Volvo RWD 200 Forum

is there an easy place to disable the fuel gauge so my kids quit driving a car until its out of gas then just jumping into another? Every time I get in the car I have to stop and get gas (91,93 240s 94 940). How about a resistor to show 1/2 what's there?

We should trade; My gauge doesn't work at all.
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'92 245, Black & Tan, Virgo Mags, 140K
http://jayboucher.com/blackbrick

It's never too late to put them up for adoption. There must be other minor irritants associated with this litter as well.

I used to disable the ignition by removing the 25A blade fuse.
That worked great until my son and his friend figured it out.
Later they told me that they got themselves a lifetime supply of those fuses, for that purpose.

As for the fuel gauge idea, I don't think that pretending the tank is nearly empty will have much effect. These guys will drive around on E knowing that they will probably get home OK. Maybe forcing it to read full will scare them one day, when they either realize they've been misled, or when they end up stuck at an inconvenient time.

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Sven: '89 245 NA, 951 ECU, expanded air dam, forward belly pan reaches oem belly pan, airbox heater upgraded, E-fan, 205/65-15 at 50 psi, IPD sways, no a/c-p/s belt, E-Codes, amber front corner reflectors, aero front face, quad horns, tach, small clock.

I read the title, and my first thought was... 'why?'.. before I looked, I figured it had to have something to do with kids....

Personally, I'd consider disabling the car rather than the gauge... or just take the keys. That's me though.

I don't know about later cars, but early stuff, just pull the wire off the sending unit on top of the tank, and ground it. Permanently... I think that would give you a full reading, all the time.. you could tell the kids, or let them find out that it's not full on their own.. heck, probably get a free tow home when it runs out (if you have AAA).

Or maybe that grounding trick will make the tank read empty.. I forget.

You know.. maybe you could install a hidden toggle switch.. turn it on to deactivate the gauge (either full or empty..), and turn it off for an accurate reading when you need the car... you could really mess with them kids...



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-Matt I ♥ my ♂

On the 240, the fuel gauge is a thermoelectric/mechanical gauge that works with heat. More heat means a higher reading. The higher heat in the gauge is caused by the float potentiometer at full being near zero ohms. To change this you would need to add a resistor in series with the wire coming from the sender. The value of the resistor should be equal to 1/2 the value of the sender on an empty tank, this would result in a 1/2 full reading on a full tank.

Now you have that little issue of disabling the trip-o-meter.

How about confiscating the keys and putting them in a lock box?

jorrell
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92 245 250K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!

Thanks to all,

They're good girls and I'm a single Dad so I'm glad they get themselves around, but this thing about driving around on E is a bad habit which seems to have a sex linked quality and can last past adolescence.

The final solution, they are under admonition if I get in an empty car, they lose use of the car. Let's see how that goes.

Now... about changing my radio presets.

Charles

Girls are more receptive to financial reasoning--the cost of running out can include having to replace a damaged fuel pump. Maybe you should give them the mission of visiting the local Volvo repair guy and pricing out the cost of that job-it may make a greater impression than Dad's carping. Our daughter turned out to be very car savvy--started with a '67 Barracuda in '94 and has progressed through (2)140's, (1)240 Turbo, (4)Saab 900's (early and late, turbo and non), (1) Jeep Grand Cherokee and now an XC70. I think the best thing she ever did (car related) was spend a summer assisting me in doing a major brake overhaul on the Barracuda--dirt, rust and all-gave her the perspective of the work involved in keeping a car on the road. -- Dave

Now from their perspective you need to figure out how to keep the tank full and then it won't be a problem!
Dan