22v Fuel gauge issue

[Doug E]

Hi All,

New to the forum but have been a Tige owner for many years. I have a 2003 22v that has had issues with the fuel gauge since new. Dealer I bought it from didn't have a clue (about this or anything else for that matter!) and I've been living with the issue since I bought the boat. I see by other posts that this seems to be a wide spread issue and want to make sure that I'm covering all my bases before going the fuel flow monitor route. Saw the thread on how to check the functionality of the gauge and sending unit and will try those although I'm fairly sure that the gauge is good.

I have 2 questions:

1) Has anyone had any success with replacing the sending unit and if so, is there a better model/type than what is sent with the boat?
2) Anyone have any recommendations for fuel flow monitors for my boat? It has the Mercruiser motor.

Appreciate any insight/experience you may have!

[Thegerman618]

what is the problem with the gauge?

I looked at doing a flow scan last year after hearing the horror stories of the fuel gauges reading full till there empty. The problem becomes (from what I remember) we have return lines to fuel tank, which to my understanding puts fuel back in the tank that was otherwise not burned by the injectors. With that it is nearly impossible to tell how much is being returning by virtue of RPM and constant starting and stopping. The flow meter will read properly however I was told they could be off by quantity by as much as 20%. That number was way to high for me to justify the money of the install. I am sure there are ways to do it but you end up on the wrong side $1K after said and done. I tired several other methods as well trying to get a NMEA 2000 network going on the boat as an alternative but found that Tige boats and motors were never really designed for such technology.

My fuel gauge is right twice, full and empty but nothing in between. Depending on motor and several other factors I found these motors burn anywhere from 6-10 GPH which is pretty good considering other boats in their class. Good luck if you go the flow scan route post up some pictures and a thread if you do it I am sure there are others out there that would like to have the piece of mind.

[Doug E]

Hi German618,

I have pretty much the same issue as you, gauge reads full until the tank is near empty then most of the time will drop all the way down. Sometimes it doesn't but I rarely let it get very low for fear of running dry. Understand the point about the return lines, but I from what I've read on other posts and sources, the Mercruiser engines don't have a return to the tank so they can use a flow meter meant for a carbureted engine. Need to take things apart and confirm if no one hear knows for sure.

Thanks for the reply.

[IDBoating]

Most fuel tanks have a float sensor. They should not be affected by fuel recirculation back into the tank. Their big problems are 1) non-linearity, often caused by irregular tank shapes; and 2) sensor placement and loshing of fuel, causing values to swing wildly or inaccuracies that vary with hull angles. On our boat, for example, we can read 50% fuel when surfing but minutes later when we level the hull it will read under 10 percent. A single sensor can't be mounted in some magic location that will always read accurately for all angles. Multiple sensors could improve that, but how many dollars does this problem bother you?

Fuel recirculation is not exclusive to fuel injected engines. Carbed engines have recirc too, for example my jetskis and their two-stroke, carbed engines have a recirc line back to the fuel tank.

Fuel flow sensing systems designed for recirc lines have TWO sensors. They subtract returned fuel from the total leaving the tank, to yield a net fuel value that is then used to determine consumption. Obviously there is additional cost involved.

Unlike cars, boats rotate around their hull angles a lot. That plays havoc with attempts to read tank levels. There's no perfect solution.

[skiguy]

I don't expect my gauge to be 100% accurate while underway. Too many variables as we all know. But when I'm stopped, at anchor or on the trailer I expect a good reading. My gauge is doing the exact same thing described in this post so I will be replacing the sender soon to see if that helps.


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[UNSTUCK]

When you do replace it take note of how stiff the new float rod is compared to the old one. Stiff as in how easy does the rod swing from full to empty. Maybe you can stiffen it up so that it won't bounce around as easily.

[Doug E]

Skiguy, let me know how it goes when you do replace the sending unit and if it makes any difference.

[Stingreye]

This is something I have been wanting to do. Malibu owners have had luck with swapping out the sending unit.

http://www.themalibucrew.com/index.p...uel-sender-r3/

http://www.themalibucrew.com/index.p...-sending-unit/

[skiguy]

I pulled the sender out of my tank and rolled it around in my hands and watched the gauge react appropriately. The float seemed to move freely enough. I was told by the previous owner that it was acting in the manner described above so I will test it at the lake tomorrow and see how it goes.


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[hutcholdschool]

I also have had fuel gauge problems like most everybody. On my 05 22V I ended up taking the fuel sending unit out of the tank and then turned it upside down and then I took out my fuel gauge from the dash and slowly peeled back the aluminum ring little by little until I could pop off the glass. Then I put the gauge back in the dash and hooked it up and then powered it up and I pulled off the needle and pushed it back on in the right spot so it would be on the full mark when the sending unit is upside down so the float is at the top. My gauge was pegged all the time like stated before sitting on the limit post now it sits on the full mark when full and when I turn the sending unit right side up it now goes to the empty mark. Then pull the gauge back out and snap the glass back on. Really wasn't to hard to take off the glass just take your time going around and around with a small flat screwdriver slowly prying away the aluminum.

[skiguy]

I also have had fuel gauge problems like most everybody. On my 05 22V I ended up taking the fuel sending unit out of the tank and then turned it upside down and then I took out my fuel gauge from the dash and slowly peeled back the aluminum ring little by little until I could pop off the glass. Then I put the gauge back in the dash and hooked it up and then powered it up and I pulled off the needle and pushed it back on in the right spot so it would be on the full mark when the sending unit is upside down so the float is at the top. My gauge was pegged all the time like stated before sitting on the limit post now it sits on the full mark when full and when I turn the sending unit right side up it now goes to the empty mark. Then pull the gauge back out and snap the glass back on. Really wasn't to hard to take off the glass just take your time going around and around with a small flat screwdriver slowly prying away the aluminum.

Seems like it may be a gauge calibration issue. That might be something to address with Faria.


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