Fuel gauge wont move

[CmdrPopNFresh]

hey guys. i just realized today that my fuel gauge doesnt work. the needle doesnt move at all like the others. when i turn on the key the needles of all the gauges move from their 0 or rest position....they drop a little and then up to whatevr they should be reading.....but the fuel gauge doesnt move at all. and i just put about 10 gallons in it. im wondering....since the gauge doesnt move at all should i be lookng at the gauge itself? just trying to brain stom before i start tearing it apart tomorrow.

 

[Gios]

Your fuel gauge lasted much longer than my 93' XLT. Evidently, one of the symptoms is that the floats in the fuel tank habitually sink and it common to hear from other first generation owners about these dead fuel guages. Most people are like myself, they don't bother to pull the tank and replace the float, they just trip the odometer. I purchased the 93' Ex around 125k and have been trippin the mileage meter ever since (now 305k).

 

[ld50]

I`m thinking the guage itself is likely to last longer than the associated wiring and sender unit.
If you can get at the connection from tank I would check that to make sure it is a good connection. I know I heard of a way to hook a small battery to your wiring to test your guage but I`m not sure on that.

I do have a photo to offer though, it shows the power supply connection for your pump. The other two connectors must be for the guage.

Make sure and post your results!

 

[ld50]

PS my Haynes manual actually shows a different connector style than I have.
hmmm. I`m pretty sure there is only one connection to the pump assembly, that is wierd.

 

[$1Explorer]

If the gauge stays on empty, the problem is the sending unit. I just did this two days ago. I bought a FG42A from Rock Auto, pulled the tank, swapped the in-tank pump to the new sending unit, and put it back together. Works perfect.

If you search, you'll find other threads about replacing the sending unit. I guess some people would rather cut through the sheet metal from the passenger compartment than to drop the gas tank. For me, dropping the tank wasn't that hard, and I had a lot of cleaning to do under there anyway.

Cheers!

John

 

[Shen2187]

I'm an Odo tripper as well. Have been for the last year or so. I just don't see the need to drop $150 for something as simple as a sending unit.

Does your gauge move when you first start up or, not at all? If it moves when you start it, you could have a sunk float.

 

[$1Explorer]

I just don't see the need to drop $150 for something as simple as a sending unit.

Does your gauge move when you first start up or, not at all? If it moves when you start it, you could have a sunk float.

FG42A was around $60, IIRC. Sunk float/sending unit = same thing, unless you know of a source for replacement floats. I couldn't find one, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

I am also an odo tripper. But I also use my fuel gauge. Two sources of info are better than one...

Cheers!

John

 

[CmdrPopNFresh]

well my gauge doesnt move at all...thats why i was thinking maybe the gauge is stuck. and if i have to do the sending unit i am going to cut the floor....i pull tanks at work all day long so id rather make a fast job of it on my own time....and that makes it easier for future repairs too. im gonna get the gauge tester out and try that.

 

[Shen2187]

well my gauge doesnt move at all...thats why i was thinking maybe the gauge is stuck. and if i have to do the sending unit i am going to cut the floor....i pull tanks at work all day long so id rather make a fast job of it on my own time....and that makes it easier for future repairs too. im gonna get the gauge tester out and try that.

Sounds like a solid plan. It's most likely the sending unit but never hurts to check. Have fun!

 

[Roller2105]

Hi - I've been an odo tripper for the last 4 yrs! Anyone got an exact location as to where to cut the floor - or do you just cut as big a patch as you can?
Will appreciate info. Thanks.

 

[Shen2187]

Hi - I've been an odo tripper for the last 4 yrs! Anyone got an exact location as to where to cut the floor - or do you just cut as big a patch as you can?
Will appreciate info. Thanks.

Click Me!->How to cut a fuel pump access panel. -Sticky: By Burns.<-Click Me!

It's pure awesome sauce. The sauce that awesome is made of!

 

[Roller2105]

Thanks! Really appreciated - that's how I'll do the job!

 

[Shen2187]

Don't thank me, thank Burns lol. But, you're welcome anyway.

 

[CmdrPopNFresh]

well a little update. i was sitting in my explorer while fueling it and i noticed the gauge moving........it went up to about a 1/4 tank then the pump shut off. by the time i got out n hung up the pump and everything the gauge sunk back down to e....so i guess ill be doing the sending unit! but hows this for not cool...now my heater doesnt get warm! crap!

 

[mikeinri]

Hey guys,

I was looking at autozone today and noticed that the sending unit (without a fuel pump) is close to the same price as the full assembly (sending unit and pump). Does that make any sense?

Would anyone recommend doing all the work to replace just the sending unit and leaving the old pump in there? Sounds like tempting Murphy too much to me...

Mike

 

[$1Explorer]

I replaced just the sender and kept the old pump. At the time, the sender alone was $60 and the pump assy started at around $100. It wasn't hard to do, and now that I've done it once, I could do it again in hour or so.

Just in case Mr. Murphy does make a house call...

Cheers!

John