Any guides to checking fuel gauge sender unit?

[electricfurnace]

Fuel gauge playing up on a 1998 mini Cooper, basically fill up to max then within a day the guage shows almost empty.

Are there any guides as to checking the sender unit? I.e. how do I take the thing out etc ?

Cheers!

[taffy1967]

sounds like it could be some of the following:

duff sender unit
float sender unit filling with fuel (and then sinking)
dodgy sender wire/supply to voltage stabiliser
dodgy voltage stabiliser
bad connections on the wiring

i'd say it is most likely to be a broken sender unit.... either that or it is running VERY rich..

to remove, drain the tank and then with a hammer and punch, tap the retaining ring anti clockwise to loosen it. the sender unit will then come out. fitting is reverse,make sure the seal is good and clean though.

(As copied from The Mini Forum).

;D

[coedy]

Could just be a dodgy earth on the sender unit. mine did this on and off a while back. turns out my earth tab on the sender unit was damaged and hardly there at all (pretty much snapped off) causing all sorts of funny readings.

Took the earth connector off and put it onto the mounting ring for the sender instead and it's been fine since!