Ok I've been having fuel gauge issues. It will read 1/4 at times and full at others and bounce around. It's horribly random. I removed the sender wire and grounded it-gauge went to full. I rmoved it all togehter-gauge went to 1/4. So I put a new end on the wire and its reading full then next time I start it the guage is all over the place. So I was thinking about either replacing the sender and getting a gauge from summit. Question is do they offer an aftermarket gauge to work with this factory gauge or is there another option?
Fuel gauge inop
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Joined
·
26,974 Posts
You may have a loose cnnection between the gauge and the end of the sender wire or a bad connection on the power wire to the gauge.
at the gauge.
Joined
·
4,685 Posts
The original and replacement sending units are o-30 ohm. Any 30 ohm gauge should work. Jim
Joined
·
26,974 Posts
"I removed the sender wire and grounded it-gauge went to full."
The gauge should go to EMPTY when you ground the sender wire. An open in the wiring will cause it to go to full. I would test the gauge before replaceing it. Ground the brown wire at the rear harness plug near the drivers kick panel. The gauge should go to empty. If it doesn't go to empty, ground the brown wire at the gauge.
I may be saying it backwards of what happened. I know one way it went full and the other it went to 1/4 not empty wich makes me think the gauge is toast.
Joined
·
167 Posts
could be the gauge could be the sender sounds to me like the gauge.
Joined
·
56,056 Posts
Think you should check it again and let us know positively what it did when.....No way to troubleshoot it without knowing :confused0006:
Joined
·
26,974 Posts
A bad connection in the wiring can cause it to go to 1/4 instead of empty. The gauge HAS to sense zero ohms to go to empty. GROUND the gauge at the gauge terminal. If it still goes to 1/4, the gauge is toast.
Joined
·
28 Posts
Just saw this thread and I am also having the same issue with the guage pegging at full with key on and empty when wire off. So does this mean that the sending unit is good or bad? do I need to ground the tank better? the guage was working fine prior to converting over to an alternator.
Any help is very much appreciated.:wavey:
Ruben
Any help is very much appreciated.:wavey:
Ruben
Joined
·
56,056 Posts
Ruben...Follow these troubleshooting procedures from ECC....Takes the guess work out of the situation....See link:http://www.eastcoastchevy.com/X6tech/tech_gas.html
Gauge pegs itself to the right, above full, some possibilities are:
1. Brown wire is off back of gauge.
2. Poor connection at underdash to tail lamp harness plug.
3. Brown wire is broken between gauge and sending unit.
4. Brown wire is off of the sending unit.
5. Bad tank to body ground.
6. Sending unit is bad.
Gauge pegs itself to the right, above full, some possibilities are:
1. Brown wire is off back of gauge.
2. Poor connection at underdash to tail lamp harness plug.
3. Brown wire is broken between gauge and sending unit.
4. Brown wire is off of the sending unit.
5. Bad tank to body ground.
6. Sending unit is bad.
Joined
·
3,056 Posts
#4 and #5 in the above list are well worth investigating. It is amazing that many gauge problems can be solved by replacing the fitting on the sender wires and grounding the gas tank to the frame.
Chances are your gauge is ok but the sender is bad and the wire, and/or some of the wire it self and the connectors have corrosion on them. After all, the wiring has been exposed to the elements for 50+ yrs and the fuel sending unit/float has been in the fuel tank as long and my bet is it is completely rusted and corroded.
My car was that way and so is my buddies car now. His fuel gauge started reading erratically, we are in the process of removing his tank and as soon as he receives his new sender and float we will reinstall the tank.
Follow the guidelines from East Coast it can save you a bunch of headaches and frustration.
FWIW...been there, done that.
Chances are your gauge is ok but the sender is bad and the wire, and/or some of the wire it self and the connectors have corrosion on them. After all, the wiring has been exposed to the elements for 50+ yrs and the fuel sending unit/float has been in the fuel tank as long and my bet is it is completely rusted and corroded.
My car was that way and so is my buddies car now. His fuel gauge started reading erratically, we are in the process of removing his tank and as soon as he receives his new sender and float we will reinstall the tank.
Follow the guidelines from East Coast it can save you a bunch of headaches and frustration.
FWIW...been there, done that.
Joined
·
28 Posts
:happy0030:Hey guys thanks for the tip. Added a ground as suggested by acardon by attaching a wire, bare on one end and attaching it onto the fuel line by using small hose clamp and the other end going to the body. With key on no longer goes to full goes to about half which seems to be the amount of gas in the tank. :happy0030:
Now on to the temp guage :dogrun:
Ruben
Now on to the temp guage :dogrun:
Ruben
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
