Okay...so my TJ's fuel gauge was reading half-full. Saw a servo with a good price for unleaded...pulled in, filled the tank (after waiting for the vapour to hiss out). Whacko!

Drive away and watch the strangest thing...Suddenly the gauge needle starts dropping instead of rising! It drops and drops and after three minutes it is sitting below zero. All the other gauges and lights are working. Any ideas? Is it the sender???

If it is the sender does anyone know how much they are, new?

More then likely the fuel sender in the tank mate
Cant remember exactly how much they are but I think they are between 80 to 100 bucks more or less

try the wreckers first, you may be able to pick one up cheap

I have a fuel gauge just like this. More than likely the sender. I have the same issue even after replacing the cluster.... I'd replace my sender, but I like living on the edge.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'm heading off to the local dealer tomorrow and maybe I can sweet-talk the service manager into changing the thing while I wait.
I know they are relatively easy to change (take the rear seat squab out, unscrew the inspection port on the floor deck and remove the sender) but I also know that Mitsubishi, in its wisdom, used a weird clamp to hold the fuel pipe down which is, apparently, a bugger to get off. I'm just too old and cramped up now to bother with trying it if it is going to be a pain to do.

Oh well...there goes my Christmas dough!!! DOH!!! :-(

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'm heading off to the local dealer tomorrow and maybe I can sweet-talk the service manager into changing the thing while I wait.
I know they are relatively easy to change (take the rear seat squab out, unscrew the inspection port on the floor deck and remove the sender) but I also know that Mitsubishi, in its wisdom, used a weird clamp to hold the fuel pipe down which is, apparently, a bugger to get off. I'm just too old and cramped up now to bother with trying it if it is going to be a pain to do.

Oh well...there goes my Christmas dough!!! DOH!!! :-(

The clamp is easy enough to get off. Theres a how to thread around here on replacing this. I did mine not long back, 20mins tops and the sender cost $19 from my wrecker.

Just a tip, disconnect the fuel pump and let the car stall, this will help drain the fuel line where the clamp is so you dont have fuel go everywhere. Also an idea to try and have ya tank reasonably empty, half or so is fine, then when you unscrew the top port the pressure wont force fuel everywhere. These are my own personally experiences from learning the hard way :D

The clamp is easy enough to get off. Theres a how to thread around here on replacing this. I did mine not long back, 20mins tops and the sender cost $19 from my wrecker.

Just a tip, disconnect the fuel pump and let the car stall, this will help drain the fuel line where the clamp is so you dont have fuel go everywhere. Also an idea to try and have ya tank reasonably empty, half or so is fine, then when you unscrew the top port the pressure wont force fuel everywhere. These are my own personally experiences from learning the hard way :D


Thanks Rush... I found the post about changing the sender unit with the pictures as well.

The tank is still full so I will have to burn off some fuel tomorrow by taking the buggy for a spin. I'm going to bite the bullet and buy a new sender as the car has only done 34,500K since new and I want the silly thing to keep going until I hear St. Peter's bugle call!

Regarding the rear seat...where are the tabs to lift the cushion out?

Under each side. Passenger and drivers side. If your car has done 34,000km is it really possible for a sender to go? Im sure someone will correct me, just doesnt sound right. I mean mine went at 175,000km.

Also, yeh hold off with replacing it till ya fuel levels down, or you will be smelling fuel like i was everytime you drive heh :O

Run your fingers along the join between the base of the seat and the floor of the car, you will feel them, like little ring pulls. Pull till it clicks, the seat move move up when it is released. There are 2 tabs.

Under each side. Passenger and drivers side. If your car has done 34,000km is it really possible for a sender to go? Im sure someone will correct me, just doesnt sound right. I mean mine went at 175,000km.

Also, yeh hold off with replacing it till ya fuel levels down, or you will be smelling fuel like i was everytime you drive heh :O


Thanks for the reply, Rush...
Mate...I am gobsmacked about this happening. I know it's a little thing but I have looked after this car since new and it has not got one mark on it...it never goes to the shops or anything (we use the old TS wagon for that). I even changed the timing belt because everyone told me that time was as important a consideration as mileage. The only thing I can think of is that something must have happened when the car was trapped in the garage during a flash flood. Water got into the car up to the level of the door sills (all dried out and fixed). Perhaps something happened to the sender at the same time...who knows???

