1985 sputters. broken level sending unit???

I have a 1985 900s that after driving approx 200 miles from a full tank of gas it will start to sputter. as if it is running out of gas. (although I don't know what that's like have never done it). Seems to run fine after I fill it.

The gas gauge does not work. My suspicion is that maybe the gauge is simply floating in the tank and when it gets down to approx 5 gallons left, the gauge is blocking the line that would feed the engine. any thoughts out there?

If you think this could cause it should I wait till gas is low before trying to get broken pieces out (If indeed that's what it is). or should I have a full tank of gas to try to remove broken pieces. I will assume that the pieces float and I would want a full tank to remove pieces easier.

thanks rod

Reply to
Rod H
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This sounds really unlikely to me.

Maybe the problem is caused by water in the tank?

Rob

Reply to
Rob Muller

Your car should have the later style of VDO fuel level sender with a small

3-pin connector that is seperate from the fuel pump power feed wiring. When I first got my 1985 900i it's fuel sender was completely dismembered inside the tank and the only part left in place was the top and 5 percent of the steel rod that the float slides along. The rod had broken where the threaded section right at the top stopped, so the whole body of the sender, plus the float, had fallen to the bottom of the tank. 8-)

Used level senders are not hard to find - just borrow one from a wrecked

1983 or later classic 900. Providing you don't get the white plastic bodied sender (used up to about 1982), you can do a direct replacement as far as I know. Saab had a retro-fit kit to upgrade from the old type sender so I don't know if that was a factory recall type mod or something optional.

Or you can get them from sellers on Ebay fairly often.

Well the metal rod, etc. won't float. I used a pair of long kitchen tongs to fish around through the fuel sender hole in the top of the tank to find some of the parts of the old sender and the float is still in there somewhere.

If you want to remove the fuel pump out of the tank you'll get a much larger hole to get into the tank through, but you might create more work if you find the fuel pump pickup is breaking down as well (however it could explain some of the problems if the pick-up is falling apart or it's blocked somehow).

Regards,

Craig.

Reply to
Craig's Saab C900 Site

thanks for the input. who would of thought that a 20+ year old car just might have water in the tank. I guess not me.

rod

Reply to
Rod H

thanks for your input. I really didn't know if the fuel level sender pieces would be hard to remove or not. I might have to wait till the wife leaves the house before trying the kitchen tong trick.

thanks aga>

Reply to
Rod H

Note that I am not trying to be funny.

It is a valid explanation why the engine sputters when there is only a certain amount of fuel left in the tank. When water in the tank is causing the problem I would expect the stuttering getting worse when the amount of fuel is getting less. Is this happening?

You can try adding some water remover to see if it cures the problem.

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Rob

Reply to
Rob Muller

I agree with you. and I will try some water remover. when the car sputters I normally get gas in it fairly quick.

thanks rod

Reply to
Rod H

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