Fuel Gauge Troubles - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

dave2953 · 07-14-2007, 10:49 PM

I recently swapped my cluster and did the rewire following the directions on GMCPaul's website. Initially when I hooked it up I had the tan wire in location 4 and nothing happened. They gauge stayed on empty. In my infinite wisdom I swapped the tan wire for a brown wire. (I'm colorblind and though maybe the brown wire could be tan til my fiance got home and set me straight) After I hooked the brown wire up the guage pegged to the 5 o'clock position and won't move no matter what. How do I fix it??

BTW, I checked the sender wire from the tank for breaks and didn't find any.

1970shortbed · 07-15-2007, 12:15 AM

mine had trouble it would go to empty if i hooked the wire ( to the sending unit)and to full if i unhooked the wire

i know yours is ok but it was grounded out and that was causing the problem

dave2953 · 07-15-2007, 07:51 PM

ttt

dave2953 · 07-15-2007, 10:35 PM

bump

**WorkinLonghorn** · 07-16-2007, 01:47 AM

This won't be much help but assuming you actually have gas in the tank and that the sending unit was known to be good then what I did was test the tan wire (to the tank) end to end for conductivity. I've had one that LOOKED good but wasn't because it got kicked or pinched in the door sill or something. If that wire is good then if you ground it the gauge,if it's connected right will go to empty.If it does,then the connection at the sender was bad or the sender was bad. If it stays on full the you have to connect it correctly in the cluster. That's all I know.

dave2953 · 07-16-2007, 02:29 PM

I finally got the gauge working again. The sending unit tested good, so I replaced the sending unit wire and this made the guage go to "E". I then tried grounding the gauge itself and this fixed the problem. The brown wire I tried to use in place of the tan one has a full 12V and I think that fried the ground for the gauge, but I'm not certain. I ran the ground wire to the 3rd (lower) post on the gas gauge and this fixed it.

LOW DOUGH · 07-16-2007, 02:45 PM

I am going to have to check mine out. It always stays way over full. Every once in a blue moon the gauge works, maybe for 5 minutes or a day or two. So I bet the wire is bad. I always carried two gallons of gas with me so I new how far I could go to the next gas station. (Not Far)

dave2953 · 07-16-2007, 02:48 PM

Is it at the 3 or 4 o'clock position? I think that is due to the sending unit wire being bad. Have you checked the sending unit itself with a multimeter?

retodd7711 · 07-16-2007, 05:26 PM

How did you run the alternator wire? I am afraid to just start plugging in wires for fear of frying gauge. The FAQ says I need to make this wire, but how do I plug it into the gauge if I don't have the quick release pin connector?

dave2953 · 07-16-2007, 10:29 PM

I didn't attempt that yet. I wasn't certain what to do either. I thought about trying to call GMC Paul's and seeing if they could provide some help. Their "tips" page says to call if you need more info. I might just take them up on that. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

LOW DOUGH · 07-17-2007, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave2953

Is it at the 3 or 4 o'clock position? I think that is due to the sending unit wire being bad. Have you checked the sending unit itself with a multimeter?

I would say it is around 4 o'clock position. i haven't looked at it in awhile. Truck is not ready to drive so i don't pay atention to it and it is about 45 min. away. Out of the 7 or so years I have owned it' it worked maybe 3 or 4 times out of the blue.

LOW DOUGH · 07-17-2007, 12:51 PM

Oh, now i have the 69 tank and sending unit in the truck. I don't know what that one will do.

BB72CHEVKT · 07-18-2007, 03:00 PM

Anyone have pics of where the wire connects to the sending unit. I replaced the tank and am not sure where to reconnect. My guage stay at 3to5oclock.

dave2953 · 07-18-2007, 11:43 PM

Here you go. I also took one of where it plugs in just in case.

BB72CHEVKT · 07-19-2007, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave2953

Here you go. I also took one of where it plugs in just in case.

thanks a lot!!

07-14-2007, 10:49 PM	#1
dave2953 Dave's not here, man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winder, Georgia Posts: 2,000	Fuel Gauge Troubles I recently swapped my cluster and did the rewire following the directions on GMCPaul's website. Initially when I hooked it up I had the tan wire in location 4 and nothing happened. They gauge stayed on empty. In my infinite wisdom I swapped the tan wire for a brown wire. (I'm colorblind and though maybe the brown wire could be tan til my fiance got home and set me straight) After I hooked the brown wire up the guage pegged to the 5 o'clock position and won't move no matter what. How do I fix it?? BTW, I checked the sender wire from the tank for breaks and didn't find any. __________________ - 2014 VW Jetta - 2015 VW Jetta - 1966 Ford F-250

07-15-2007, 12:15 AM	#2
1970shortbed Active Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate new york Posts: 240	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles mine had trouble it would go to empty if i hooked the wire ( to the sending unit)and to full if i unhooked the wire i know yours is ok but it was grounded out and that was causing the problem

