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Gas Gauge Sender Unit Causing Dead Battery?

Cole Thompson-Cole Thompson-2009 VS - Laporte, CO

I don't generally believe in coincidences, but statistically they do sometimes occur.

 

Yesterday I went to start the "Red Tub" and the battery was dead, really dead. I jumped it, drove it for 30 min, turned it off and immediately tried to start it again. It was charged and okay. Then I let it sit for 2 hours and when I went to start it I got about 3 weak turns before the battery gave out. 

 

About this same time I started noticing a gas smell in the cab. I opened the bonnet and found that I had broken the white plastic part on the gas gauge sender unit and it moved the unit around so that gas and fumes could escape.

 

So, could the sender unit be causing the dead battery if something had shorted between the positive and ground when the car was off? I'm assuming the answer is "No" because I'm assuming there is no power to the sender unit when the ignition is off.

 

If the answer is no, I need to find out what's going on with the dead battery.

 

I do need to replace the sender. I have a VS on a 68 pan, does anyone know what sender unit I would need?

 

Thanks!

 

Cole

 

 

Original Post
Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member

The gas sender is a ground-side sender so there should be no power applied to it with the key off (unless someone has altered the wiring).

 

Do replace the part that's broken, especially if it is leaking enough that you can smell it.  Raw gas is never good unless you're washing greasy parts in it.

 

I suspect that VS uses a standard, VW gas sending unit, but IIRC the float arm needs to be bent in the opposite direction to make the gauge work properly - and then you'll have to "dial it in" for full and empty by bending the float arm up or down a bit til you get it working right.  Trial and error, here.

 

Any decent automotive electrical shop can perform a load test to your battery and alternator/regulator to see if either is not up to snuff. They should also be able to do a current draw test once everything is shut off and by pulling fuses, one at a time, they can pinpoint any current source causing your battery to go dead.

 

I suspect a dying cell in your battery, though.

Last edited by Gordon Nichols
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