Missing the end of the baffle (that is down in the fuel tank)

[colrhino]

My ski is a 2000 GTX w/the 951 motor. Fuel gauge is intermittent. Never quite indicated FULL when tank was filled up. Also, went from 3/4 or slightly above that, to 1/4 and then the LOW FUEL warning in 15 minutes of riding. So, I searched this great forum, and I found the thread on the F1 fuse and the baffle, float and magnets. Got a FULL reading on the gauge when jumped at the gauge end w/the short piece of wire as in the sticky. Next step, I took the baffle out. My float was not in the baffle. Found it in the gas tank, magnets still attached to the float. Why was it out? There is no bottom piece on my baffle! Put the float in the baffle and hooked up ohm meter. It shows 2.8 at the top (full tank) and 88.9 at the bottom (empty tank). So it looks like my problem was that my float was not in the baffle? Or was it in there, and slipped out when I removed the baffle? If that was the case, why was I getting an intermittent reading to begin with? My float is not full of gas, but I do hear a tiny slosh when I shake it (and I mean only a drop or two of gas). Where do I get an end piece for my baffle? Or, can I just use some wire to make a triangle to hold the float inside the baffle? Should I go ahead and buy a new float also? Thank you all in advance for your time in answering my questions, and for your suggestions in how to fix this issue.

 

[Dr Honda]

the bottom came out... and I'm sure the float came out of the sender when you pulled it.

I'm sure the bottom is in the tank somewhere.

Buying a new float is up to you. Since I'm not there... it's hard to judge if you need it or not. (Assuming it's not the old style foam float)

 

[colrhino]

drained the fuel tank (mostly) and found the bottom of the baffle. put the float in a cup of gas and left it for two hours. it floats, and did not pick up any gas inside it. put it back in the baffle, put the end piece back on, and safety wired it via two small holes drilled in the edge of the baffle. hope this fixes my gas gauge..... don't know why it would have been intermittent in the first place if the float was still inside the baffle, even if the end was off.... because the pcb checks out fine with the ohm meter and the float moving inside... 2.8 ohms at FULL, and 88.6 ohms at EMPTY. Thoughts???