Run your fingers along the join between the base of the seat and the floor of the car, you will feel them, like little ring pulls. Pull till it clicks, the seat move move up when it is released. There are 2 tabs.
Thanks, Grelise...

Thanks for the reply, Rush...
Mate...I am gobsmacked about this happening. I know it's a little thing but I have looked after this car since new and it has not got one mark on it...it never goes to the shops or anything (we use the old TS wagon for that). I even changed the timing belt because everyone told me that time was as important a consideration as mileage. The only thing I can think of is that something must have happened when the car was trapped in the garage during a flash flood. Water got into the car up to the level of the door sills (all dried out and fixed). Perhaps something happened to the sender at the same time...who knows???

There is a way you can test a sender. I think you put a multi meter across some of the pins, i have it in my workshop manual annd can look tomorrow, if not, might be worthwhile looking at downloading this as its very useful!

There is a way you can test a sender. I think you put a multi meter across some of the pins, i have it in my workshop manual annd can look tomorrow, if not, might be worthwhile looking at downloading this as its very useful!

Yes...please let me know. I have a multimeter and so running a test on the thing before forking out money to buy a replacement sounds good to me!!!

Thanks!!!

Okay...I'm going to hit the sack...I'm zonked. This thing has done my head in!!!

Yes...please let me know. I have a multimeter and so running a test on the thing before forking out money to buy a replacement sounds good to me!!!

Thanks!!!

Okay...I'm going to hit the sack...I'm zonked. This thing has done my head in!!!

Pm me your number, ill take a picture of my page and ill send it to ya, the easiest way to do it

Pm me your number, ill take a picture of my page and ill send it to ya, the easiest way to do it

Rush...I decided to bite the bullet and let the dealer fix the thing. This is because the missus wants the car to be spic and span before we go on our bush trip after New Years and she said she would not tolerate any whiff of petrol in the car. She also harped on about the dealer guaranteeing their work and that I would hamfist the job...etc...etc... So she won! I've booked it in for the repair tomorrow and I'll let you know what transpires.

I asked about the sender's price at their spare parts place before going on to book the repair. Get this...$148 for a bit of plastic and a sensor!!! And, no doubt, they'll charge me an hour's labour at $105 per hour!!!

Women!!! I love her but, honestly!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Wait till you find out what the charge for an O2 Sensor!!

Your in Vic? Could have gone to see Mal about getting this done
Would have been alot better service then mitsubishi lol

As for the sender going so early, could be a number of reasons why they can go at any time
Once theres a hole in the float then the things pretty much useless

Your in Vic? Could have gone to see Mal about getting this done
Would have been alot better service then mitsubishi lol

As for the sender going so early, could be a number of reasons why they can go at any time
Once theres a hole in the float then the things pretty much useless

I would have loved to have gone up to see Mal but he's a bit far away and the cost of getting there may have negated the saving made for the repair. Plus the missus wants the thing fixed yesterday!!! The dealer was able to squeeze me in tomorrow afternoon so the dealer it is!

Funny thing I forgot to mention...when I walked into the dealer's spares department the assistant rocked up to the desk and asked me what I required...
I started to say "TJ Magna fuel se....." and he just grinned and said..."Another sender...mate, we sell a few of those, for sure!"

I asked him if the 380 had issues with its sender and he said no...very different design, apparently (according to him).

Now I love my Magna and all Mitsubishis in general but you'd think that this simple part they would have designed better...that and the fact that a timing chain would have been more practical for a country like Australia than a timing belt. Oh well...there must be some really good technical reason I am unaware of.

Okay...final price for the sender repair at a local Mitsu dealer.... $260. All working now and, apparently, the new sensors are more accurate than the originals and will read up to the full mark.

Just a hint...the mechanic said that in his opinion you can tell which TJ senders are prone to failure. If your car's gauge never reads quite full...even after you fill the tank up to the brim, then you have a dicky sender.