Gas gauge doesnt work

[cookmeup272]

Ok so my cars gas gauge doesn'y work. At first i didnt think it was a real problem but now i kinda want to know how much gas i have...anyone have any ideas or things to check?

 

[slickers111]

You could check the gauge in the tank, but otherwise I would just fill it up, and reset the odometer to check how much mileage you get on a full tank, then every time you fill it up, do the math. EX. 100 miles-about half tank....

 

[gio_daredevil]

did the car sit for a long time? if it did the little liftter in the tank could be stuck from gas goin dry. pull it out and play with it a little then fill up the tank and use a bottle of fuel system cleaner.

 

[94MightyMax]

As mentioned it could be stuck, the float rod could be bent also. This normally is for a weird reading not really a not working condition. Are these mechanical or electrical gauges? If electrical check that its plugged into the back of the dash and all connectors.

 

[RD_Blade]

Not sure if it's the same with a 1G, but the fuel gauge giving a bad reading is a common problem. Try checking the sending unit at the fuel pump. If the sending unit has been removed and not replaced (aligned clockwise) exactly as it was, it throws the reading off.

Try rotating it slightly to see if the reading changes. Can't hurt.

 

[cookmeup272]

Yes actually the car did sit for a long time. Something like 7 years . Thanks for the replies

 

[FORGE63T]

this sounds likee it would be a pain in the arss to diagnose, but if the car sat for that long your best bet is to start in the tank like they stated above

 

[dylnwit]

My car had sat for 5 years, it still worked, what did it in for me was sending power down the wrong pair of wires trying to test the fuel pump. Mine would only work for full and the lower 1/4 of the gauge. Turned out I had melted part of the coil, so it would only pick up in a few spots.

Check your connections first, and if that's not it, then you can pull the fuel sender unit (it can come up through an inspection cover in the back, no need to drop the tank). I'd try using a voltmeter on the ohm setting first, see if there's any reading on the coil using the plug in the trunk, if there is, then the issue should be wiring or gauge cluster, if there's no reading, then it's the sender unit in the tank. At that point you'd have to track one down (took me about 6 months to find one reasonably price locally), and while your doing that you might as well upgrade the fuel pump. Good luck

 

[cookmeup272]

The guy said he put a 155lph pump in there so maybe he messed that up like everything else on the car...

 

[RD_Blade]

If the sending unit has been removed and not replaced (aligned clockwise) exactly as it was, it throws the reading off.

The guy said he put a 155lph pump in there

Bingo! I bet the sender alignment is your problem.