I recently purchased a 1985 Camaro Z28 and I am in the process of trying to fix it up and one of the problems i have come across is that my fuel gauge does not work properly. it reads above the full level and never moves. does any one have any sugestions or thoughts on what might be the problem? thanks in advance for any help.

 

Sounds like your float in the tank is bad, either that or the wiring to the float. When the float loses power it automatically goes to above full. Good luck!

 

It's probbably the "fuel level sender" in the tank it's just a potentiometer connected to the float a new one from the dealer cost about 150-200 bucks, get one from a junk yard if you can, i have the same problem except mine bounces around like crazy..... have fun pulling your tank !

 

An over-full indication could be a bad sending unit, float stuck all the way up, or more probably the wire goint to the sending unit is shorted directly to ground somehow. If you disconnect the plug going to the gas tank the gauge should go to empty, if not the wire is shorted between socket the plug goes into and the gauge. If it does go to empty then the wire going from the plug to sending unit is touching metal, the sending unit itself is shorted or float stuck up.

 

If you tap on it, does it fix it? My temp gauge will peak on ignition (to show the gauge works) and it'll get stuck up there. Sometimes cycling the key works, other times I have to tap on it with my security lug bolt key thingy.

 

Mine does the same, also my oil pressure gauge is usually completely full, but once in awhile it works and shows normal lol

 

Mine does too! Holy crap. Four years apart, same problem.

 

Well I finally got around to checking everything out and I pulled the whole sending unit assembly. I jumped the pink wire for the fuel gauge from the prong underneath the cap to ground and the gauge went down to empty. So That means that there is not break in the line. I then replaced the wire that connects to that prong and goes to the sending unit. that didn't fix the problem. Would that mean that my sending unit is bad? Or something else? Is there anywhere that I can buy just the sending unit and not the whole assembly?

 

Bad sending unit, These cars have the worst sending units. Chevy wants $630 for it. Summit sells generic unit that could be made to work by adapting in place of the original unit.
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I called the chevy dealer here in So. Cal and they wanted $630.
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The wiper connection of the Potentiometer is worn out or making bad connection to the coil.

 

looks like I'll be shopping at the junkyard pretty soon then. Thanks for the help.