Getting My BJ70 Fuel Gauge To Read Correctly?

[Canuck]

Ok, my new goal is to get my fuel gauge to read correctly (if that's even possible?) for the first time since the truck has been mine. Anyways, the gauge reads empty when I've driven less than 300km of city, stop and go driving. So would the cause be either a faulty gauge or a bad sending unit? Where exactly is the sending unit located? I should mention that the fuel/coolant gauge will shoot to the top of its range for no reason sometimes and then return to its normal readings on longer drives for no reason I can figure, it happens randomly.

 

[crushers]

you answer your own question, when 2 guages act up at the same time then it will be the guage cluster. check all the connections for being clean and tight.
personally i wouldn't even worry about it. if you look down and it is makeing fuel and the temp is up then keep driving. if the temp is up and you smell antifreeze then pull over. it shocks you the first couple times it does it but after that you learn to ignore it...
just a cheap solution

 

[Canuck]

If I replace the gauge is it possible to have the fuel gauge read correctly? Doing a search of the forum here, some posts lead me to believe that the fuel gauge is not capable of give a acurate reading, even if it's new.

 

[crushers]

i have a customer whose fuel guage has acted up for many years, we brought in 3 guages from toyota and all 3 brand new guages were faulty. Lance informed me that this has been an on going problem at toyota for forever. he mentioned it might be best not to try anymore. the customer was real good about it, "i have been driving by the trip meter for so long i probably wouldn't trust the guage anyway"
up to you but if you do get lucky, let us know...
cheers

 

[PJHunter]

my own experience is that I've driven for 60 miles with the red light glaring at me to fill up without running out. As a rule of thumb whenever I've bought a new vehicle I've always filled it up to the top, filled up a jerry can and then run the tank to empty so I knew what miles I could realisitically do - that way you'll know the true accuracy of your gauage and whether or not its worth paying attention to it.

 

[Canuck]

But with a diesel, don't you have to bleed the whole fuel system of air if you run out of fuel? Could be a bit of a pain in the butt on the side of the road.

 

[crushers]

you will only do it once...

 

[lumpy70]

my 85 Bj70 reads empty when I'm at a half tank. Therefore, if I get 400 kms on the first half, I fill up before I get to 800 kms, usually around 650 for a margin of error and safety.

That's how the guages work....c'est la vie ("such is life" for you US folk)

Craig.

 

[Canuck]

my 85 Bj70 reads empty when I'm at a half tank. Therefore, if I get 400 kms on the first half, I fill up before I get to 800 kms, usually around 650 for a margin of error and safety.

That's how the guages work....c'est la vie ("such is life" for you US folk)

Craig.

What kind of driving is that mileage with? My primary driving is city stop and go, with a huge 10 minute commute to work. Otherwise it's just runing around the city, very little highway.

 

[lumpy70]

If I am driving city with a little highway, lots of stop go, I get about 11.2L/100 kms (or close to 25 miles to the UK gallon.) A liitle more highway, and I'm up to about 28 mpg, and on an all highway trip, doing 105-110 kph (except where the cruiser won't let me do that) I've got as much as 33 mpg.

I'm running with a 2 1/2" body lift, 2" suspension lift, and running 33's.

I rebuilt the enginge 20K ago...that probably helps quite a bit.

Craig.