07-15-2007, 07:51 PM	#3
dave2953 Dave's not here, man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winder, Georgia Posts: 2,000	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles ttt __________________ - 2014 VW Jetta - 2015 VW Jetta - 1966 Ford F-250

07-15-2007, 10:35 PM	#4
dave2953 Dave's not here, man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winder, Georgia Posts: 2,000	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles bump __________________ - 2014 VW Jetta - 2015 VW Jetta - 1966 Ford F-250

07-16-2007, 01:47 AM	#5
WorkinLonghorn Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Studio City, Calif. Posts: 2,861	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles This won't be much help but assuming you actually have gas in the tank and that the sending unit was known to be good then what I did was test the tan wire (to the tank) end to end for conductivity. I've had one that LOOKED good but wasn't because it got kicked or pinched in the door sill or something. If that wire is good then if you ground it the gauge,if it's connected right will go to empty.If it does,then the connection at the sender was bad or the sender was bad. If it stays on full the you have to connect it correctly in the cluster. That's all I know. __________________ '69 GMC C2500 Custom Camper, 8 1/2' bed, New GM 350, NP 435 Close Ratio 4spd. Trans., 3.73 Dana-60 open.Camper and Trailer wiring, PS, PB, AC, tach , three gas tanks, 2nd owner, Work-Truck supreme. Best $300 I ever spent.

07-16-2007, 02:29 PM	#6
dave2953 Dave's not here, man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winder, Georgia Posts: 2,000	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles I finally got the gauge working again. The sending unit tested good, so I replaced the sending unit wire and this made the guage go to "E". I then tried grounding the gauge itself and this fixed the problem. The brown wire I tried to use in place of the tan one has a full 12V and I think that fried the ground for the gauge, but I'm not certain. I ran the ground wire to the 3rd (lower) post on the gas gauge and this fixed it. __________________ - 2014 VW Jetta - 2015 VW Jetta - 1966 Ford F-250

07-16-2007, 02:45 PM	#7
LOW DOUGH I'M TRUCK CRAZY! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sachse, TEXAS Posts: 1,737	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles I am going to have to check mine out. It always stays way over full. Every once in a blue moon the gauge works, maybe for 5 minutes or a day or two. So I bet the wire is bad. I always carried two gallons of gas with me so I new how far I could go to the next gas station. (Not Far)

07-16-2007, 02:48 PM	#8
dave2953 Dave's not here, man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winder, Georgia Posts: 2,000	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles Is it at the 3 or 4 o'clock position? I think that is due to the sending unit wire being bad. Have you checked the sending unit itself with a multimeter? __________________ - 2014 VW Jetta - 2015 VW Jetta - 1966 Ford F-250

07-16-2007, 05:26 PM	#9
retodd7711 chrome makes it go FASTER! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cleveland Tennessee Posts: 2,884	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles How did you run the alternator wire? I am afraid to just start plugging in wires for fear of frying gauge. The FAQ says I need to make this wire, but how do I plug it into the gauge if I don't have the quick release pin connector? Attached Images __________________ She can't cook and she won't clean. But she looks good in a skirt and she brings me beer. She can stay for now. EDIT:: But she left me anyway, So forget her. 1962 GMC Stepside V6 4 speed My rolling resto thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=324226 My old farm truck http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post3465005

07-16-2007, 10:29 PM	#10
dave2953 Dave's not here, man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winder, Georgia Posts: 2,000	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles I didn't attempt that yet. I wasn't certain what to do either. I thought about trying to call GMC Paul's and seeing if they could provide some help. Their "tips" page says to call if you need more info. I might just take them up on that. Sorry I couldn't be more help. __________________ - 2014 VW Jetta - 2015 VW Jetta - 1966 Ford F-250

07-17-2007, 12:51 PM	#12
LOW DOUGH I'M TRUCK CRAZY! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sachse, TEXAS Posts: 1,737	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles Oh, now i have the 69 tank and sending unit in the truck. I don't know what that one will do.

07-18-2007, 03:00 PM	#13
BB72CHEVKT Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Hideaway, TX Posts: 4,950	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles Anyone have pics of where the wire connects to the sending unit. I replaced the tank and am not sure where to reconnect. My guage stay at 3to5oclock. __________________ 71 Suburban 350/700R4 Project Trixie 72 CHEVY,Highlander,SWB,396,T400

07-18-2007, 11:43 PM	#14
dave2953 Dave's not here, man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winder, Georgia Posts: 2,000	Re: Fuel Gauge Troubles Here you go. I also took one of where it plugs in just in case. __________________ - 2014 VW Jetta - 2015 VW Jetta - 1966 Ford F-250 Last edited by dave2953; 07-18-2007 at 11:43 PM.



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