Funny Acting Fuel Gauge

**Blue99ls1** · 05-09-2009, 09:10 PM

I have a 99 Z28 Camaro. Last summer I was sitting in line at my bros school waiting to pick him up and I had just Filled up with Gas. The Gauge was fine when i left the station. When i was sitting in line it just went to empty and the check gauges light came on. I got it home and let it sit and it went off and never did it again untill this summer. The other day to be exact. Now i can be driving and it goes to empty. Its not a everyday thing but when it does it it will do it a couple times. Going from Full or however much fuel to empty and the light comes on. Then Back to the correct amount and its fine.

What could be the problem I need somewhere to start. Somebody said to start with the chevron fuel system cleaner and see if its sulfer or something on the fuel sender. What do you guyz think.

**0rion** · 05-09-2009, 11:37 PM

I would probably start by trying to catch it when it does it and ohm out the sender coming out of the tank to see if it's in the sender or if it's in the gauges. The purple wires coming out of the tank are the sender wires and the ohms are 40-259. I would have to dig up the wiring and pin info but you can also ohm it at the pcm too.

**Cutlass** · 05-10-2009, 05:41 AM

It sounds like a bad fuel level sender to me.

**Blue99ls1** · 05-10-2009, 07:57 AM

yea thats what I was dreading hearing. Does anybody know if the universal one will work in our cars cause I hate paying the 364 dollers for the one from GM and whats a good pump I might as well replace it to since its a 99 cause my luck i will get the tank back in and the fuel pump will go out. lol

what about this one is it the right one. They are like 30 mins from me so I could go pick it.
http://http://www.hawksthirdgenparts...ngunitnew.aspx

**0rion** · 05-10-2009, 10:57 AM

that link wouldn't work for me. I would personally do (and did) a racetronix kit. The problem is that kit doesn't replace the sender. Verify it is your sender before tearing into it but it seems like an obvious thing to look at. The only way the universal senders will work is if they operate on 40-259 ohms which most don't. Most GM senders are 0-90 ohms.

**Cutlass** · 05-10-2009, 11:12 AM

You can usually just get the fuel level sensor card from GM, seperate from the whole fuel pump sender unit...and its alot cheaper.

**0rion** · 05-10-2009, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

You can usually just get the fuel level sensor card from GM, seperate from the whole fuel pump sender unit...and its alot cheaper.

that would be the way to go then...... I would do that sender and put a racetronix pump in. Actually, I would first try to catch it acting up and ohm it out to make sure it's the sender. What I did was take a couple of small wires and strip the ends. I then put one end of each in the female connector on the purple wires and then plugged the connector back in. Just an easy way of making a pig tail without having to cut and splice wires. I then put my ohm meter across the other ends of those wires to read the ohms. Might not be the proper way to do it but it worked for me.

**99RTA** · 05-10-2009, 02:46 PM

I have a used sender you can have for free....pm me your address.

**Blue99ls1** · 05-10-2009, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

You can usually just get the fuel level sensor card from GM, seperate from the whole fuel pump sender unit...and its alot cheaper.

Do you happen to know a part number or anything. I looked on gmpartsdirect.com and they only offer the sender as a whole.

**0rion** · 05-10-2009, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by 99RTA

I have a used sender you can have for free....pm me your address.

that's really nice of you.

**Blue99ls1** · 05-10-2009, 05:35 PM

That is awsome man!! Thanks alot I sent ya a Email it wouldnt let me pm ya!

**99RTA** · 05-11-2009, 03:36 AM

Yer welcome,I had my fuel pump changed 3 times and i always save the old parts. The senders are still good. I'll send it out this week.

**Blue99ls1** · 05-11-2009, 03:57 AM

cool thanks man

**99RTA** · 05-12-2009, 08:42 AM

Sent today,If i were you i'd search the forums for info on cutting a access hole to change the sender. Its a big job to drop the tank IMO. Good Luck

**Blue99ls1** · 05-12-2009, 11:54 AM

Yea thats what I was thinking about doing cause im not worried about the resale cause im not selling it. Its gonna be my playtoy when i get (cough if i ever) get my new one its only $43,000. lol and im only $42,999 away from getting it lol The Black 2SS with the orange stripes and orange interior and ground effects and the 20 inch black and chrome rims

Anybody know where to find the good article on doing this. I read one a while back but can seem to find it again.

**99RTA** · 05-13-2009, 03:38 PM

There is the sender new http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-F...1%7C240%3A1318

Here is the intank regulator too if anyone needs one
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FUEL-...1%7C240%3A1318

This is wild! here is the entire unit from Walboro for 20 bucks! INSANE http://www.fuelpumps.com/19992002-ch...mpi-p-434.html

**0rion** · 05-13-2009, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by 99RTA

There is the sender new http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-F...1%7C240%3A1318

Here is the intank regulator too if anyone needs one
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FUEL-...1%7C240%3A1318

This is wild! here is the entire unit from Walboro for 20 bucks! INSANE http://www.fuelpumps.com/19992002-ch...mpi-p-434.html

wow, that just doesn't seem possible. I wonder if that's a misprint or something. That's like $300 off retail. I'm going to shoot them an email and see if that's legit. If it is that's a great find.

**0rion** · 05-13-2009, 05:16 PM

I emailed them...I'm curious as to what they say. Might have to buy a couple at that price.

**99RTA** · 05-13-2009, 05:22 PM

Yeah it looks like a great deal BUT if you look close its not the factory bucket setup. Its actually just a Walboro pump stuck in a plastic housing without the venturi setup. Nothing wrong with it and i'll bet it works great. It reminds of the modded factory bucket if you install a walboro pump in it.

The factory bucket uses two filters, one inlet filter on the bucket with two one way valves and one filter at the pump inlet.Fuel can go in but it can't get back out. The factory pump also uses a seperate port to power the inlet venturi. This venturi actually pulls the fuel into the bucket through the sock because it creates a vacuum! I shit you not.....

The walboro setup above only uses one filter its actually attached to the pump inlet.

I think i'm going to buy one just to try the thing,ya never know it may be the shit! LOL

This might be the perfect thing to buy to stuff your biggest baddest aftermarket pump into. Betcha it fits right in.

Odd that site is not taking orders?????

**0rion** · 05-13-2009, 06:57 PM

yeah, that's how people used to mod their buckets if they weren't doing the racetronix set up. They'd just cut the bottom out of the stock bucket. I still wouldn't run that set up if I ran autox though. The tank itself doesn't have baffles so if the tank gets low so does the bucket on hard corners.