I already did some searching through the forum and am not too sure if its the same problem am seeing or not so I thought I might shoot it out to see if you guys had any ideas. My fuel guage works pretty accurately until it gets towards the half tank mark. It then stays there till the fuel trip computer reads around a 120 miles left on fuel. it then suddenly drops to a quater of a tank on the guage. Any ideas how i can fix this.

 

kojo, keep in mind that the fuel tank has a large bulge in the center to allow the driveshaft to go through. So, you will see the level act a little goofey from 1/2 tank and less since the computer will be shifting around fuel to keep fuel on the motor side. So, you have 1 pump that feeds fuel to the motor and then another that transfers fuel from the non-motor side to the motor side of the tank. You also have 2 level senders in the car relating to each side of the tank and then the computer takes an average of the two. But, as the senders wear, they can change in resistance, leading to slightly erroneous level indications. Hence your level irregularities.

As long as you know how the level gauge acts and it is consistent time after time, I would not worry about it. It is just a characteristic of your car.

 

Thanx for the reply. I actually had this x type fpr a year the guage just read fine till one day it gave a fuel data error when i was supposed to have a quarter tank and this started. All cars ive had have not given me probs with my fuel guage. I just want to have it is accurate as possible. Is the fuel sending unit resposible for the fuel level reading and will it help if i replace it??

 

kojo, odds are, since it is limited in the range that you are having the issue, it most likely is a sending unit issue. Unfortunately, to get to the point of dropping the gas tank is a fairly involved process (dropping the rear driveshaft, removing the rear suspension support assembly) requiring about 2-3 hours of wrenching before the tank can be lowered. Then you would need to determine which 1 of the 2 sending units is the one giving you issues. may be a simple fingering of the level sensor and you can feel it hanging up or you may have to put a multimeter on the sending units to see which one has a flat spot (non-changing resistance) unless of course you simply replace both sending units at the same time (more expensive route, but garantees a fix).

 

Darn. So I take it the sending units arent accessible from the trunk or backseat without dropping down the tank. It figures its a jaguar

 

Kojo, if you had an S-Type, then they would be. But, on the X-Type, the only way is to drop the tank. So, I ask, how bad of a problem is it for you to drop the tank? Only you can answer that.

 

Maybe if I get bored sometime this summer I might do that lol. But no its not that important it just little bug that I have lol. Appreciate the help Thermo.

 

Are you all sure the only way to get to the fuel sending is by dropping the tank?

 

Smitty....we don't question the advice from Thermo...Thermo knows all!....well almost...lol

All hail to Thermo, the fixer of our Jaguar quirks :+)

 

Roger that. Thanks for the info Thermo.

 

I second that!

You're the best Thermo!

 

My car When i fill it up the fuel gauge reads only half way. Could this be a stuck float or something more? I have a friend who has an extra tank that i can get but do I need it? I know its a small tank but i still usuall get about 14 gal or so in it when the light comes on.
O mighty Thermo.....Please hear my call....

Haha, Thanks in advance.
The Dr.

 

iownme! I agree! Thermo knows his stuff!