Fuel Gauge

[JRNY13]

Filled up the DeLorean for the first time today. The fuel gauge read about a quarter left. The pump stopped after a couple gallons. I started it again and it stopped right away. Rather than possibly have a spill and not accustomed to everyone at the gas station staring at me, I went on my way. I drove for a little bit and went to another gas station. Once again, the pump stopped after a couple gallons yet the gauge measures half full. I'm assuming my fuel gauge is broken. Any suggestions on what part(s) should be replaced?

[Bitsyncmaster]

It may be your gauge but don't stick the gas nozzle in all the way when you fill up. If it's not to noisy, you will hear when the tank is nearing full.

[JRNY13]

It may be your gauge but don't stick the gas nozzle in all the way when you fill up. If it's not to noisy, you will hear when the tank is nearing full.

If it was something more serious, like the fuel sending unit, would there be more symptoms? My fear is gas spilling out of an overfilled tank, but I guess this can't happen even if I don't put the nozzle in the whole way.

[Rich]

Could be the fuel sender, the fuel gauge or, less likely, the wiring.

Test the gauge/wiring first.

This is a link to a handy How-To: LINK: How-to: Inaccurate-fuel-gauge-readings (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?2291-How-to-Inaccurate-fuel-gauge-readings-How-to-rule-out-the-actual-fuel-gauge&highlight=sender)

[Shep]

It may be your gauge but don't stick the gas nozzle in all the way when you fill up. If it's not to noisy, you will hear when the tank is nearing full.Why is this exactly? I have to do it to my daily driver since it clicks off immediately on an empty tank unless I have it sticking half out, but I haven't heard this being advice for a DeLorean before, and my gauge is acting weird too. Although for me, when I do fill up, it starts off reading half a tank, then the further I drive away, the more the gauge goes further and further up until it's almost full, like it's "warming up" to the new level or something.

[DeLorean03]

I am guessing vapor lock. Had it being weird with me on Thursday. Was able to make it behave by keeping nearly the whole nozzle of the gas pump out of the fuel filling hole.

[Jonathan]

For the OP,

I would take the advice of only putting the pump nozzle in part way and see if that helps it not to click off. You can also not squeeze the trigger fully, instead only about half throttle. The pumps are generally designed to click themselves off when they sense a back pressure from your tank/gas on the gas being pumped out the nozzle. Slowing down the flow may help, and not sticking it in all the way can do the same as it is keeping the tip of the nozzle out in a bit more open space instead of the restricted area down further. This would be a function of how the fuel filler tube for the car is designed, which is the same for all the DeLoreans, but different for a Civic or Impala or Corvette, etc.

Try the tank filling technique first and then figure out if you also need to look at your gauge. From what you described, it sounds like the gauge could be doing what it is supposed to. Is this your first tank of gas... ever? I was wondering if you had an idea of how much fuel is in the tank when you started? Like did you store it full or empty?

My fuel gauge does that "warm up" bit too for some reason. I don't really know what that is all about, but if I fill the tank up to where it clicks off (for my car anyway), and then get in and soon drive off, it will go from 3/4 or so to 7/8 to full after a minute or two. I've noted that with where my tank clicks off the pump and the gauge ends up reading pretty close to the full mark, I am working with a useable volume in the tank of 40 litres.

[JRNY13]

For the OP,

I would take the advice of only putting the pump nozzle in part way and see if that helps it not to click off. You can also not squeeze the trigger fully, instead only about half throttle. The pumps are generally designed to click themselves off when they sense a back pressure from your tank/gas on the gas being pumped out the nozzle. Slowing down the flow may help, and not sticking it in all the way can do the same as it is keeping the tip of the nozzle out in a bit more open space instead of the restricted area down further. This would be a function of how the fuel filler tube for the car is designed, which is the same for all the DeLoreans, but different for a Civic or Impala or Corvette, etc.

Try the tank filling technique first and then figure out if you also need to look at your gauge. From what you described, it sounds like the gauge could be doing what it is supposed to. Is this your first tank of gas... ever? I was wondering if you had an idea of how much fuel is in the tank when you started? Like did you store it full or empty?

My fuel gauge does that "warm up" bit too for some reason. I don't really know what that is all about, but if I fill the tank up to where it clicks off (for my car anyway), and then get in and soon drive off, it will go from 3/4 or so to 7/8 to full after a minute or two. I've noted that with where my tank clicks off the pump and the gauge ends up reading pretty close to the full mark, I am working with a useable volume in the tank of 40 litres.

Yes, it was my first tank of gas ever. I just purchased the car on Tuesday. I was so excited I never even looked at the gauge. I've driven it very little since taking it home. I'll let the fuel gauge go down to a quarter or so and then try it again with the nozzle not as far in.

[David T]

The fuel gauge is notorious for being inaccurate or broken especially if you have an original sender unit. Fill it and reset the trip odometer. Figure 20 MPG and 12 gallons till you have some experience with the car. When you have around 200 miles on the trip odometer refill and recheck you gas mileage.
David Teitelbaum

[JRNY13]

It may be your gauge but don't stick the gas nozzle in all the way when you fill up. If it's not to noisy, you will hear when the tank is nearing full.

I think you were right about not sticking the nozzle all the way in. I filled up again with the gauge showing a quarter full, only this time I didn't stick the nozzle in as far as it would go. I put just over 9 gallons in. When I started to drive the gauge slowly moved to full after 2 or 3 miles. Thanks for the advice.