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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 134
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Sticking gas gauge remedy?
I have a stock, behind-the-seat gas tank. I'm having problems with the gas gauge sticking, usually registering full or near full. I've tried rocking the truck to break the float loose in the tank but that typically doesn't work. Filling the tank with gas won't dislodge it either. Any thoughts on something I could do to keep the float from sticking in the first place? My ideal is to mount an under bed tank, but that's a discussion for another post.
Thanks for any help. Regards, Adam |
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#2 |
Special Order
![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,859
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
It could be the wire for the gauge is grounded out.When that happens the guage goes to full.If it`s a hung up loat,take out the seat,then tank,and pull the assembly from the tank to inspect and go from there.
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"BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 134
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
I'm guessing it's a stuck float because sometimes it will unstick itself if I hit a bump or turn a corner and register accurately.
How big of a project is it to pull the tank? I've removed the seat before so that's not a big deal. Is it a fairly common thing to have the float stick with these types of tanks? |
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#4 |
Active Member
![]() Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area.
Posts: 7,947
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
As special-K mentioned, first check your wiring and make sure the gauge itself is working properly. Do a search on fuel gauge to see if you find some pointers there. There's been several posts on this site and articles on the net on how to check it to see if it's working properly.
If you haven't seen one before, the sending unit is basically a rheostat. A bunch of windings and the float contact extension moves on these windings. I've been able to clean them before but if they're badly worn or corroded then you just have to purchase a new one. I've replaced the sending unit without removing the tank before, but you have to use extreme caution. No static electricity, use non ferrous drift punch to remove the unit, make sure battery is disconnected, etc. If you decide to remove the tank: Remove all fuel from the tank, take the seat out, all the bolts and basically just remove the tank from there. I usually lube the grommet with petroleum jelly or similar and remove it first. |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 134
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
Thanks for the help. Sounds a little hairy...potentially. Guess I shouldn't be smoking a cigar while I do this?
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#6 | |
Active Member
![]() Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area.
Posts: 7,947
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
Quote:
![]() ![]() It's really not that hard. I have a brass drift punch that I use to tap around the retainer ring a little a time until it clears the small humps. If you suspect that it's bad -if it's the original there's a strong possibility -I'd order a new one before removing it. This way you won't have to do the work twice. |
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#7 |
accepting donations
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: houston tx
Posts: 521
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
I just replaced the oring and retainer ring last weekend. Nothing to really be worried about. You can remove the ring with a pair of channel locks but putting it back on will take a punch and hammer.
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1999 Yamaha roadstar 1600 chop. (in progress.) See my builds here>http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/nickrp_2006/ "Ya'll can go to hell, I'm going to Texas." David Crockett |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 134
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
The sending unit is a new one. My Dad was nice enough to replace it not long after I bought the truck (a couple years ago), but unfortunately I didn't get to be part of the "festivities". So I'm pretty sure it's just the float that's sticking. I figured based on the shape of the tank it gives the float opportunity to hang up at the top. If the gauge registers correctly and the tank gets to half full or below it will continue to read properly. Then when I fill up again I run about a 50/50 chance of the float hanging up at some time during the top quarter of the tank.
Bottom line, it seems I need to pull the unit out of the tank and see if anything is obviously awry. |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Sacramento California
Posts: 194
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
Tap on it, that what most airplane pilots do.
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69 sweet long fleet, David |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Delta, Ohio
Posts: 27
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
Tap on it? No real pilots just right it up and let MX figure it out. But, yeah, if it was my truck, I'd probably have to do the tappin myself.....Captain Willie
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#11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: hamilton,ohio,usa
Posts: 1,499
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
most of the time with these trucks its the float that has a hole in it or has just deteriorated from being 40+ years old.
Take it apart, its not that hard .
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Broken Back Club 72 Club GMC Club Panel truck Club 6 cylinder Club Unfinished Projects Club Outdoor Sportsmens Club Last edited by big blue 72; 02-08-2009 at 08:04 PM. |
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#12 |
Active Member
![]() Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area.
Posts: 7,947
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Re: Sticking gas gauge remedy?
My memory seems a little less hazy now... It was about 10 years ago and mine was a new one that came in defective. It would bind inside the tank. I wound up reordering from a different vendor cause I screwed up the first one trying to get it to work.
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