fuel gauge - 99 (1 Viewer)

[carson7]

I have searched and read the old threads on this, but need a bit more help.

Tested at the sending unit and got the proper ohms there. Local mechanic said that if you you short out one of the wires there is should make the gauge go from empty to full. Tried that and I found one pin that I could short out that would cause the gauge to go completely dead - from his point this would indicate the gauge was bad, but when I take the instrument cluster out and disconnect power to it, it cleary turns the guage on and off.

I still think it is most likely the sending unit, but would like some way to confirm this before dropping the $160+ on one.

Anyone have a fsm they could look at for me?

thanks!

 

[Trunk Monkey]

My fuel gauge would randomly drop to E shortly after we'd fill up after we bought the truck. It hasn't done it in a long time, dunno what changed.

 

[carson7]

ours started the same way, and it just got worse over time - now it only shows empty. Talked with cruiser dan yesterday - said he has never sold either a gauge or a sending unit for a 99. He said on his 80 that when you short out the gauge it goes to zero.

 

[Tahomatom]

My 99 drops from totally full to about 8/10 in about 3 miles after I fill it up. Seems to work fine but must be wehre the sensor is located.

Have you tried to re set the ECU?

 

[carson7]

havent - is that easy to do? thanks!

 

[Utahfj62]

When it is cold - below freezing my gauge works only 25% of the time. It reads E. Only after the truck warms up will the gauge start working. Durring the summer months - no issues - it works as it should.

 

[ckkone]

I've had that issue a few times in the last 3 years of ownership, normally I can turn the truck off then back on and it will work fine.

 

[carson7]

looks like I found the issue..

After messing with the gauge and sending unit readings, I decided to just pull the pump/sending unit out of the tank - bingo. I plugged in the unit after pulling out and disconnecting the fuel lines and cycle the float/arm assembly and my gauge started working again. Put it back together - nothing.

What it turns out to be - the float has lost its float - it appears to be some sort of black dense rubber cork. If you pinch it with your fingernail gas seeps out of it. The thing is saturated with fuel and will not float.

Why would toyota use a float that absorbs fuel? Has anyone else seen this before?

Local dealer tells me that I cannot buy the float by itself - have to pay $170 to get the sending unit to get the new $2 piece of cork.

Anyone have any ideas? I was thinking I would just go by a parts house and see if anything is close.

thanks!
Carson

 

[hoser]

Sending unit comes up at $53.

Conicelli Parts Center

 

[carson7]

thanks for that find. I contacted two dealers directly and both where approx 3x that price. I then double checked a few other parts, and the prices where all within 10% of each other. Hope it is not a misprint - I will try to order one today and see if they honor the price.

thanks again!

 

[carson7]

hoser - do you know anyone at Conicelli Parts Center I could ask for? Checked another site just like theirs (seems the diagrams & codes are similar for most online toyota parts sites) and theirs was listed at the same price, but when I called their number to double check, the parts guy quoted me the same $150+ everyone else has given me. Said the website has errors from time to time and that they would not honor that price.

 

[hoser]

I have no personal contact at Conicelli. I noticed a similar price at Toyotapartscheap.com Unfortunately they don't include the part number. Perhaps the superceeded part number includes more parts?

Call the parts guru, CruiserDan, at American Toyota.

 

[carson7]

I did.. $150 range..

None of sites with the $50 price have a part number.
All that have a part number are 3x as high.

oh well.. thanks for looking!

 

[hoser]

When I look up the part on toyodiy.com, the part number is 83320‑60340 and it retails for $156.

Then, I put the part number into Conicelli and it comes up $104. I dunno.