Yet Another How Not To Gti6 Conversion

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

205 PS rack, I've yet to be convinced that any Direct fit steering UJ are around, Yes you can mod them but I've never fancied welding them up

[tartanbloke 35 1 Cars]

I gather the fuel light is meant to flicker then....I always thought it was a bad earth that I was going to investigate shortly? Saves some time looking for a fault that does not exist.

[Anthony 1,000]

Typically flickers on and off when you're down to about 8-10 litres, and then comes on solid(ish) when you're down to about 4-5 litres.

 

Is it meant to flicker? Probably not, but these are 80's French electrics that we're talking about here so we should be grateful that it works at all

[welshpug 1,626]

my warning light works just fine, but the needle is intermittent

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

It is supposed to flicker - it states it in the handbook!

[Baz 421]

-Yes, they've done it since new!

[Shark506 2]

The needle on my gauge had been gradually moving towards empty but at halfway the fuel light started to flicker then a day later stayed on. I trusted the gauge needle (mistake I know!) & thought the light was a bad connection. Yes you guessed right, I ran out of fuel, doh!!!!

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

The reason it will flicker is because the sender is thinking yes/no/yes/no as the fuel sloshes around.

[SurGie 54]

Thats the sort of thing i was thinking on why it flickers, some may do it with less or more fuel than the already stated amounts, due to the French electrics. I cant currently remember if mine flickers when standing stright with no movement, has anyone else's flickered standing still?

[Anthony 1,000]

Why are you making this so complicated Surgie?

 

Every car will be slightly different, but by an large, all the ones that I've had fit in with my comments above. Simply "learn" your own car and how accurate or otherwise the gauge and light are.

 

If you're on a bumpy or twisty road, the fuel light will likely come on sooner and the guage move around more than if you're on a straight motorway for example, as the fuel will be sloshing around the tank more.

 

At the end of the day, it's a 20+ year old French car - the guages are not finely calibrated instruments of precision, but rather finger in the air vague guesses with inaccuracy that would probably shame even the Met Office.

[commievid 8]

Sounds like it'll always flicker by design. Whether the light would come on at 10l, or half, or three quarters, regardless, it'll flicker when it reaches the point when the light comes on.

 

I would imagine flickering is more useful as you'd notice it more in your peripheral vision.

 

Unless the fuel tank was sufficiently baffled with lots of foam or whatever, then there's always going to be sloshing about, it's like a Caterham when you make sharp turns.

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

The fuel gauge is useless on a 205, I've always gone by the tripmeter. Basically, the warning signs are:

 

Flickering light - Start looking for the next petrol station.

Constant light - Stop at the next petrol station.

Humming pump - If you don't find a station in the next couple of miles, you're walking.

 

How did this thread divert to fuel lights anyway?

[commievid 8]

It was that diagnostic light in the corner of the dashboard that started all this

[welshpug 1,626]

It was that diagnostic light in the corner of the dashboard that started all this

 

no, it was Surgie

[S@m 156]

I too use the whining pump as my final fuel warning, but as has been said this thread has gone way, way off!

[SurGie 54]

Let the enguiry begin, it wasn't me it was the usefullness of the dash light.

 

Sorry Miles, back on topic.

[GLPoomobile 958]

This thread has become hilarious for all the wrong reasons!

 

I can't believe there has been so much in-depth discussion over the "hows" and "whys" of the fuel gauage and warning light. I can only assume that anyone who is puzzled by a flickering warning light must have been spoiled by driving much more modern cars! And no offense intended towards Shark506, but there's a reason why cars have warning lights, you shouldn't trust the guess-o-meters. One particularly simple and highly likely scenario in a 205 these days is that someone has had the needles off the gauge at some point in it's life and it's no longer reading correctly, so if the gauge is no-where near emoty and the light flickers, trust the light!

[jeremy 68]

Now lets just hope everyone has seen the light, and this topic can get back on track. If not you are more than welcome to stare at my Disco dash as this too has a magic orange light however it does not flicker as it is more like permantly on LOL!!!!