Another Gas Gauge Issue...

[crustysarge]

Mine was working fine until a few weeks ago, I was convinced someome siphoned my gas as the little Romanian gypsy hoodlums have been hanging around our area.

I read through several posts and some were conflicting. Here is my scenario:

Gauge worked intermittently and now stays around 1/4.

When I pull the sender wire at the tank it goes to 3 o'clock position.

When I put the wire to ground it goes to empty.

I checked the wire at the tank with my 12V troubleshooter light and it glows dim at the tank, normal? It also glows at fuse box connection.

OK, what is the problem, sender, resistor, guage????

[70c10]

I had a truck once that had a pinhole in the float that stayed on 1/4. Pull the float out and test it. Easy to do.

[Mechdawg]

I had the same problem with a hole in my float. In my case I tried to order a replacement float but it was totally wrong so I took the original float down to a radiator repair shop and had the guy there re-solder the float for me worked great after that.

[mac]

If you have gas in a float an easy way to get it out is drilling 2 #50 holes opposite each other at the solder seam. Wrap your lips around it and blow the gas out of the other hole held so its down. The tiny hole can be soldered with a solder pencil and some rosin core solder, NOT ACID CORE or epoxied. Once the holes are covered spray the float with some clear laquer, which is impervious to fuel for a seal coat and put it back in. Works great on carb floats too.It'll never leak again.

[jhow66]

Just change the little resistor on back of gauge.
www.fix-a-gauge.com

[byrd]

If it is not the float it will be the resistor as jhow66 said. I think it is the float, you checked the resistor and the gauge showing 3 o'clock when you pull the sending unit wire means it is good, showing infinite resistance(incomplete circuit)but if the resistor is bad you would get the same reaction when testing the sending unit(incomplete circuit). So it could go either way. my .02 Randy

[qksilver]

I had the same problem, those pesky gypsy people. I had to put up with it though, because I am Hungarian and Romanian.
Istvan Kovach de Ujvaros

[Olden Days]

"pulling sender wire with key in on position makes gauge read way past full". This is normal.
"grounding sending wire with key on causes gauge to read empty". This also is normal for your gauge.
working intermittenly up this point does not sound like a float problem. floats get full of gas and stay full, they dont empty themselves out and start floating again
The problem is your sending unit or your sender stopped making good ground contact.

[crustysarge]

I will try and pull the sender unit out this weekend if no rain.

qksilver, nothing against Romanians, just these roamers that visit. Crime goes up when they are around. Last week three teens were arrested for two car thefts after they wrecked one of them. I live in a small community area with little crime so they go noticed if you know what I mean. Italy is going through massive immigration issues and seems like the ones coming in are the bad ones. Wife's bicycle was stolen out of the front yard, coincidence these teens are housed not far from here and walk my street often, probably in Bucharest now...

Sorry. don't mean to get off track.

[crustysarge]

Warm today, went for a drive, it started working.... I'm not touching it now...

[crustysarge]

Just a follow up, finally pulled the seat and yanked the float, had a crack and was full of gas.