this is directly from my friend.
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Hey all,
I got a 92 Prelude SI and my fuelgauge is a bit messed up.
When i got 5 bars left on the display my Fuel light comes on.
I dont think it should b like that, i heard that there is a float that controlls the display level.
Could that b broken causing it to display wrong?
Any Ideas, or similar problems anyone?
it's been awhile for me to be in a lude but I do remember that the light is supposed to come on when you have around 3 gallons of gas left. I don't know what that works out to in bars on the gauge. I can't remember.
mine only comes on when i have 1 bar left, and stays on when i have 0 bars, and still stays on when i run out of gas. I think it has come on once or twice with 2 bars, but never 5.
yeah, I know some tanks have floats, and some tanks use an array of sensors, I'm imagining the Prelude uses the former. Evidently, it varies a little, but 5 bars seems a bit much, mine sometimes comes on with 2 bars left and fades away, but usually is solid with 1 bar left. The rule of thumb is you have about 2 gallons +- left when the light comes and stays on, lol, but don't hold me to that.
Tell your buddy (although I'm sure he/she's already tried this already) to fill the tank up, reset one of the tripometers, and monitor it, when when the light comes on make a note of how many bars there are and how many miles are on the trip. I guess another way to really make sure it's the float is just drive around after the light comes on with a buddy (you could volunteer ) chasing and see if the car runs out of gas before the bars have all disappeared.
I believe this is correct, if I've memorized my helms correctly. 4th Gens have a 15.9 gallon tank, the fuel gauge works off a float device, and the fuel light will come on around 2.5 gallons when the car is on level ground. I always reset the trip meter when the fuel light comes on, and figuring convservatively, if I get 18mpg then I should get around 45 miles out of the reserve left in the tank. I've gone as far as 50 miles on the light so I guess my calculations are close.
__________________ 92 Si Vtec, broken several times
Fixed several times.
Basically, NA tuned I/H/E
Hold the rice.
Not to hijack your thread, but this relates to a problem I had last week: my 'lude just stalled on me and refused to start. After a week of thinking I hydrolocked or something (it had been raining and I run an AEM CAI), my mechanic within a few minutes says I just ran out of gas. Impossible I said, I still have 3 ticks (or 15%). He poured a gallon in, and bam, she roared back to life... and reported that I had 5 ticks (25%). One gallon != 25% of a tank.
What the hell can be going on? I'm trying to think of what sensors, if any, I'd have to replace because I NEED to have an accurate fuel gauge, I can't just drive around and figure "oh, it's been 4 days, better top it off."
__________________
1993 Prelude Si 4WS
2000 - 2001 Boston Crusaders contrabass
bumpin old thread cuz i had 5 bars left last night wen the gas light went on....pulled over to fill her up and it took me 12 gals...so i had 4 gals left...also noticed that light gradually lights up and brightens, then goes away, then repeats itself...any input???
mine sometimes comes on with 2 bars left and fades away, but usually is solid with 1 bar left. The rule of thumb is you have about 2 gallons +- left when the light comes and stays on, lol, but don't hold me to that.
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) chasing and see if the car runs out of gas before the bars have all disappeared.
92 Si Vtec, broken several times
Linear Mode
