1977 280z "Fuel" warning light always on

[Zed Head]

3 minutes ago, SteveJ said:

I submitted a design package to a consultant complete with my parts list that had LED bulbs and the incandescent bulbs for the synchronization panel. The consultant wrote back that his specification called for LED lights. I replied that the incandescent lights were for the synchronization panel that he also specified. That was the end of that conversation.

Yes, the life of an electrical engineer can be so exciting...just like arguing on the internet.

You made the mistake of calling them incandescent light bulbs, instead of variable luminosity hot filament synchronization components.

[Captain Obvious]

10 hours ago, 240zadmire said:

Ladies and gentlemen, I haven’t had breakfast yet and the moment I see light went off, the feeling as if I just had an all you can eat and now is sipping a piña colada somewhere in the Caribbean ?

Haha!! Very nice!  

I'm glad the solution was a simple bulb change. 

[240zadmire]

@Captain Obvious

 

when you work alone all by yourself... the car is simple but there are just so many little things.  It’s overwhelming and overlooked stuff.  Part ignorance, part just rushing through and omit stuff.   As you’ve notice on the brake issue, I’m so bless having such folk with a wealth of knowledge.  A second pair of eyes/ears/hands definitely a good thing.

 

regards

 

[240zadmire]

Thought to share the fuel light on when fuel is near empty.  It works beautifully. I’ve been chasing the running rich/powder/sooty on first 3 cylinder and kept an eye on th fuel light to see if it works inside the fuel tank. As the gauge dropped a bit to the left of near empty, light gradually brighten.  So cool.  Rushed to gas station to get another 2 gallons and fuel light is off. So nice when things work the way you expected.  Wonder how many gallons/mileages when the light is on?

reminded me of a scene of Kramer and Jerry in one of the episodes where they test drive a car. It keeps running and running for hours even though the warning light is on. ? Only if it was true in real life !!

[Dave WM]

mine comes on, I fill up 14 gallons. IIRC the fuel tank is 17, but I would think 16 useable so a solid 2 gallons, or about 40 miles of round town driving.

[DramaZed]

If you haven’t changed the light, why would it light up on a full tank?

[SteveJ]

6 hours ago, DramaZed said:

If you haven’t changed the light, why would it light up on a full tank?

Failed thermistor 

[DramaZed]

Brand new sending unit. Hate to see it. Will just deal with it till I get this car running right. 

[DramaZed]

4 hours ago, SteveJ said:

Failed thermistor 

Thank you. 

[Dave WM]

geez this keeps coming up.

I would recommend you pull the unit out of the tank and bench test it with a 12v source and the light used in the car. could be you just have the wrong light, pulling too much current causing the thermistor to run away.

[SteveJ]

27 minutes ago, DramaZed said:

Brand new sending unit. Hate to see it. Will just deal with it till I get this car running right. 

The full story helps. Bench test per @Dave WM's instructions.

Could a previous owner have changed the bulb?

[DramaZed]

It was working the last 2 months. Started acting funny yesterday when I filled up the tank.