Where to start when Troubleshooting Gas Gauge?

[jeremy90]

I did find a few threads but I have a different issue:

I have a 2002 22i. My gauge works fine if the boat is full. Once the actual gas gets to maybe 3/4 tank, it just goes all the way to E and stays there.

I think I need to check the potentiometer? Or is there something else to check? If I have to get to the gas tank, how the heck do I get to it?

[UNSTUCK]

Sounds like the sender is your problem. It's a pretty easy check once you get to the fuel tank. On your boat, I'm not sure how to do that, but once you get there you should see the sender. It's like a 2" diameter circle with one wire in the middle and a second wire attached to a stud, The circle is held on with probably 5 screws. Remove the screws and pull the whole thing out with wires still attached. Now with the key on, you can move the float lever up and down and watch the gauge. See what happens. A lot of times the levers becomes loose from the potentiometer and loses connection. Try pushing the lever into the potentiometer for a better connection and see how that affects the gauge. If it works after doing that replace it. If you still have the same issue, watch the gauge very carefully. Does the needle have nice movement between full and 3/4 and then it just sort of falls to empty or does the movement stay nice and smooth as it goes to empty? You could have a dead spot in the gauge causing it to just drop. I doubt that's the case. My money is on the sender. Just play with the sender and report back on what you see.

[jeremy90]

Ok, awesome thanks. Now I gotta figure out how to get to it. I can't figure that out

The needle does seem to work fine from 3/4 to full. Then yeah it just kinda falls to E and stays there. Well, actually I've never SEEN it when it goes down, but one minute I'll be looking and it's fine, then I look back and it's at E. Once it's at E I think it might jiggle a little when I go over big wakes, but it's basically dead.

[skivt]

to get to my 2005 24V fuel cell you have to remove the back bench. there is a square rug covered seem in the floor of my boat, under that is the cell. I had to remove the bench which has multiple bolts holding it on the top. you get to it from the back lockers...engine,port and starboard. Then I had to remove the bottom of the bench that attaches to the bottom. There is a seem covered with rug, it has screws in it....remove that to get to more screws! There are more screws under bench seat as well. Once the bench is out you can get to the cover to the fuel cell. Mine just lifted up from back to front. It also helps to get to your transmission as well.Not sure yours is the same but maybe this helps !

[h2o-ski]

On my 05 22i the sending unit is on the starboard side. There is a circle hatch thing that you can get to it from the ski locker, though on mine if you take the starboard rear seat cushion out, there is cut out that will give you much better access to the sending unit.

[Tweed757]

My 06 21i the sender is right by the filler inlet on the left side of the boat. A couple of screws pulls up a panel in the rear ski locker. Easy to get to. My sender just jammed at full, replacing it.