Fuel gauge

I have a 2001 Vauxhall Combo van with factory Lpg/petrol and only 61,000 miles on the clock. I’ve had the van for 11 years and have had no problems with the LPG. I only do around 1000 miles a year.

Two days ago, I filled up with LPG as normal. Yesterday, after driving about a mile, the fuel gauge needle jumped to zero briefly, then slowly climbed back. I drove another eight miles and it did the same thing. This is the first time this has happened. The fuel gauge is shared by the LPG and the petrol tank. If I switch to driving on petrol, the gauge is fine. Do you think it is a loose connection or faulty sensor? Nigel Gibb

As the gauge reads correctly when using petrol, it confirms that the gauge in the dash is operating correctly. The most likely scenario is that either the fuel gauge sender in the LPG tank or the connections from it are faulty.

I would start by checking the connections from the sender unit on the LPG tank. Although they are described as a factory-fit, Vauxhall didn’t make the conversion – they were actually sent to Milbrook, which fitted two different systems on the Combo van, making it difficult to direct you to the exact location of the sender unit. However, looking around the LPG tank, it should be easily visible.

If no problems are found with the electrical connections, I would advise asking an LPG specialist to check the gauge operation. Replacing the sender would require the tank to be drained and any leaks from the seal could have very serious consequences.