fuel gauge always says empty

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9

96blackLX450

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Aug 15, 2009
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Just recently my fuel gauge crapped out on me. Even with a full tank it says completely empty, the needle is as low as it can possibly go. I checked all fuses and nothing was blown so I'm assuming there may be a bad contact with the sending unit that is located above the fuel tank? I remember someone saying you can take out the second row seats and under the carpet is an access panel? Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated. 1996 LX450.
 
Join the club, It seems like my fuel tank always reads empty too.

Anyways, there is an access panel under the second row seats, its easiest to remove both seats and then pull the carpet back. Can't miss the panel. I know the fuel pump can be accessed through this panel, but not sure on the "sending" unit. I seem to recall hearing somewheres that to fix this prob in my runner, I had to drop the tank, but thats a different truck. You might as well replace the sock fuel filter if you have to go in there. Good luck on getting your gauge reading anything but empty.:cheers:
 
Not sure about the access panel, but did the truck sit up recently? Mine has done that before, it just got stuck while sitting up for a while. After a few tanks of gas with fuel system cleaner, it started working again.
 
ok, ive checked and tried several options trying to get the fuel gauge to come back to life but it still reads dead empty. Im about to remove the second row seats and look through the small hatch under the carpet and see what i can find. Has anyone done this before and can tell me exactly what I'm looking for?
 
96blackLX450 said:
ok, ive checked and tried several options trying to get the fuel gauge to come back to life but it still reads dead empty. Im about to remove the second row seats and look through the small hatch under the carpet and see what i can find. Has anyone done this before and can tell me exactly what I'm looking for?
Click to expand...

This thread might help a bit.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/294253-my-next-project.html

Basically, the fuel sending unit is the arm attached to the bracket in the pics above.

Yours might be stuck.

Good luck.
 
Does your low fuel level light still work? My fuel gauge was stuck on empty as well, but the low level light worked. I found that the plug coming from the tank (under the truck, not in the tank) had one corroded, broken wire at the connector. It was indeed the sending unit wire for the gauge; patched it up and good to go.
 
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Mine didn't work when I bought it. I pulled out the carpet and pulled out the middle row seats. Removed the access panel and pulled out the pump. The float was rusted where it wouldn't move. Also the ground wire was corroded. Replaced the ground wire and cleaned out the sending unit in a parts washer. Excercised the float up and down a bunch and then reassembled. Has been working fine since August. Took about 2 hours start to finish.

D
 
That oval shaped hole (from beno's link) is the access cover to the fuel pump/float/sending unit, located under the back seats (2nd row). It's easy to get to if you remove the rear seats. Once the seats are out just peel the carpet back to reveal the cover, three screws held mine on. Once the cover is removed, you can take out the entire fuel pump assembly; eight screws I think, unplug a couple of connectors, remove fuel lines and pull out. Way cooler than dropping the fuel tank.
 
Ok I just got my truck back from having all the seals replaced in the front axle as well as new brake rotors and pads and wheel bearings regreased all around. When I went to pick it up from the offroad shop the guy tells me something is rattling from inside the fuel tank. I get underneath the vehicle and he gives it a side to side motion and sure enough there is the sound of something rattling from inside the fuel tank, I mean its obvious thats exactly where the sound is coming from. So my question is--from the pics posted of the entire fuel sender unit, what could have fallen or broken off that would cause this noise? The noise kinda sounds like the floater is stuck in the down position and when the truck moves side to side the floater is banging against the side of the tank. Also, keep in mind my fuel gauge ALWAYS says empty, and since my fuel tank is almost full right now I want to wait until its closer to empty before I start removing the fuel sender unit to see what the problem is.
 
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