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Need some advice on where to look next for my gas gauge issue.
So far, I've replaced the sender, bench tested the gauge, and cleaned all of the contacts.
I can only get about 3/4 full when I fill it up, and as soon as it goes a little below 1/2 tank, it reads nearly empty.
The reserve light is not illuminated either. Is there a ground I should be cleaning?? I cant find where the wires from sender go as they are under the trunk floor.
Or remove the level sender from the fuel tank, and put an ohmmeter across two of the three pins until you find a resistance reading less than 100 ohms. then flip the sender upside down, and report back with the range of ohms that you record with the level sender right side up vs. Upside down.
Since my sender is brand new from Roger, I opted to leave it in and just short the gauge.
It only reads 3/4 full.
When I bench tested the entire with the ribbon intact, it pegged all the way to full.. Are there any common areas between the sender and cluster that I should check?
Kevin, I guess I could do as you suggest by pushing the needle with a full tank but I literally just put the pod back in the car this week and hate to go that route again. The plastics are quite brittle and its a matter of what I will break next.
When I bench tested the entire with the ribbon intact, it pegged all the way to full.. Are there any common areas between the sender and cluster that I should check?
That sounds like you have excess resistance in the wiring between the gauge and the connector to the sender.
I would start by locating the wires where they come into the CE panel, or where they leave it, and try shorting them there.
If the gauge shows full at that point, the extra resistance is downstream toward the sender, but if it is still reading low, the issue is toward the gauges.
That sounds like you have excess resistance in the wiring between the gauge and the connector to the sender.
I would start by locating the wires where they come into the CE panel, or where they leave it, and try shorting them there.
If the gauge shows full at that point, the extra resistance is downstream toward the sender, but if it is still reading low, the issue is toward the gauges.
^^^^^This!^^^^^
Since the gauge works perfect at the dash, "bending" won't help the accuracy through the entire range. Isolate the problem and repair, before "rigging" it.
Many, many years ago I had changed the sender, cleaned grounds/connections and had the same issue on my '88. I ended up moving the needle up because people were saying "needle droop" and all that jazz. Once I changed out the circuit foil my gauge now reads wrong in the other direction, the exact amount I moved my needle. My old foil looked good also. Now the low fuel light comes on at the 1/4 reading and full is above the full mark. Next time I have it back out I plan on moving the needle back to where it was before hand and it will read properly.
Each time I've replaced the foils on customers cars due to this or other issues the gauges works as they should.
That sounds like you have excess resistance in the wiring between the gauge and the connector to the sender.
I would start by locating the wires where they come into the CE panel, or where they leave it, and try shorting them there.
If the gauge shows full at that point, the extra resistance is downstream toward the sender, but if it is still reading low, the issue is toward the gauges.
Do you have the wiring diagram for your year? The brown wire at the sender is grounded in the trunk, so the next test you could try is grounding the other wire to a known good ground and then you know it’s a bad ground wire if the gauge pegs full. If this still doesn’t show a full tank then as above check at the CE panel next.
Many, many years ago I had changed the sender, cleaned grounds/connections and had the same issue on my '88. I ended up moving the needle up because people were saying "needle droop" and all that jazz. Once I changed out the circuit foil my gauge now reads wrong in the other direction, the exact amount I moved my needle. My old foil looked good also. Now the low fuel light comes on at the 1/4 reading and full is above the full mark. Next time I have it back out I plan on moving the needle back to where it was before hand and it will read properly.
Each time I've replaced the foils on customers cars due to this or other issues the gauges works as they should.
Hi Sean, Ok you sold me.. I'll go this route. I'm not big into "rigging" stuff. Want it to work as designed.
Originally Posted by gazfish
Do you have the wiring diagram for your year? The brown wire at the sender is grounded in the trunk, so the next test you could try is grounding the other wire to a known good ground and then you know it’s a bad ground wire if the gauge pegs full. If this still doesn’t show a full tank then as above check at the CE panel next.
I have some. Will try this while I wait for the part and time to pull pod. Thank you.
08-29-2019, 11:02 AM
Still have nagging gas gauge issue
