Fuel Gauge Issues!

[DSMKilla]

I am having some fuel gauge issues with my 2002 Z06. I have roughly a half a tank in the car and my gauge is reading empty, my check gauges light is on and my panel display is reading 0 miles range left etc.

Is the fuel sender probably bad or is there something else I can check?

Thanks in advance!

[GaryZ06]

They are notorious for having bad senders.Sulfer does something to the sender.In my 2001 Z06 I replaced them about 6-7 times:brick:

[DSMKilla]

They are notorious for having bad senders.Sulfer does something to the sender.In my 2001 Z06 I replaced them about 6-7 times:brick:

Yeah I been hearing this about them as well. Just wanted to verify that there isn't anything else that it could be.

Do our cars only have one fuel sender or is there one in each tank? Also if there is only one sender which tank is it in? The driver or passenger side?

[GaryZ06]

One in each tank

[DSMKilla]

One in each tank

Hmmm so how would one know which sender would be bad? Gotta take them both out and test them?

[MarkP]

There are a couple service bulletins on this issue:

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/question.php?qstId=243

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/question.php?qstId=246

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/question.php?qstId=483

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/question.php?qstId=254

[Quicksilver Vert]

Before you remove the fuel senders,try adding some Techron fuel system cleaner just before your next fuel fill up.One bottle treats 12 gallons of gas.Use enough to treat 18 gallons,which is the C5 fuel capacity.

Many C5 owners,including myself,have had good results using Techron to clean the deposits that form on the fuel senders.I add it to the gas each year before winter storage,and have had no problems with the fuel gauge yet. Good Luck!

[mph1972]

Before you go spending a bunch of money on the sending unit swap, try this. Buy a couple of bottles of SEA FOAM (most auto parts stores carry it - $6.99/bottle - white with red writing on it, very plain). Go to a gas station that has top teir gasoline - CHEVRON, SHELL, 76, PHILLIPS 66 are a few. Pour the entire bottle into the tank and then pump it up. Do this one or two more tanks and it should clean the sending unit up a bit. This worked for me when my car did this about 11 months ago and I have never had a problem since. I also run a bottle about once a month.

Here is a link to top teir:

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

Here is a email I got from SEA FOAM:

Believe what you read in our literature and on the www.saefoamsales.com web site, it is truthful knowledge backed up by 66 years of customer satisfaction. Sea Foam, Trans Tune & Deep Creep are 100% petroleum oil blended product! NO CHEMICALS, so there is no danger of damage.

The number one use of Sea Foam Motor Treatment is in a fuel, be it gasoline (any brand or grade), gas/oil mix for 2 cycle applications, or diesel fuel.

Sea Foam used 1 - 16 ounce can to a minimum of about 8 gallons fuel, or a maximum of 25 gallons of fuel, is by design an added upper cylinder lubricant, moisture drier, carbon cleaner, fuel system residue cleaner, and fuel stabilizer (for up to 2 years at one ounce per gallon in most applications).

Other every day uses of Sea Foam Motor Treatment include:

1. In the crankcase oil ( including SYNTHETIC) as a pre cleaner to doing LOF service, an after LOF service additive, and a problem solver (or diagnostic tool) for other oil residue related crankcase system problems including sticky rings, lifters, etc.
Use at 1 1/2 ounces Sea Foam to each quart of crankcase oil, and give it a minimum of 30 minutes normal driving time before an LOF service or as a problem solver/diagnostic tool. Sea Foam works at making old oil residue back into liquid, so it may flow and be filtered. As an after service additive, Sea Foam works to liquefy that really tuff oil residue, and helps your oil keep from forming residue.
Like any other hi detergent oil product, Sea Foam may make your fresh oil get dirty, faster than normal, so monitor your oil for color and clarity at either mileage or time intervals, and change your oil when it gets dirty!

2. As an upper cylinder carbon cleaner, putting Sea Foam Motor Treatment in your fuel system will clean carbon off valves, cylinder heads, and pistons, AS YOU DRIVE! How long it takes will depend on how much carbon is present, how much product you use in your fuel, and your driving habits.

SO:

Sea Foam is used as an upper cylinder carbon cleaner by professional technicians who need "instant results" and also need to solve drivability problems that are carbon related. Simple to use on most vehicles, Sea Foam Motor Treatment can be used in conjunction with commercially available professional equipment designed for this service work, and can also be used by the "technically knowledgeable" DIY'er without special equipment. A thorough knowledge of the vehicle/engine induction system is required for using on EFI, TBI, and other "non traditional" induction systems.
Sea Foam Motor treatment is also used by professional technicians in equipment designed to clean fuel injectors at a 50/50 ratio gasoline to Sea Foam.

As for the other uses of Sea Foam Products:

Sea Foam offers its Motor Treatment in a spray can called DEEP CREEP, for ease of use in safely cleaning throttle bodies and EFI air inlets using a NON CHEMICAL, and in places where a spray might work easier/better than the Sea Foam Motor Treatment liquid. (small engines, side or updraft carbs, lubricating, cleaning, penetrating)

Sea Foam also offers TRANS TUNE for use in any hydraulic OIL, as a residue cleaner and moisture drier. Such systems include power steering, automatic transmissions, pump/plow assemblies, log splitter, etc. Again, 100% petroleum oil blended, TRANS TUNE is not a stop leak, but a cleaner and moisture drier.

Sea Foam also offers BUGS B GONE, a water based soap product for cleaning anything organic off any surface.
Bugs, molds, mildew, dirt, light oils, brake dust, road grime, etc. SAFE, it won't take the wax off your car! Use as directed, be creative, as a carpet/upholstery cleaner it can't be beat!

Hope this all helps!

Customer Service

Try it and I hope it helps,

Micah:cheers:

[clafrance]

I am having some fuel gauge issues with my 2002 Z06. I have roughly a half a tank in the car and my gauge is reading empty, my check gauges light is on and my panel display is reading 0 miles range left etc.

Is the fuel sender probably bad or is there something else I can check?

Thanks in advance!

Visit Corvetteforum.com and do a search on "Techron Fix" Its common and using top tier gas combined with Techron additive solves 95% of the problems.