[psuwtb]

Symptom: Car stalled and would not start as we were en route to gas station (0.25 mi away). Analog gauge showed 1/8th of a tank remaining and distance to empty said 37 miles. Had the car towed to dealer as I thought that the HPFP might have gone. HPFP tested fine. Dealer indicated that the tank was bone dry. They added 2gals of fuel and the car started without any issues. They believe that the Right Fuel Tank Sender is bad and wanted $578 to fix.

Since the car is out of warranty and does not have any mechanical issues, I want to narrow down the problem and replace the correct part myself. My current readings from the hidden BC fuel menu are as follows:

06.00 TANK L R S: 21.60 33.9 55
06.01 TANK-ANZ PH: 55.0l 1
06.02 TANK-OHM L R: 571.6 905

Miles driven since tank filled: 48.4
MPG (per on-board computer): 21.1
Gas Consumed (Est. in gal): 2.29

Do these figures look reasonable? At this point, I only have one set of data points and the tank is 7/8ths full. I read in an older posting (E65/E66) that fuel sender resistance readings exceeding 450 Ohm, likely indicated a bad part.

Is there any way to definitively test whether it is a fuel sending unit or sensor? How about determining which side may be bad? The service advisor believed that the right sending unit was bad as he said that this side was used to measure fuel when the tank was less than half-full. Is that true? Should the left side fuel deplete under normal circumstances before the right-hand is used?

Thanks!

[NiVeDh]

Originally Posted by psuwtb

Symptom: Car stalled and would not start as we were en route to gas station (0.25 mi away). Analog gauge showed 1/8th of a tank remaining and distance to empty said 37 miles. Had the car towed to dealer as I thought that the HPFP might have gone. HPFP tested fine. Dealer indicated that the tank was bone dry. They added 2gals of fuel and the car started without any issues. They believe that the Right Fuel Tank Sender is bad and wanted $578 to fix.

Since the car is out of warranty and does not have any mechanical issues, I want to narrow down the problem and replace the correct part myself. My current readings from the hidden BC fuel menu are as follows:

06.00 TANK L R S: 21.60 33.9 55
06.01 TANK-ANZ PH: 55.0l 1
06.02 TANK-OHM L R: 571.6 905

Miles driven since tank filled: 48.4
MPG (per on-board computer): 21.1
Gas Consumed (Est. in gal): 2.29

Do these figures look reasonable? At this point, I only have one set of data points and the tank is 7/8ths full. I read in an older posting (E65/E66) that fuel sender resistance readings exceeding 450 Ohm, likely indicated a bad part.

Is there any way to definitively test whether it is a fuel sending unit or sensor? How about determining which side may be bad? The service advisor believed that the right sending unit was bad as he said that this side was used to measure fuel when the tank was less than half-full. Is that true? Should the left side fuel deplete under normal circumstances before the right-hand is used?

Thanks!

E-mailed you what my readings are, also posting here in case it helps other people too:

06.00 TANK L R S: 00.0 22.9 22
06.01 TANK-ANZ PH: 22.8l 1
06.02 TANK-OHM L R: 051.5 466.8

[psuwtb]

Thanks NiVeDh for posting your data points...this helps at least draw some conclusions! It seems as though the left side of the tank is depleted first.

Does anyone else have additional data or insight into how this system works?

Thanks!

[psuwtb]

Anyone with any additional insight into troubleshooting the fuel level sensor / sender? At this point I'm leaning towards buying Part # 16117159162 (Right Fuel Level Sensor).