Simplicity Sunstar Fuel Guage


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Old 09-15-18, 06:06 PM
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Simplicity Sunstar Fuel Guage

I bought a used simplicity Sunstar 1692135 year 1995. The fuel gauge never worked, but I pulled out the sending unit today to see if I could fix it. I hooked up an ohm meter, and it moves the meter as I move the gauge lever, unless there is another way to test it, I think the problem is elsewhere. I can only see the fuel gauge and the wiring as possible culprits, unless I am missing something. I also engaged the rear Pto toggle switch after servicing the system, and it stuck in the "on" position, (it has been working fine up till today) I put a little PB blaster on it, but it sure is stuck. If it is original, it doesn,t owe me anything, but sure seems weird. Now I can't start the mower.
 
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Old 09-15-18, 07:00 PM
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Make sure the sender is grounded when put back in tank.
A basic one wire sender uses a resistance to ground for tank level.
After you reinstall it.... there should be a low DC voltage on it when the key is on.
 
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Old 09-15-18, 07:56 PM
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Gas Level Sender

Pete, this is a two wire sender. wiring diagram is too confusing to trace the wires thru the loom, but I have to take a lot of the dash apart anyway to fix the bad toggle switch, so I can work from the gauge to the sender and see what I get as far as resistance and or continuity. Ever had a toggle switch just jam up? Perfect end to a lousy day!
 
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Old 09-19-18, 02:48 PM
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Simplicity Fuel Guage

I ordered two new toggle switches to replace the two originals, one which was jammed in the on position. If you take one apart, be prepared as it is spring loaded in two or three directions. Must be assembled by small robots. I got the fuel guage out and tested it with 12 volts to the ground and hot terminal, (not the "S" terminal, and it would not budge. Ordered a new guage too. Hoping to not have a broken wire at this point.
 
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Old 09-19-18, 04:09 PM
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I always keep a supply of toggles around manufactured by name brand companies like Carling, C&K and Alco. Way too much crap available online today.
 
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Old 09-20-18, 08:17 AM
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Toggle Switches

These are supposed to be coming from Simplicity, so they better be quality stuff!

You must think I am Ok with my diagnosis of the Guage, and it is on its way from New Jersey right now.

Have a great day!
 
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Old 09-28-18, 06:33 PM
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New Sending unit

I determined that the fuel guage in this mower is Ok (if I apply 12 volts to it, it goes from E to F However the variable resistor in the tank sending unit will only take the guage from dead on E to F with no variation on the guage in between. I ordered a new sending unit that will show variation on an Ohm meter, but not on the fuel guage itself. Now when the key is turned on, (have not started the engine) the guage will go to dead on E to dead on full with no variation when moving the variable resistor on the sending unit. Does the engine have to be running for things to work right? There are two wires that plug into the sending unit, a hot wire and a ground. There are 4 wires that go into the guage from various locations, I suppose the guage itself could be bad too, but how do I test it? Take it back out of the tractor and hook up the new sending unit to just the ground and the sending wire on the guage? I have to get 12 volts into the cicuit somewhere along the line I would think
 

Last edited by WML13; 09-28-18 at 06:34 PM. Reason: Verbage
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Old 09-29-18, 01:37 AM
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Check the ohms on the sending unit as it sweeps across the range.
 
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Old 09-29-18, 08:37 AM
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Cheese, I have recieved a Prosport guage, 13187 that is supposed to be 240 - 33 ohms
According to my analog ohm meter, it is reading 500 ohms (empty tank) and 100 ohms full tank with smooth variations between those two numbers. RX1 on the meter. From the look of it, maybe a bad sending unit from the supplier? my temporary hook ups to the tractor will only net a full reading when I turn the key to ON without starting the engine.
 
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Old 09-29-18, 12:32 PM
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Simplicity Fuel Gauge

Chuck, I was remiss in my last reply. I have a new SENDING UNIT from the aforementioned supplier and an accurate test with a newer digital multimeter confirmed that it is operating in its advertised ohm range( 240-33) correctly. My retired engineer friend with the new meter alerted me to the fact that the old original Fuel GAUGE in the machine, although being operational, is not compatible with the new sending unit. That leaves me with a choice of calling the supplier and asking if they have a gauge compatible with the sending unit, and hoping that THAT guage is compatible with my old tractor. The original gauge has four terminals on the back of it with plugs that have one or two other wires attached to the female plugs that press on to the guage. OR I could call Simplicity and see if they can tell me what the OHM rating is on the original malfuncting sender, and then try to get an exchange made with Prosports for another sender. What would YOU do in this case?
 
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Old 09-30-18, 12:54 AM
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I think the odds of getting ahold of someone who can give you those specs from simplicity are pretty low, so I'd probably just get the gauge that goes with the sending unit.
 
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Old 09-30-18, 08:14 AM
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Simplicity Fuel gauge

I had a guy get me the engineering drawings for the PTO driveline a couple of years ago, I will see if he is still there and give him a shout first. That will leave me with option 2 as you suggest. Just apprehensive that I can get a guage today that wires up the same way as the one I have.

Thanks for your help!
 
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Old 10-01-18, 10:09 AM
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Ok Chuck, I got thru to Simplicity. They said that the ohms on the gauge for my Sunstar match the ohms on the after market sending unit I purchased. Since My test rig didnt move anything on the first go around, I am guessing that the gauge itself is bad, even though applying 12 volts to the power terminal will move the needle from empty to full. I am going to rig up the sender again outside the tank to see if I can get a variable reading on the gauge. Maybe you have a quicker way to test it?
 
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Old 10-01-18, 10:59 AM
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Not really, I guess you could put a resistor in line or a rheostat to change the voltage and see what the gauge does but rigging it up isolated of the mower system should be fine. If the sender tests good and all else is good, it must be the gauge.
 
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Old 10-01-18, 12:04 PM
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Well the secret to my zig zagging road to success is recognizing that I am my own worst enemy most of the time. I was trying to test the gauge with the terminals marked SEND and GROUND, I found out though that the GROUND Terminal was for the non existing light in the Gauge, not the wire I needed for testing purposes. Using the right terminals got me a live reading when applying 12 volts, so I moved on to a test rig of the sending unit which netted a variable reading on the gauge in the dash. SUCCESS.


You get another battle star for your help! Thanks!
 
 

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