SJ_chameleon

So about two weeks ago I went and filled up my car with gas. Now i usually run it down until the light turns on because i am a poor college student and I cant afford to have a full tank of gas most of the time. Now usually I put in 87 octane fuel, but this time I decided to put in 85 octane since I had read on the forums that it wouldn't hurt my 88 NA and that it actually like that kind of ****. Well when I get back in my car and turn it on I see the gas light is still on. I look at the gauge and it says that I have about half a tank (remember poor college student). Naturally I am confused but after a little driving it decides to turn off. I get home turn the car off. About an hour later I get back in my car and turn it no with no problems but the gas light is still on! Check the gauge again still reads about the same as it was before. So I keep driving but this time it doesnt turn off. So I stay with it for a couple days and it is usually on while I am driving. But then the weirdest thing is that when it gets to the spot where it would have usually turned on it decides to turn off! I get really confused and tell myself it must have been freaked out by the 85 fuel. So I put 87 back in and the light is back on again. I have refilled it several times since and every time it does the same thing, stays on while it is full and turns off when it is empty. Now normally this kind of thing wouldnt bother me too much, you know just adjust to getting gas when the light is off and all that, but when my friend and I traded cars for a day the light went off on him and he didnt realize that was happening and ended up having the car die on him in the middle of an intersection.

So I guess my question is why is my car doing this and can I fix it easily? I know that our cars are notorious for bad soldering and the connections fail all the time, is this part of that? Or do I need to replace a sensor?

any help is appreciated

P.S. I did do a search and didnt find a thread that had anything like this on it. If you do know of a similar thread just tell me I am an idiot.

Thanks

Adam

at least yours turns on, Mine dont work, Unless i got the key on without the engine running

SJ_chameleon

lol that would suck. It actually gets kind of annoying having it on all the time though

Cybaster

same here! i want mine on!!!

Adam

Im guessing its a wire from the fuel pump, i never tryed to get it fixed yet. i was hoping it would start working by its self like everything else. strange how one day things act up.. then go away for the longest time

SJ_chameleon

So does anybody actually know what is wrong?

Hot_Dog

The low fuel warning light sensor is part of the fuel level sensor, which is attached to the fuel pump assembly. The low fuel warning light and fuel level sensors are replacable as a unit. I just replaced mine a few weeks ago. The original low fuel warning light sensor quite working several years after I bought my GXL in 1990. A few months ago, I put in a fuel pump assembly that I bought used. The problem with that unit was that the low fuel warning light was on all the time. The light became annoying, so I decided to replace the fuel level sensor. I bought one from Mazda for about $70. The low fuel warning light sensor is small drum shaped transdurer that is mounted on a rigid rod about 8" long. On the bottom of the transducer are three small holes, which allow gasoline to enter. The sensor is obviously activated by the height of fuel in the tank. It appears that if these holes get clogged, than the low fuel warning light sensor may get stuck in the on or off position. If you live in a cold climate, than it may be that some water, which was in the fuel, got in the sensor and froze.

Hot_Dog
90 RX7 GXL
02 Acura RSX-S

SJ_chameleon

Thanks that should help a lot. I do live in Colorado and it has been pretty cold lately so that may explain a lot. Thanks again

George84

Thats good info, I think I might take mine apart now and try to clean it up or replace the sensor. My problem is that the light won't turn on when I am low on fuel.
~George