Odd Fuel Gauge Behavior '94 (1 Viewer)

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A2ShedsJackson

A2ShedsJackson

Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Threads
11
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144
Location
Comaville in the Midwest
Went on a planned 800 mile R.T. trip yesterday with my '94 pulling a small rented trailer. Fuel tank was topped off at the start. 180 miles in I suddenly realize that my tank is sitting below Empty. I could swear it was just near half on the gauge. The low fuel lamp is NOT on though. I frantically pull into the nearest gas station and add a few gallons while looking for leaks. No visible leaks and no fuel odors. The 8 gallons I add take the gauge back up to just below Full. I drive another 80 miles and the same thing again. The gauge appears to act normally from F to 3/4 and then rapidly drops to below E after 20 miles. No codes are thrown but gas mileage appears to be 6 mpg. I top off and head back home fearing the worst.

I drop the trailer off and realize that my fuel gauge now appears to be acting normal again. Now to research why the trailer light connection might effect the fuel level sensor. After checking my total miles for the trip and fuel used I averaged 13.3 mpg.
 
A2ShedsJackson said:
Went on a planned 800 mile R.T. trip yesterday with my '94 pulling a small rented trailer. Fuel tank was topped off at the start. 180 miles in I suddenly realize that my tank is sitting below Empty. I could swear it was just near half on the gauge. The low fuel lamp is NOT on though. I frantically pull into the nearest gas station and add a few gallons while looking for leaks. No visible leaks and no fuel odors. The 8 gallons I add take the gauge back up to just below Full. I drive another 80 miles and the same thing again. The gauge appears to act normally from F to 3/4 and then rapidly drops to below E after 20 miles. No codes are thrown but gas mileage appears to be 6 mpg. I top off and head back home fearing the worst.

I drop the trailer off and realize that my fuel gauge now appears to be acting normal again. Now to research why the trailer light connection might effect the fuel level sensor. After checking my total miles for the trip and fuel used I averaged 13.3 mpg.
Click to expand...
Have you found out what was the issue?
I am currently having a similar one. From Full to 1/2, it seems to work OK, from 1/2 downwards, it drops like crazy. When it is nearly empty and I refill, I generally put around 65 liters (Total is 90 I believe)
 
:poof:
 
Last edited:
Nikofzj80 said:
Have you found out what was the issue?
I am currently having a similar one. From Full to 1/2, it seems to work OK, from 1/2 downwards, it drops like crazy. When it is nearly empty and I refill, I generally put around 65 liters (Total is 90 I believe)
Click to expand...
The rheostat used in 80 series senders is a 'sealed' unit.
You can pull the sender (remove second row to reach the access panel in floor) and look for obvious issues; or maybe find a way to actaully clean the rheostat (the part that converts the movement of the float arm into a signal that the fuel gauge displays as a fuel level).
But you may be looking at a new sender.
They aren't hugely expensive (even OEM) and you'll get a chance to check out the sock if you haven't already.
Heck, it could be a piece of the perished sock that's causing the issue - caught up in the mechanism or some such.
Don't think the sock comes with a sender, so that's 2 parts to order.
 
LandLocked93 said:
The rheostat used in 80 series senders is a 'sealed' unit.
You can pull the sender (remove second row to reach the access panel in floor) and look for obvious issues; or maybe find a way to actaully clean the rheostat (the part that converts the movement of the float arm into a signal that the fuel gauge displays as a fuel level).
But you may be looking at a new sender.
They aren't hugely expensive (even OEM) and you'll get a chance to check out the sock if you haven't already.
Heck, it could be a piece of the perished sock that's causing the issue - caught up in the mechanism or some such.
Don't think the sock comes with a sender, so that's 2 parts to order.
Click to expand...
Is this what you are talking about?
8332069055.jpeg
 
@Nikofzj80 I don’t think it comes on with the ignition, I think it’s just with low fuel. But when the light comes on, you’ve still got 5 gallons left. So you’ve got plenty of range.
 
"when the light comes on, you’ve still got 5 gallons left"

From prior discussion 5 gallons is the design number however one of my 80's has only 4 gallons left until the engine dies once the light turns on (level road constant speed) the other has exactly 5 gallons until empty.

So the fuel level gauge in one 80 is not correct on the low end but on the other 80 the fuel gauge is not correct on the high end (needle recently stopped going above the Full mark). Actually don't know if the issue with that one is the needle gauge or the sender??

Point is, all the fuel level senders are 25+ years old and expect them to be a bit off so better not to run the tank dry (not good for the pump either).
 
Last edited:
Kernal said:
"when the light comes on, you’ve still got 5 gallons left"

From prior discussion 5 gallons is the design number however one of my 80's has only 4 gallons left until the engine dies once the light turns on (level road constant speed) the other has exactly 5 gallons until empty.

So the fuel level gage in one 80 is not correct on the low end but on the other 80 the fuel gage is not correct on the high end (needle recently stopped going above the Full mark). Actually don't know if the issue with that one is the needle gauge or the sender??

Point is, all the fuel level senders (gage) are 25+ years old and expect them to be a bit off so better not to run the tank dry (not good for the pump either).
Click to expand...
Mine only has (3) gallons left when the light comes on. When this pump was in the old tank, it was exactly 5 gallons.
 
Nikofzj80 said:
Have you found out what was the issue?
I am currently having a similar one. From Full to 1/2, it seems to work OK, from 1/2 downwards, it drops like crazy. When it is nearly empty and I refill, I generally put around 65 liters (Total is 90 I believe)
Click to expand...
Sorry to take so long to get back to you. In my situation is was a combo of the fuel level sending unit, the load of the trailer changing the angle of the fuel tank and the 28 year old original sock/fuel pump intake filter.

I have never run my tank dry after the low fuel light has come on, so I can't say how much fuel is left when it first comes on.
 
A2ShedsJackson said:
Sorry to take so long to get back to you. In my situation is was a combo of the fuel level sending unit, the load of the trailer changing the angle of the fuel tank and the 28 year old original sock/fuel pump intake filter.

I have never run my tank dry after the low fuel light has come on, so I can't say how much fuel is left when it first comes on.
Click to expand...
Thx. Luckily I already ordered a fuel pump and sender unit!
Cheers
 
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