Intermittent Heater, Fuel Gauge And Temperature Gauge

Tim Watts · Feb 3, 2018

Hi all,

As per the subject, I am currently experiencing intermittent operation of the Heater, Fuel Gauge and Temperature Gauge.

The heater can come back to life if you move the dial from hot back to cold and round again a few times but it does seem to take a while to get warming (never noticed it in the summer, oddly ).

Fuel gauge and Temperature gauge aren't as annoying but the temp sometimes is stuck on the indication it was on the last time I used it and the fuel seems to stop when it gets to just under a quarter full. Filling up does not always ping it back to life.

Any obvious quick fixes to check initially?

EDIT - Forgot to add, car is a 1994 3.8 Convertible Auto.

Thanks in advance.

Regards

TMW

revhead347 · Feb 11, 2018

That's a bunch of stuff that is probably not entirely related. The fuel gauge is usually the sender in the tank. It's a float on a rheostat. Crap can build up on the hinge causing the float not to move. Bad luck, it's a lot of work to fix. Not saying that's the problem, just the most likely cause. The temperature gauge is likely a bad gauge if it's sticking like that. It doesn't take much time to pull the instrument cluster out and swap a gauge. Best to check the voltage at the sender to see if it is sending the right voltage given the condition.

The hot/cold knob is straight forward. It is just a cable that runs to a lever on the HVAC. The cable is connected to the knob with a bevel gear. Pull the HVAC panel out of the dash. It's only a few screws to get it out. Turn the knob back and forth and see if it is turning that bevel gear properly. Chances are the attachment got a little loose, and it is not always turning the gear.

Kurt

jozsefsz · Feb 12, 2018

I'm always suspicious of heating problems in anything with a 3.8. They're notorious head-gasket blowers unfortunately. Check for oil in coolant, coolant in oil, coolant in tailpipe, or any missing coolant.

Everything else, Kurt has you on the right track for sure. On the heat too I hope it's just the knob. I'm never that lucky myself.

revhead347 · Feb 12, 2018

jozsefsz said:
I'm always suspicious of heating problems in anything with a 3.8. They're notorious head-gasket blowers unfortunately. Check for oil in coolant, coolant in oil, coolant in tailpipe, or any missing coolant.

I was just thinking, if jiggling the knob like you jiggle a toilet flush lever seems to fix it, it's probably something wrong with that cable mechanism controlling the mixing valve.

Kurt

Tim Watts · Feb 13, 2018

Thanks both for the responses - will start with jiggling the knob this weekend and go from there.

The Fuel Gauge and Engine Temperature Gauge don't worry me so much - Yet!

TMW

Intermittent Heater, Fuel Gauge And Temperature Gauge

Tim Watts

Member

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

jozsefsz

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

Tim Watts

Member

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Intermittent Heater, Fuel Gauge And Temperature Gauge

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Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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