Fuel Gauge Sender bad ?

[ckillerh3]

Howdy folks . . my fuel gauge is pegged "full". When I swap the leads at the sender itself, it is pegged "empty". I'm thinking the fuel gauge is bad. Is that an incorrect assumption? I don't want to buy one ($$) and find that is not the root cause of the problem.

[bobs19692L]

I had the same problem, and change the wires under the dash sending unit first, but my wires on the gas tank sending unit in the truck were wrong also try that and see if that corrects the problem.

Bob

[redroadster]

Test with an ohm meter with moving the arm

[MattC]

Agreed. I would say if the gauge shows a reading (whether right or wrong) it is probably fine. I would look at the sender for your issue.

[Curtis]

Pop the tank inspection plate in the trunk off. At the tank disconnect the two terminals. Put about a 45 ohm resistor between the two terminals. If it is the sender unit then the resistor will make it read around half plus or minus. Does your temp gauge read correct? If not then the gauge voltage regulator could be a problem.

[ckillerh3]

Hi Curtis . . I'll give the resistor trick a try and report back. No Radio Shack near by anymore so need to find a place to get a resistor?? My temp gauge does not work . . . I put in a separate temp gauge a long time ago. The fuel gauge worked fine until I replaced the fuel tank last month so figured I broke the sender while I was taking it in / out of the old tank and putting it in the new one.

[Curtis]

One of the guys here has fixed the senders. Radio Shack, my age is showing. They had a decent amount of stuff at one time. Frys went bye bye too.