Arrg. . . fuel float on the lam?

[jkior]

Car: 1988 240 wagon (245) DL, NA, pure stock fuel system

One of my attempts to solve the no-start issue mentioned in my previous post was to replace the in-tank pump. When I removed the through-tank plug, however, the outside steel nipples fell off (rust), so I swapped in an almost-new assembly from another 240. Anyway, my fuel guage is completely dead, and the electrical tests I did up at the instrument panel seemed to indicate a dead fuel level sensor. Strange, I thought, for a new assembly. . .
So I opened up the tank today, and found -


No fuel float.

Must have fallen off when I was wrestling the assembly in through the just-too-small hole. So now I get to drain and drop the tank, and shake it around until the assorted parts come out. (I can hear the float scritching up against the side of the tank when I rock the car, so I know it's in there.) My real question is - does anyone have hints, cautions, caveats, etc for this project? I'll probably be getting into it either tomorrow morning early or Wednesday, but I'll be checking back here as I get into it. Thanks!

~mike

 

[Three Fat Tigers]

I've worked on 240s that had a spare float in the tank, obviously left over from a previous repair. It can stay in there but it will drive you crazy. The times I've gone in to remove them were blessed as it presented itself for removal. You may find it easier to get out if the tank is about 1/2 or so full. Always check the sensor using an ohms meter before re-installing, regardless if it a replacement or not.

 

[bimmerhead535i]

Float

My dad had a similar problem with an '86 240 sedan in which he
1. partially siphoned the tank
2. jacked the rear end of the car up
3. used a net for cleaning a fish tank to fish out the float once it floated near the opening on the top of the fuel tank

hope this helps

Nate Bucklew

'85 BMW 535i
working on getting the 242 Turbo

 

[Three Fat Tigers]

Rather than siphon the tank you could just drive it that way till the level drops, base on mileage of course.

 

[jkior]

Hehe. Yeah. With an extra can of gas in the back.

I ended up just taking the tank out and fishing the parts out with one of those plunger-claw-grabber things. The tank was about 2/5 full, and the only real problem I had was when I didn't realize that there was a fifth bolt forward of the tank.

I didn't really want to just buy another one, because the local dealership would only sell me the whole assembly, which was far more than I was willing to pay. And I'd already dropped my other set of these parts into another gas tank. Anyway, the job is done, and I'm a little more familiar with my car. . .