fuel level gauge help, always reads E

[1Gina2G]

Basically the previous owner had installed a new fuel pump, and the fuel level gauge never worked since I owned the car. Took me a while to notice, but it stays on E even though the tank is mostly full of new gas (93).

I took the fuel assembley out, connected the battery and re-pluged the 2 sensors at the fuel assembley, and moved the floater rod, with the ignition on and nothing was happening at all.

I've tested this with 2 different fuel assemblies and the same results, what could be my problem? I don't see any damaged wiring. Checked the drivers side siphon as well for damaged wiring. Not sure how I'd test the actual gauge as the stock gauges just plug into the dash..

 

[airmail96]

May need to get the shop manual or the Haynes and race the wires back to the guage or see if you can score a gauge.

 

[nfernotalon]

Hook up a different fuel gauge to it see if it works.

 

[dsmcurse]

I too once had that happen. Tried everything. As it turned out it was the gauge cluster its self.

 

[1Gina2G]

Isn't there a way to test the gauge by grounding a certain wire? Is there anything I can check?

 

[1Gina2G]

Okay so I ended up finding quite a few threads about this, learned a few things but I'm stumped on what the problem is. It looks like I have a worse case scenario right here: damaged / bad wiring.

The original fuel hanger assembley AS WELL as the fuel siphon assembley work perfectly fine and cheked out with the meter, and both completley replaced with newer assmblies, which also checked out. (changed out for different reasons)

but I've never had the fuel gauge work for me. Carefully installed both assemblies. With the ignition ON and moving the floater around slowly, in all postions, the gauge also never moved.

but I grounded the yellow wire at the siphon assmbley (drivers side) and sure enough, the fuel gauge slowly but surely started to fill up, but it stoped at about the %60-%65 full mark, is it supposed to fill ALL the way up? I'd like to think the gauge works, since it stays there when I turned off the ignition, but with the wire ungrounded and reconnected, it just falls all the way back down.

Is it even worth it to check the wiring compared to just buying an aftermarket gauge? Is there ANYTHING ELSE I can check?

thanks everyone.

 

[zachyd23]

Sounds like you have a bad ground than. I'm having the same exact issue with my 1g. Stays on E even with a full tank of gas.. Recently put in a new walbro 255 fuel pump. Low fuel light came on saturday which was always working , than 2 days ago I run out of gas because it didn't come on.....

 

[Shamrokk]

I have same problem on my 92. Except my fuel light still works. Any idea? Id guess bad gauge.

 

[1Gina2G]

Does anybody know if the gauge is suppsed to fill ALL the way up or at the %70 mark or so? That's where mine stopped, both times I tested the gauge. I guess my only option is to buy an aftermarket gauge, but I'm so tired of messing with the fuel system, totally %100 replaced, and the wiring in the gauge is just bad

 

[1Gina2G]

is there any other way to check the wires??

 

[greekgodchaos]

In the Factory Service Manual there is an extensive testing procedures that are covered for testing your Fuel Level Gauge as well as the Sending Unit. I recently had issues with my gauge when one day it just decided to stop working, followed all the steps in the manual, plus some slight modification of my sending unit AND my instrument cluster (make sure all your screws that hold the gauge assemblies in place are snug and there is no crud on the circuit sheet) and eventually through process of elimination I solved the problem.

There [should be]* a wire on the fuel pump connector that you ground in order to test whether or not your cluster is actually getting any signal from the sending unit, start there and if the needle goes to F then its something to do with the sending unit itself. Grab a multimeter, some pins, alligator clips, download a copy of the Factory Service Manuals, pop in an all RUSH mixed tape and DO WORK!

*I say 'should be' because this is coming from a 1g Owner

 

[1Gina2G]

If you read above you'll see that Ive metered both sending units in the car and they both check out.

I've grounded the yellow wire on drivers side assembly and the gauge raised up to %70 but not COMPLETELY to full, does that mean the gauge is good??

how could I check the wires? also.didn't see anything about the gauges in the chiltons manual besides removing the entire gauge cluster.