if this was because it was a bad sender, or if the engine has to be running in order for it to get a reading or some other thing I didn't consider.

Thanks!

 

[Cest la vie]

Now does anyone know where I can get one? Every time I google it, it comes up discontinued. Anybody know the part number?

Also, none of the pictures that come up look anything like mine.

Here is what mine looks like:
but all of the ones I see are a tube.

 

[Dr Honda]

Hu??????...


That's not a sea doo float system. Can you post a pic of where the fuel lines connect?


****edit***
ok... I dug around, and that boat used a merc sender. Pull the wires, and put a meter on it, and see if the resistance changes.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Now does anyone know where I can get one? Every time I google it, it comes up discontinued. Anybody know the part number?

Also, none of the pictures that come up look anything like mine.

Here is what mine looks like:
but all of the ones I see are a tube.

That's almost just like the one in my Glastron Boat, except mine doesn't have the square black thing attached to the float rod.
Available at most boat shops......some may be longer or shorter. They should be able to order the right length ..... if not then maybe the longer one can be cut to the right length.

With that said, when mine didn't work and I took it to the boat shop to compare,(they didn't have the right size) So I reinstalled it in order to use it that day....it now works just fine, been since August of 2012.
The boat Gods was good to me that day.

Take the center wire nut off and touch it to the other terminal......the needle should go to FULL MARK. if not then the unit (gas sensor) is bad.

Be careful when reinstalling the unit....the 5 screw holes must line up 100% perfect.....so keep twisting it to line them up, then bolt it down.

 

[Cest la vie]

Hu??????...


That's not a sea doo float system. Can you post a pic of where the fuel lines connect?


****edit***
ok... I dug around, and that boat used a merc sender. Pull the wires, and put a meter on it, and see if the resistance changes.

I want to make sure I am understanding what I think you are saying. Disconnect the 2 wires from the thing in the picture, then put a meter on what exactly?

 

[Dr Honda]

The 2 wires should be on the center terminal, and the other is just a ground.

Take them off, and hook the meter to the terminal, and ground on the sender. Set the meter to some resistance value. (you may have to try a few to get the right range, if the meter isn't auto ranging)

Then, have a helper move the float arm up and down slow enough that you can watch the meter. It should go up and down with the movement of the float. If it doesn't, or the value on the meter jumps around... the sender is bad. If it checks out... then the gauge has gone bad. (but the probe is NORMALLY the sender)

 

[Cest la vie]

The 2 wires should be on the center terminal, and the other is just a ground.

Take them off, and hook the meter to the terminal, and ground on the sender. Set the meter to some resistance value. (you may have to try a few to get the right range, if the meter isn't auto ranging)

Then, have a helper move the float arm up and down slow enough that you can watch the meter. It should go up and down with the movement of the float. If it doesn't, or the value on the meter jumps around... the sender is bad. If it checks out... then the gauge has gone bad. (but the probe is NORMALLY the sender)

I only have 2 wires. One was attached to the center terminal and one was connected to the blade connector on the side of the top of the float sending unit
Should I add a 3rd to the ground?

Here is what I accomplished today.
When I turn the key on, the red light on the gage comes on and teh needle moves a little, but jus sort of a "I have power now" kind of move like the speedo and tach do.

I used a multimeter and put 1 lead on the center connector and the other on the little blade connector. Moved it up and down and nothing.

Did the same thing with my new float unit and resistance goes from around 1 when the float is in the empty position to mid-90's at the full position.

Installed the new float unit and Hooked it up and still nothing on the gage.
I tested the 2 wires. One is a hot wire when the key is on, the other is not.

But I DID notice that with the amount of fuel I have in the tank tight now, the resistance on the float unit reads 74 when I connect the multimeter to the 2 terminals (one on the center and one on the blade connector on the side of the top of the sending unit). When I turn the key on, it drops to 1. That is with the hot wire on the center terminal and the other wire on blade connector. If I disconnect the one from the blade, the resistance goes back up to 74.

Is it hooked up wrong and missing a ground?

**EDIT
I went out and added a ground wire just to see if it would really be that simple. So both wires on the center terminal, and the blade connector connected to the ground. Still nothing.