Fuel gauge giving odd readings.

[ashjones86]

Hope someone can help.

Today i filled the MG ZR MK1 for the first time since i have owned it, having only put in £15 here and there since i have had it, which is around 3 weeks now.
I filled the tank and i know it was full as the pump stopped filling and when i tried to do anymore there was a small splash back so stopped filling, when i started filling the tank was showing quarter full, so the tank took around £32 filling at 109pl from that point.
I got in the car and turned the engine on and the tank was only showing half full, but i thought nothing of it at that point and started driving at which point i noticed that the fuel gauge was fluctuating from half to quarter to empty to half....bouncing all around. (i know that taking bends at speed or going up or down hill can cause minor fluctuation) but we are talking it was all over the place even on steady runs....where as it never did this when the tank was only half full or quarter full when io was only putting in £15 here or there....again this is the first time i have filled the tank since owning the car.
When i got home and parked up on level ground, the fuel was still showing half way, so i turned off the car then just turned the ignition then the fuel gauge started climbing and went to the half way point between 3/4 and full (as shown in the picture)
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- however when i started driving again the same thing happened...needle was everywhere....but again when stopped and ignition turned the needle climbs again.....

What could this be ? fuel sender maybe ? i know the fuel gauges have a bad rep, but this is beyond, you wouldn't know how much fuel you have unless you park, turn off the engine then turn ignition and wait for the needle to settle.

again people have told me it may be fuel sender or the float has fuel in it and causing it to sink, or could it be the float sticking ? hope some fellow mg zr owners can help me.

[JOHNDQ]

Would think its the sender unit from past problems trouble is to check it its a tank out job

[ashjones86]

Just spoken to my brother in law who is a mechanic and he said the same thing, hes going to drop the tank for me in a week or so and check it out, he said we will replace it anyway as they are £20 on ebay but whilst the tank is dropped we can test the sender then anyway.