Fuel gauge misreading

[rollinstone]

Before changing my fuel filter last week I removed the gas cap to relieve pressure. Removed the old filter, replacing it with the new one. This is about the 3rd filter I've replaced.

When I got back in to start the car I noticed the fuel gauge had moved from less than 1/4 tank to slightly over 1/2. I knew I needed to gas up so I filled up and the gauge now reads full (actually about a needle width over full). Seems to be holding there after 60 miles.

Is there anything I can do to get this thing to read a bit more accurately? I know these Ford gauges have always been buggy, but it gets me in the ball park.

I always go by my odometer, anyway...but still...

 

[bobberguy]

I dont know if yours is the same problem but my gas gage messed up on me and it turned out to be the float which i ended up replacing with a new fuel pump set up my fuel pump was bad though so it just happened to work out for me that i fixed 2 birds with one stone

 

[deweyville65]

Wait a day or two, the gauge will change again. I have the same thing going on with mine on occasion. It may read 1/2 when I park it, and something else when I start it again. Yeah, I know the truck may not be sitting at the same angle from one time to the next. But different reading while going down the highway,then changing in just a few miles?

 

[Fordmanstrawser]

Apparently the float contact has a contact or something close to it and it gets corroded and then wigs out. I talked to a friend of mine, he is a service manager at a ford dealer, and he said simply replacing the float, which contains the sending unit, will remedy the issue. Ford, apparently doesn't sell just the sending unit/float, but my friend somehow managed to just get me the float/sending unit without the pump. Probably making a mistake by not replacing the pump too (189000 on truck) but for now that's what I have to do. Planning on doing it this weekend. Also I have heard that people will fill up with full tank of gas and dump 2 bottles of sea foam in the gas and for some this has remedied the issue.

 

[Fordmanstrawser]

Just replaced my sending unit and float with a brand new one (straight from Ford) it didn't fix the problem, so onto a new idea I guess. Any ideas anyone?

 

[BustedKnuckles24]

I've had contact issues on the backside of the gauge cluster. My tachometer would drop to zero until a bump, and then restore. The fuel gauge is a resistive meter, so any additional corrosion on the contacts or in the connectors between the gauge and the sender may be increasing the resistance, lowering the gauge reading.