Fuel gauge fixed!!

[jhow66]

Been working on brother-law's 72-gas gauge only showed 1/4 tank when full-done the usual checks (disconnected the wire at tank-hand went to full-grounded wire-it went to empty-gauge checked good--right?) Removed and checked sender--only 42 ohms at full-bad sender-right? Had Tim send me a new one--it showed 38 ohms-Tim said bring it back-I did-another new one showed 38 ohms-bad also-right? "WRONG"---Come to find out I had been useing the wrong mark on my meter --needless to say they all checked right-1ohm to 90+ ohms (sorry for the trouble Tim.) Back to the drawing board--Took a gas gauge out of another dash--it only showed 1/4 with new or old sender hooked to it .Done a google search and came up with this--www.fix-a-gauge.com--checked the shunt on old gauge-nothing--cleaned contact-checked 82.5 ohms--replaced and checked old gauge again --worked perfect--sender on empty-gauge on empty-sender on full-gauge on full etc. Crawled under dash and removed the shunt from gauge-cleaned contacts--nothing-open circuit--replaced it with one out of old gauge--HOORAY it works. You can buy the new shunts for $7.95 (the white ceramic gizzmo on back of gauge). Sorry to so long but this may help someone else-could save buying a gauge. (Also wanted to tell on myself before Tim did ) Just kidding Tim.

[Tim Christian]

Hey Howard, I am glad you found the problem. Jody said you all was checking the new ones at the store. But now I would never tell no one! LOL Thanks Tim

[grebus1]

What was the gauge originally doing? Did it go to 1/4 when full and then the needle would not drop until the tank got below 1/4? Or did it go from 1/4 to empty gradually as the tank emptied?

The reason I ask is I have the 2nd condition and the fix-a-gauge website says the fix is for gauges displaying the 1st condition. I'd like to be able to just do the fix-a-gauge, but mine might be from a different cause.

[jhow66]

Yes to the 1st question.