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  1. #1
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    Fuel gauge question

    Hey I was wondering if it's common for a fuel gauge to go bad. For some reason mine stopped working. Not sure what it is it seemed fine before. I checked the wiring and it all looks good. What else could it be? Any suggestions would be awesome.


    Thanks again

  2. #2
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    There is sometimes an easy fix. Sulfer buildup from the fuel can result in a non-functional or erratic sender. Run a bottle of Chevron Techron Fuel System Cleaner through the car. Be sure to follow the instructions and add it to 12 gallons and then run the tank down before re-fueling. It sometimes takes two (2) treatments to see results. If that doesn't work then you probably have another issue.

  3. #3
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    So you think it's just something to do with the sender unit? Hmmm Yea I can give it a shot have nothing to lose I guess. Weird thing is it was working fine and now all of the sudden it's not.... strange... Anyway thanks for the input Jeff

  4. #4
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    Ok one more quick question Jeff, if I run fuel cleaner through and it doesn't help what else should I check?

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    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 02silverbird View Post
    Ok one more quick question Jeff, if I run fuel cleaner through and it doesn't help what else should I check?
    I have the factory manuals for '02 and can PM you the pinpoint tests.

  6. #6
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
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    another thing you can do is take the dust shield off of the tank and knock the piss out of the tank with a rubber mallet.

    If you want to properly diagnose it though you can either confirm or rule out the sender in about 10 minutes. Above the axle on the drivers side the harness comes out of the tank and there's a plug. Ohm out the purple wires with an ohm meter. 40ohms is empty and 259ohms is full. If you know you have gas in there and it's saying you're empty then you know it's a sender issue and not a gauge or wiring issue.

  7. #7
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    ^^ I take it you have had sender issues?

  8. #8
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pajeff02 View Post
    ^^ I take it you have had sender issues?
    nope.....I'm just that good.

  9. #9
    Member Eganslp's Avatar
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    sry I font mean to "butt- in" or thread jacking but I figured it was related to the same problem I'm having. Here's what the my code's saying Attachment 20347

    how do i go about fixing this? bc I don't know what to do. My gauge works but then stops. What i mean is that sometimes the needle drops to empty whether I'm full or half full or whatever it just drops and then that code pops up. it not stopping the car or anything like that it has actually been doing this since last summer to me but I figured f' it I'll just wait till the pump dies. But it will not die. It's just is reading my fuel incorrectly. I'm not trying to end up stick on the road bc of no fuel. I've been lucky so far. If I don't rem. how many miles I put on the car since I last filled it and don't calculate it right, I'd be f'd. So is there something I could do to fix this without buying a whole new pump. -Thx & Sry for the thread jack!!! (op)
    The sound of your piss hitting the urinal.......yea it sounds feminine!

  10. #10
    Member Eganslp's Avatar
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    Sunset metallic orange
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    Sry picture didnt show this be it here.

  11. #11
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
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    although the sender is on the pump module the sender failing doesn't necessarily mean your pump is about to fail. I would guess you either have a short or a failing sender ( most likely the latter). You can read here and it may give you some direction on trouble shooting it. Try to catch it when it does it and ohm it out at the plug back there and see what the sender is actually saying is in the tank. Might at least point you in a direction.
    http://www.gearchatter.com/viewtopic8698.php

  12. #12
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    i am in the middle of a fuel pump install and i have been having problems with my fuel gauge too.....the main problem after the sender being dirty is there is alot of slop between the arm and the rheostat.....you could buy a new 1 but i would bet the same slop is still in there.......i saw a few vids on u tube about the problem......i decided to try to bend the delicate arms on the rheostat.....ended up making a mess of things....finally pulled the the thing apart....rebent the arms and put it back together.....the arms now make contact in any position.......have not put my tank back in yet so i cant say how well it works yet

  13. #13
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    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKWNOmyuds4[/ame]

  14. #14
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    the above vid shows the problem....but i did not shave down the brass bushing.....i simply use a little more force when i reinstalled it....that cut down on some on the slop...and after a little arm bending there is always contact on the circuit board with the arms

  15. #15
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sjsingle1 View Post
    i am in the middle of a fuel pump install and i have been having problems with my fuel gauge too.....the main problem after the sender being dirty is there is alot of slop between the arm and the rheostat.....you could buy a new 1 but i would bet the same slop is still in there.......i saw a few vids on u tube about the problem......i decided to try to bend the delicate arms on the rheostat.....ended up making a mess of things....finally pulled the the thing apart....rebent the arms and put it back together.....the arms now make contact in any position.......have not put my tank back in yet so i cant say how well it works yet
    ohm it out before putting it back together.

  16. #16
    Member Eganslp's Avatar
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    Sunset metallic orange
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    hey guys I found this hope it helps. it sure did for me an I'm probably going to tackle this project this weekend

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37h9xjRdKn0&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

    ALSO,
    how to make trap door to get to it without dropping your gas tank all the time
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_rmWLI4Lbs&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

    Part 2
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb0PXiD5RNQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]


    hope this helps guys!!! thanks Orion and Jeff for your help as well. Jeff if it wasn't for you showing me that V
    id I wouldn't have come across the other ones

  17. #17
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    OH no I'm sorry I should have worded this post different. OK this is my problem... I have a Autometer fuel pressure gauge. It was working just fine but I noticed the other day that it wasn't moving. Right now it stays on 30psi. When you first turn the car on the needle would move but now doesn't do anything. Even when the car is running and I am giving it gas it still stays on 30psi. What I'm wondering is if it is possible if the gauge is bad or maybe I'm not checking something right... Any info on this would be great again sorry about the post being confusing

  18. #18
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
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    yeah...that would've been useful information to have originally.

    Is your gauge in the end of your fuel rail? Might be a stupid question but have you thumped the gauge to see if it's just stuck?

  19. #19
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    LOL yea I know man my bad... But yea I taped it a few times. I'm wondering if it may be a bad sender... Because all it does is stays on 30psi all the time.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by 02silverbird View Post
    LOL yea I know man my bad... But yea I taped it a few times. I'm wondering if it may be a bad sender... Because all it does is stays on 30psi all the time.
    that would probably be my best guess....

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