W124 fuel tank / gauge

[imadoofus]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but not by me.

Does my W124 have a low fuel light? If so, where is it and when does it come on?

Also, how do I know when my reserve is being used?

Thanks

PJ

 

[DITTRICH]

My car, a W124 1994 E300D, has a triangular shaped light to the left of the fuel gauge. I was intrigued enough to try to run the tank down to the reserve to see if it worked. I got down to the zero level - but no light came on and the gauge seemed to be jumping about a bit so I pulled into a 'diesel' station and filled up. Guess what? Only 60 litres went in, yet the gauge clearly showed zero. Therefore, I guess the reserve bit of 12 litres is 'below' the zero mark in the fuel gauge. The tank is supposed to be 72 litres total. Whether this is normal behaviour, I don't know - cos on my C230K the reserve bit of the tank is actually 'above' zero and the light is actually occupies the lower 1/8th of the gauge - so zero really does mean zero.
Rgds
Les

 

[Ian B Walker]

Hmmm interesting. On all three of the 124's I have owned, although not diesel, the reserve light came on at a point when the needle fell just below the red segment at the bottom of the gauge.

 

[pepper&boulou]

Hmmm interesting. On all three of the 124's I have owned, although not diesel, the reserve light came on at a point when the needle fell just below the red segment at the bottom of the gauge.

yes mine too.

 

[imadoofus]

I don't have a red segment.

My gauge has 'R', '1/2' & '1/1' I assume 'R' is for Reserve, but there doesn't seem to be a light.

This morning, I filled up my car for the first time since buying it, and the gauge was on 'R'. I got 54.62litres in, and that was brimmed.

I looked in the handbook, and it says fuel capacity is "approx 70l (approx 90l) or which reserve = approx 9l (approx 11.5l)"

So I guess that means my tank is 61 litres plus reserve, so I was some way off being empty. What are the bigger numbers in brackets for?

I seem to be averaging 23.3 MPG, and I suppose that I can use mental arithmetic to tell me when I need to fill up, as the gauge doesn't seem that accurate.

Why are my gauges different to everyone else's?

PJ

 

[Ian B Walker]

I think there were two fuel tank options available when the car was first purchased. In reply to your question about why are your gauges different, has the cluster at any time been changed? if it has then maybe a continental gauge has been fitted. I have seen German ones with only graduations on it, like 1/1 ......3/4........1/2 etc

 

[imadoofus]

I'm not aware that it's been changed. The car has been looked after all its life by the supplying dealer (Mercedes Salisbury, was Caffyns), and so it's unlikely that a non-uk part would have been fitted.

If I post a photo of the instruments, maybe people can tell me if they look at all familiar to anyone...

PJ

 

[DITTRICH]

..I thought maybe I got it wrong but...

...my gauge...
Now I was thinking of the R as being zero as it appears at the same distance from 1/2 as the full F (or was it 1/1?). That's what I meant by 'empty'. And apart from the 'F' or '1/1' I think I got it right (went to the car to check).
Les

 

[imadoofus]

Now that's what mine looks like! All the graduations are white. There are no red markings. The 'F' is definitely '1/1' on mine. Is your triangular light visible when not lit? In other words, can you see that there is a symbol there without it being lit up?

I guess I'll have to play petrol pump roulette to see if I can get something to light up....

My car was registered 1/10/94, so it might be a '95 model year. Would that make a difference to the dash?

PJ

 

[DITTRICH]

Okay, mine must be 1/1 too - but since I had to run down to the underground car park to check this morning you have to let me off! I know my light isn't 'blown' because when I turn the ignition key to the first position, it lights up (along with all the other lights). However, although I did once take the gauge to 'R' (zero - see above my reasoning), I did not convince the light it needed to come on. Maybe I needed to drive a little longer. The gauge did however become erratic and was constantly dipping below the zero mark and rising above it - and since I didn't have a spare fuel cannister, I didn't want to risk it. I wonder how much further down the needle goes (below 'zero'!) before you really run out of fuel!
Les

BTW my gradations are white too - no balck paper and white pens at work and I don't know how to 'invert' an image using MS paint!

 

[imadoofus]

Thanks Les,

My car's just outside my office window, so I can go and look easily. I didn't want to get people going up and down stairs and stuff on my account

I think that as long as I bear in mind that 313 miles is around 61 litres, and prove that once or twice by brimming the tank, then I can start to gamble with the other 9 litres, which should take me 46 more miles.

It'll be just like the old days when I used to drive classics (Triumphs, mainly)... You were never sure if you'd get where you were going or not.

PJ

 

[Ian B Walker]

It'll be just like the old days when I used to drive classics (Triumphs, mainly)... You were never sure if you'd get where you were going or not.

PJ

I have a car like that too Sadly sitting in the drive awaiting breaking. No it isnt any of those in siggy pick before someone asks lol

 

[imadoofus]

I am a doofus

I found my fuel light. Right where you guys said it was. It even lights up!

Sorry

PJ

 

[Dieselman]

I am a doofus

I found my fuel light. Right where you guys said it was. It even lights up!

Sorry

PJ

Admitting to that took guts..have a nana for a nana. :bannana: