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Thread: Gas gauge inaccuracy

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Stockton, Calif.
    Posts
    277
    My Cars
    1999 740Il,1999 Corvette

    Gas gauge inaccuracy

    My 99 740 IL that I've owned now 2 years has never registered gas remaining accurately. I've changed both senders 3 used fuel pumps and it still runs out of gas at a quarter tank. Today I stopped at the shop replacing my upper/ lower control arms and discovered both tanks severely dented. Appears in the car's past someone tried to raise the car with a floor jack placed under the tanks! Has anyone ever had any success using a 2 by 4 in the tank with floats removed and a hammer to remove the dents? How about compressed air thru the fuel pipes on the float senders? Or... do I resign myself to refueling at a quarter tank or replace both tanks? Every junked 740 has a punctured tank in the wrecking yards here in California. Need opinions on my best option. Thanks!
    Last edited by carnut1947; 05-21-2018 at 08:51 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    KC North, MO, USA
    Posts
    11,153
    My Cars
    1996 740iL
    I've never seen one personally, but a clogged charcoal canister can cause the tank to collapse like that also. I'd probably live with it myself. I've dealt with a leaky tank and would not do anything that might cause a crack.

    If you have SLS, you have a 95L tank.If you have INPA, you can tell the car you have a 85L tank (non-SLS). That should make the fuel level closer to what the gauge is showing. I had to do this when I went from a 95L to a 85L from a non SLS parts car.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Hampshire UK
    Posts
    8,872
    My Cars
    99 840ci Sport Indv
    My bet is that cluster has come out of a 750i at some point!
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    247
    My Cars
    E38 M-Sport & Jaguar XK
    Boy you touched a nerve for me. I have had my 740i sport for a year now and have run out of gas...twice. Yes, twice. The first time was a rookie mistake. The second time the light just came on, the cluster said I had 17 miles to go and I started betting the "Check Engine Soon" light and stumbles within a mile. Painfully embarrassing to have the wife show up with a gas can and a funnel. I just need to remember not to ever get below a 1/4 tank.

    My cluster is from a M5 as I recall (E39?)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Chicago, Il / Denver, Co
    Posts
    6,412
    My Cars
    '01 DINAN7 '03 M5
    Just use that said 2x4 and push it down.
    Instagram.com/nordmanmg

    Your current situation is not your final destination

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