In my old 89 Brumby I had a coupe dash with tacho and the fuel gauge would stay even with the key out. My factory dash thy 87 Brumby it goes all the way down without the key. Is this a wiring thing, a sender thing or the gauge design? I want my current one to still show the fuel level when the car is off.

Once power is cut from turning the key off, that is it.

Gage will read what ever it want's to.

Some will maintain a true level reading, some won't.

Not much one can do to change that.

really? you wish it would still stay up while it is off? im OCD about it and it bugs the hell out of me that the other 5 fall to resting position while my fuel is the only one that stays up, thought it had to do with it being mechanical but when i took the cluster apart to fix my spedometer cable that broke, its all electronic except for the speedometer cable ofcourse. i also wonder why that one chooses to stay up while the rest fall...

Edited May 24, 201510 yr by Subasaurus

Some models have fuel gauges that have a mechanical brake to hold the reading when the power is off. All of the GL and Loyale wagons I've had have them.

Yes, really I do want it. My gauge takes about 4 minutes to come up to the accurate position and there is the odd occasion I want to see how much fuel I have without sitting in the are with the ignition on for a while.

So it's most likely a brake on the gauge that is held off with power. Hmmmm, that would be harder to retro fit than just some wiring.

 

Thanks

No electric gauge will indicate reliably w/o power.

The difference in response times is due to gauge design

 

The thermal types w/a bimetalic strip and a heating element are slow to respond and will go to zero w/o power.

 

The magnetic dual coil types respond instantly.

They have an internal damper(shock absorber) to prevent the needle from bouncing on corners etc,

The damper will SOMETIMES cause the gauge to remain at its last powered position.

 

Gauges do not have brakes!

I've had an 86,2 87s, 88, 90, 92, 93. Every one held or still holds the gas level when off without fail. All Ea82 wagons.

Subaru has used both types.

In 1984,only GLs had magnetic fuel gauges.Standards and DLs had themal ones.

Thanks for the info naru