DJ

Hi
I have just got in and the fuel gauge on my '94 Legacy estate is playing up.
It registers correctly then slowly goes down low then slowly registers correctly again. This is not the normal slight movement of the fuel in the tank when going up or down hill. Any ideas?

I have looked for the fuel sender but can't fing it - wher is it and how do you get to it?
How do you remove the instrument cluster to get access to the gauge?

Thanks in anticipation
Dick

DJ

bttt

Turbo_Steve

I can help you remove your instrument cluster (It's a long-ish job, but not very difficult). As for what the fuel guage problem is.....er...something electrical?

To remove instrument binnacle:

1) use a screwdriver to carefully prize out your dash switches and electric mirror control. The gap at the bottom of the switch in the centre is slighty large to facilitate this.

2) Behind the switches you should see screws holding the plastic in place. Remove them (noting which one goes in which hole. They are different!)

3) Remove the badged Subaru plate (or uppy-downy suspension if you are lucky enough to have it) and remove the screw behind that, too.

4) Undo the two screws above the instruments. Be careful not to slip and scratch the instrument binnacle perspex. You'll hate yourself forever if you do! You may wish to cover it in duck-tape just to be safe.

5) look carefully just above the heater controls. There are two very well hidden scres there that I bet you never noticed. You'll feel them as you run your fingers over the top edge of the heat controls bit.

6) If you have an aftermarket stereo, now is the time to remove it.

7) feel under the clock: there are two more screws here. Take them out. These can be very stiff for some reason: especially when you put them back in.

8) Remove ashtray. There are two screws vertically upwards at the front of the ashtray hole. You'll need to remove these too (HOW fiddly?) and chances are you will need to remove the one at the back as well.

9) drop the steering wheel low on it's adjustment.

10) You can now remove the dash fascia. This looks a bit scary once it's done. You may want to put a bit of tape on each heater vent to stop them rotating around. You may need a bit of coaxing (read brute force) to get it around the steering wheel. Be careful not to snap anything.

11) You should now see the instrument binnacle. There are four screws holding it in place, one at each corner. Remove these. Careful not to drop any, or they will dissapear into the wiring below.......

12) gently pull the binnacle towards you. As you do, you will feel the wiring holding it back. This consists of three clip-plugs and a plastic hook holding it in place at the top.
Remove all of it.

13) Congratulations! You have successfully removed your binnacle!

The clear plastic fascia is just clipped on.
The fuel guage itself is part of the black plastic fascia inside. This is £130 to replace so DON'T break it like I did.
The fuel guage and temperature guages are screwed in from the back....you will need to unscrew both to examine the fuel guage.


I strongly suspect your problem is NOTHING to do with the gauge though, and far more to do with a bad earth somewhere.

GOOD LUCK!

DJ

Thanks Steve i'll give it a go if I can't find anything else. Any ideas how to get to the sender at the back as I agree that it is most likley to be a bad earth and i think most likley here. I have looked on the tank and under the seat but can see no obvious petrol sender.
Dick

Turbo_Steve

No idea there, I'm afraid. Haven't been under the car much, yet.
You could try posting again, but not mention it's a legacy!

I am willing to bet it's the same as the impreza.