Crazy Gas Gauge

["Fetsch, Ralph" <RFetsch@domain.elided>]

	Tenkiller wrote:

	I have a '91 Alfa Spider.  For about 8 months now,  my car has been
	having a peculiar problem.   The Alfa service mechanics have tried
to
	find the problem,  but can not.  The problem is this:  The gas gauge
	registers normally until the headlights are turned on.  When they
are
	turned on,  the gas gauge registers past full,  no matter how little
gas
	is in the tank.  But,  not all of the time.  It only does this when
it
	is cool,  damp,  or night.  If I turn the lights on in daylight,
the
	gauge does not change.  When it turns night,  it registers crazy.
But
	not all of the time.  If it is warm at night,  it registers
normally.
	Occasionally,  it will be crazy at night but after a while,  it will
	right itself.  If it is raining,  it usually does not register
	correctly.  Also,  when it is acting up,  I can dim the panel lights
and
	the gauge hand will follow the reostat until it hits the true gas
level.
	When I turn up the lights again it returns to past the full mark.
BTW,
	the particular light for the gauge is dimmer than the others when
the
	gauge is crazy.  It will brighten back to normal when the guage
corrects
	itself.  

	When I have had someone look for the problem,  it works correctly.
	therefore,  they can not find anything wrong.  The gauge has been
tested
	and does not need replacing.  The sending unit seems to be ok.

	Tenkiller

	Check to see if the drain line from the vent in front of the
windshield is leaking. When it leaks it runs down on top of the fuse box and
can short out relays. Ask me I know it happen on my 91 Spider, mine took out
the relay timer that shuts off the lights under the dash.

	Good Luck

	Ralph Fetsch
	Houston, Texas 
	91 Spider Veloce w/auto 166,000+ miles
	64 Giulia 1600 Spider

	

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