92 Ranger gas gauge is not accurate. The sending unit & gauge were replaced. | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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92 Ranger gas gauge is not accurate. The sending unit & gauge were replaced.

arionne

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February 7, 2009
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City, State
conyers,georgia
Year, Model & Trim Level
1992 Ranger
I can't get my gas needle to work on a 1992 ford ranger, I have tried everything,a new fuel pump and sending unit,I have changed the instrument cluster and the same thing is happening,when I fill up the needle goes to a 1/2 of tank and when it is empty it only goes to a 1/4 of a tank,I know this because I have ran out of gas before.All the other gauges on the cluster are working fine that is why I am confused, please help any info will greatly be appreciated. Thanks
 



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welcome
 












I can't get my gas needle to work on a 1992 ford ranger, I have tried everything,a new fuel pump and sending unit,I have changed the instrument cluster and the same thing is happening,when I fill up the needle goes to a 1/2 of tank and when it is empty it only goes to a 1/4 of a tank,I know this because I have ran out of gas before.All the other gauges on the cluster are working fine that is why I am confused, please help any info will greatly be appreciated. Thanks

This is just a wild guess, but check the anti-slosh circuit. This is a little card, about the size of a matchbook, that plugs somewhere into the back of the instrument cluster. It may be bad or possibly not making a good connection. First thing to try is unplugging it and cleaning the contacts then re-seating it.

If you had to replace it, I'm not sure where to buy a new one, but a junkyard instrument cluster would have one. as far as I know, the same circuit was used for several years in the 90s.

If you have changed it- you did say that you changed the instrument cluster- then I would look for some anomaly in the wiring somewhere- dirty connector pin or bad ground. Most of the time it's something really simple and dumb.
 






They always say if you want somthing right you gotta do it yourself. I droped the tank and come to find out the guy who had changed the fuel pump and sending unit installed the wrong one,when I took it out of the tank it was all bent up,I gave it a test and still nothing,I went out and bought a new one tested it and everything checked out fine, I will install it myself tomorrow and let you guys know what happen.
 






...I just seen this...Was it a shop that installed this???...That's why most of us do our own work...
 






I usually do my own work but I needed the truck badly and did not have time to ,now I wish I would have just waited, at least I would have some extra cash in my pocket.
 












No it's still not working,I installed the new fuel pump and sending unit today and still the same thing:mad:.I really don't know whats going on now.If anybody have any idea please please let me know.Thanks.
 












:ttiwwp:They are telling me somthing about a part in the cluster called the anti-slosh module.Have anyone ever heard of such a part?
 






...Read post #4...:D

...Sorry, no pics...:(
 






:ttiwwp:They are telling me somthing about a part in the cluster called the anti-slosh module.Have anyone ever heard of such a part?

The anti-slosh module is a (aprox) 2"x2" circuit board that is plugged into the back of the instrument cluster. It is connected between the fuel level sensor in the tank and the fuel gauge. It averages out the signal coming from the sensor that varies as the fuel sloshes, enabling the meter to give a steady reading. This module is present on 94 and prior, it may be on later models but I don't know for sure. I don't have a photo.
 






Sorry about the icon that was a mistake.I went to a local salvage yard and pulled about 5 anti-slosh modules out of some trucks, tried all of them but still the same thing.Help.
 






Sorry about the icon that was a mistake.I went to a local salvage yard and pulled about 5 anti-slosh modules out of some trucks, tried all of them but still the same thing.Help.

There really isn't much that the problem can be. Go to this post and download the document:

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SWAP

On page 8 is the fuel gauge. Note that the diagrams are for a 93, but a 92 is electrically the same, just the connector numbers have changed. Study that, do some troubleshooting, then come on back.
 






ok all hold out on the torches and welders just a second
There are 2 things needed for this gauge to work correctly
1. power do we have power going out to the tank??
2. ground is there a good ground

just because it runs does not mean we have both at the tank it is it own circuit
if i remember correctly you can use an Ohm meter to do this from the tank all the way to the dash
 






ok all hold out on the torches and welders just a second
There are 2 things needed for this gauge to work correctly
1. power do we have power going out to the tank??
2. ground is there a good ground

just because it runs does not mean we have both at the tank it is it own circuit
if i remember correctly you can use an Ohm meter to do this from the tank all the way to the dash

The fuel level sensor in the tank is a simple variable resistor. 145Ω full, 22Ω empty. The current for the sensor is sourced through the slosh circuit. The other side of the sensor is grounded. If that ground is bad, there won't be a good reading.



The Yellow/White wire (C251/Pin 5) is the connection to the sensor. Connect an ohmmeter there and rock the truck and watch the resistance bounce up and down as the fuel sloshes. If it doesn't vary, or if it is more than 145Ω with a full tank, then there's something wrong with either the wire to the tank, the sensor, or the ground at the sensor.
 






Thank you..

Just bought a 91 ranger 2 days ago, and found out it has an intermittent fault in the fuel gauge. Just wanted to thank all of you for the helpful info.
 






I'm looking at buying a '92 ranger that has a similar problem. The current owner says that when you fill up tank the gauge reads over the full mark, and that when the gauge says 1/2 tank you better get fuel fast or you will be at the side of the road.

I'm female and don't know a lot about mechanics but want to work on anything I can. I've had work done in shops that caused more problems than they fixed.
Dad made us learn a lot before we could drive and back in the '70's and early '80's I did my own tune-ups and oil changes.

I'm glad I found this site. My husband uses a diesel forum and it's helped him a lot. MPG is 25-28 on his F250 and that's combined. Towing only drops it 5-8 MPG.

Hope you guys (and gals) can help this newbie out. SS for the long post.
Thanks.
 



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I'm looking at buying a '92 ranger that has a similar problem. The current owner says that when you fill up tank the gauge reads over the full mark, and that when the gauge says 1/2 tank you better get fuel fast or you will be at the side of the road.

Here is the wiring diagram for a 92:

http://users.isp.com/vmstep/stuff/92%20ranger%20instrument%20cluster%20wiring%20diagrams.pdf

The gas gauge is right on the first page.

The actual troubleshooting shouldn't be all that difficult, the issue is getting to all the connectors. It would help to pull the instrument cluster as that is the only way to get to and isolate the transducer and gauge wires.
 






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