Ive had the car for 2 years now and the gauge hasnt worked since i got it. The fuel gauge sits at Full until u get to the end of the tank and it starts to do a little dance. Anyways im sick of puttin gas in all the time and then finding out that i still had plenty. How much of a PITA is it to fix this? Ive been told i have to drop the tank and change the float or sending unit. Whichever. Other than runnin it dry and syphoning out the gas. What kinda thing is involved in dropping the tank. I mean i dont see all that much in the way . Just wondering if i should do it myself. Or be a lazy shmuck and bring it somewhere. Thanks

BTW 91 RS 3.1

IF i do it myself. Is there anything else i might as well change or do while im there? New pump or anything?

[This message has been edited by XxMoLexX (edited January 13, 2001).]

 

Xx,

There are only a few possibilities:

1. The fuel gauge sending unit in the tank is trashed - pull the tank and replace it;

2. The fuel gauge itself is trashed - pull the instrument cluster and replace the gauge;

3. The wire from the gauge to the sending unit is grounded somewhere - meter the resistance of the wire to chassis ground.

If it were my car, I'd remove the electrical connector near the tank for the sender, turn on the ignition, and watch the gauge. If the gauge still reads above the EMPTY mark after teh instument has time to settle, the wiring and/or gauge is faulty. If the gauge reads EMPTY, the sender is probably toast. Since the gauge itself has very little chance of failing in the FULL position (it's possible, just not likely) I'd check the wiring next.

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Acutally, its the other way around, If you disconnect it, it should read way past full. the sending unit is a 0-90 Ohm variable resistor. When the tank is empty, the sender has 0 Ohms through it. So disconnect the 3-pin connector at the front of the tank (going to the body) and put a jumper wire in the pins that go to the purple and black wires (on the body side, this is tricky) and the gauge should read "E". It is probably your sender. Usually they can be cleaned up and still work OK, since a new one is about $250.

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