Need to fix my fuel gauge

[5150]

Hey guys,

Looking for some help on fixing my fuel gauge. I'm getting tired of not knowing how much gas I have in the tank when I drive my truck in to town for an errand. The gauge just sits at about 1/8 of a tank whether the ignition is on or not. I took the tank out to put down the sound deadener but I didn't change anythingelse.

Any ideas on how to get it to work?

[LUV2XCLR8]

So it was working before hand? Could the float be stuck / jammed

[5150]

It was working before. I remeber getting about $20 in gas before I dropped it off at the guys house here locally that took it down to the school.

[LUV2XCLR8]

The cheapest things are what I would try first, get ya a hammer and a flat
head screwdriver and tap the tank keeper ring around till it pops out, then
if you didn't already, pop of the wire, and remove the sending unit to see if
it's damaged, floats stuck, etc... Have you tested the fuse box for power?

[BubbaGreen]

If you take the wire off the terminal at the fuel level sender on the tank...and hold that to ground.....the gauge should read empty....
90ohms is FULL. Go to radioshack and get 100 ohm resistor and touch one end of the resistor to ground and the other end to the wire for the gauge.
If your gauge response is correct, then replace the sender. If the gauge is still stuck, then the wire maybe shorted somewhere or the connection(s) at the gauge panel and/or the back of the gauge panel may be bad.

[al's71gmc]

My son just replaced some fuses in his the other day and viola, his gas gauge works. It was reading about the same as yours.

[GMan69]

Bryan,
I had the EXACT same problem. Guage was stuck in the same spot. The fix???? Fuse.

[5150]

I didn't think there was a fuse. I thought there was just the male plug in at the top of the fuse box. I'll check that.

[5150]

Okay, not getting power where the wire plugs into the fuse box that's says fuel gauge.

Next?

[garold99]

I'm having the same problem. I dont think mine has a fuse either.

[5150]

ttt

[Blazerb61]

pop the fuse box off and see if the wire to the fuel guage plug is still connected if not reconnect it that should restore power to that plug

[byrd]

I hate to keep saying their name, but fix-a-gauge.com sells new resistors for about $8-10 a piece. That may be the problem and for the cost of the resistor and cheap and easy way to make sure the gauge is working and more important properly. I replace the ones in my personal dash that is not in my truck much(usually out for testing other I'm working on), but I imediately noticed that my temp gauge was much more responsive and working considerbly better and more accurately than with the factory 35 year old resistor. I didn't really notice much of difference on my fuel gauge,but for the cost and piece of mind to me it is well worth it. my .02 and good luck with solving your problem. Randy

[Putter]

Originally Posted by GMan69

Bryan,
I had the EXACT same problem. Guage was stuck in the same spot. The fix???? Fuse.

What GMan is saying is:
There is a fuse that powers the cluster....it is labled CLSTR FEED on the fuse panel. The fuel gauge gets it power from there. If that fuse is out, then the gauge won't work.
Take the fuse out to check it, just in case it is rusty where it makes contact with the fuse holder.
GMans was blown, but didn't look like it until we pulled it out.
Just my $0.02.

[5150]

I'll check it Putter, thanks

Bryan

[garold99]

Anyone got a pic of this. I dont think I have a fuse and my gauge used to work till I loaned the truck to my sis and bro in law for a couple weeks. When I got it back the gauge wasnt working, checked fuse but couldnt find one.

[garold99]

Found this fuse box pic posted by Krue. I didnt want to copy and paste without asking, so I'll just post the link, its quicker. Looking at the picture, I still dont see a fuse.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...highlight=fuse

[Old Yeller 1970]

I just went through something like this with my fuel tank sender today. In my case it was a bad sender so I have another one on order.
Try this before you pull anything apart. Unplug the fuel sender wire from the fuse pannel. Switch the ignition key on. If the gauge swings all the way past full you probably have a bad fuel sender. You can also disconnect the wire at the fuel sender and get the same results. If the gauge doesn't move the problem is somewhere else.

[70rs/ss]

I just swapped my guage from a truck that has a working fuel guage and it works, so I am thinking mine is the resistor. I have heard that NAPA or craquest has these resistors as well. I had two fuel guages so I was able to do that diagnostic, hope that helps.

[5150]

Well, I replaced the cluster feed fuse and no luck. Pulled the wire off the the tank and the gauge didn't move. Where are the resistors located?

[pjmoreland]

There are two terminals on the back of the fuel gauge. With your ignition on, check to see if you have 12 volts on the terminal that is closest to the center of your gauge panel.

[byrd]

There is only one resistor on the back between the two upper studs, should be piece of porcelian(sp) or a mseh type material wire a thin wire coiled around it.

[5150]

Okay finally got around to getting to this today.

I did pull the cluster out checked the terminal on the back of the fuel gauge that is closest to the center. It has NO power, well my tester did not light up.

Could it still be the resistor?

[byrd]

If you do not have power on the side you are referring too, which leaves the fuel gauge and ties into the lights for the dash on the printed circuit and ten on down to the right/center stud on the temp gauge correct? You should have 12 volts there, Is there any visible damage to the printed circuit? If no then you have a wiring issue that is not in the dash itself,but the truck harness, and on that side of it I can't help. The dashes I fool with almost everyday, but not the wiring harness itself. Randy

[5150]

Well, if it helps I do not have any dash lights. They come on for a second and then go off SOMETIMES, but most of the time they are just off.