Fuel guage, Sender, wires....funny

[94expload]

OK i got one for you.

1994 Ford Explorer 4-door 4.0 4x4 Automatic. 109k on the clock. Runs good, little querks. Needs Tranny work...there is a leak..i think from the front pump...Still goes...just got back from a 500 mile trip...no problems..(KNOCK ON WOOD)

Problem: My fuel gauge has not been working since the truck was given to me 8 months ago, and who knows how long before that. 6 days ago after looking at the suspension in the front (truck was jacked up..let it down.) Pulled the truck out and the fuel guage was working!! Great..cool...Knarly. The next 3 days it worked with out a flaw....The next morning the guage was out....as i went to work the guage slowly worked again...Brought it back in the shop, and beat the truck up, rocked the truck back and forth...And it still worked....It went out again on and when the truck started this morning, and slowly again it is working..

Now i know...i know i am not stupid...I know it sounds like a bad connection, and as i hit bumps it comes back to life....BUT WHERE IS THE CONNECTION? the say there is a line that runs from the fuel tank to the front is on the drivers side.. but i see no connections on the frame rail untill i hit under the hood.

So basicaly i am looking for any one who has had the same problem. Yeah i guess it could be the sender, but so far when it works, there are no cold spots...reads acurate! So i am trying to say it is not the sender. (but maybe it is) again shes a 94...

What have you ran in to?

 

[Burns]

it may not be a bad connection....when mine did something close to this it was the float...it had a tiny hole in the float that would take in gas and sink...every now and then it would move...

that might help not sure till you tear into the tank and find out...

 

[94expload]

Yes i did think about doing this, but why after years of dead time would the guage start to work again? I mean even if i ran it out of gas (it did happen) and the float dryed up, right when i filled it up, it would re-fill the float again...No? i dont know...I did think about that.

Ask your self this....What about it not working first thing in the morning, and then after 10 mins of driving it starts to work again? If it was a hole in the float...there is no way ten min's of driving would clear it out? Would it?...these things seam to point me away from the 5 dollar float. Thanks for the advise though..if you have any more ideas or thoughts please let me know! Thanks!!

 

[BluOvalMan]

There is a connection on top of the tank in the back. If you drop the tank a little (or maybe able to see without droping) The top of your filter/sending unit should have 2 hard lines (supply & Return) attached to flex lines and wiring about 6-8 inches (approx) that have a connector, you migfht want to check there. If it is loose, I would pull apart and clean it, add some wire grease before reconnecting.