Gas Tank Mystery

[wingot]

Okay so I've owned my 1991 Explorer for over 2 years now and the gas gauge has never worked while it has been in my possession. Well, the other day when a few friends and I were trail riding, I got stuck in the mud and my gas gauge worked after I got pulled out! It read 3/4 full after riding 80 miles (I count miles so I don't run out). I have no idea why it would randomly work, but it only lasted for about 10 minutes... till I got stuck again and I had to get pulled out.Since then it hasnt moved, just stayed on Empty. I am thinking that maybe there is a loose wire or a loose harness somewhere but wouldnt that effect the fuel pump too since the whole cluster is tied together? Does anyone have any idea why this would happen? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I really dont want to have to drop my gas tank, thats why I've been holding out on fixing it for so long. Thanks guys,
Patrick

 

[Doug]

Sounds like the float inside the tank is stuck. I don't know for certain but if there was a wiring problem I'd bet it would read empty all the time since it's not getting a signal from the tank.

 

[marragtop]

I agree with the float theory, and you have to drop the tank to replace it.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Sometimes the float leaks. They sell them separately. You could test the sending unit once it is out. It has a variable resistance when it moves. You could keep it plugged into the vehicle's wiring harness, and move it. If you see your fuel gauge change, then it is most likely still good. Either way, you could see if the float is bad once it's out.

 

[DeRocha]

Weird.... Usually the gage is off when the float develops a pin hole and sinks always registering empty... If you were nose down (and low on fuel) the float may have drained enough to where it began working again (but filled backup and sank again). When you got stuck was the vehicle level or nose/down? Was the engine ever starved of fuel?

It could be a simple loose wire in the harness, so disconnecting and reconnecting could help..

 

[wingot]

My vehicle was never low on fuel or nose down or anything, it was level just bottomed out on a rut. I think it could very possibly be a loose wire, it always reads empty so yea. Im going to look around on saturday.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

loose wire...the sender wire is seperate from the pump...the pump woulf still work if the gauge wire was loose.

 

[wingot]

loose wire...the sender wire is seperate from the pump...the pump woulf still work if the gauge wire was loose.

Where is the sender wire located at?

 

[cloaked_chaos]

I was just inside my tank a couple days ago. The sender wire (the part of it that sounds loose) is located inside the tank. It will be easy to spot once you remove the pump assembly.

 

[DeRocha]

The fuel pump and sending unit assembly is pictured below. The Float at the bottom connects to the fuel level sensor (located in middle of the unit).

 

[cloaked_chaos]

I colored the wire you are looking for in yellow because I think thats what color it normally is. The connection circled in red is where I would check first to see if it is loose, if not there then check the output on the other side of that connection. You may wonder why there is only one wire, and that is because what would have been the second wire is just sent through ground, which is another thing that could be bad.

 

[wingot]

aw shucks, so I am still going to have to drop the tank! Im going to be putting it off till spring break then lol.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

i dropped mine in 20 minuts. its easy enough to do i was alone when i did mine.

 

[DeRocha]

aw shucks, so I am still going to have to drop the tank! Im going to be putting it off till spring break then lol.

Don't you live in Florida? Todays temp was 75F... :bsnicker: Are you afraid of catching cold?

 

[Burns]

Made my own patch pannel. Cut it out and made a patch pannel to go back on. It is screwed down with a layer of sylcone. We have done it to three explorers now. Its great.

 

[bam_bam1ca]

Burns!!!!

I have been wondering for a long time if anybody has made a template that we could use to cut the hole. Japanese cars have been doing this for ages! It's a whole lot smarter than dropping the tank to do a pump. Have you made a template of where to cut? Is your mod on a gen1 only, or have you done it on a gen2?

 

[Burns]

This is a first gen four door only deal. I can make a template. It shoud be easy to do. We have it dont on a first gen two door also. I will get some ideas tomm for a template if you guys want one.

you have to be carefull tho....there is a gas tank under there. LOL

We have not made a template yet cause were gettin pretty good at just doing it.

 

[bam_bam1ca]

My pump went the first week of December in a blizzard. I ended up having it TOWED to the DEALERSHIP because it was too cold and snowy to drop a full tank and do the job in the driveway. It cost $1,100.00 for the pump and labor!!!!! If I had a template, I would have got the air zip gun out and put an electric heater in the cab and gone to town. Mine is a gen2. It would be great if one of the body guys on the forum posted a couple of templates, as it's much easier to do the pump or sender from the top.

 

[Burns]

Ill make one up and send it to someone with a second gen to try it. Ill make it so you can cut it out of paper and then just tape it to the body in the correct location. Ill have to make a few measurments first.

 

[wolfnutts]

ive been wanting to drop my tank for awhile now but ford says they dont list just a float an parts stores dont have them is their a size of float u can tell me to get ?? i was just gonna bite the bullet an buy the whole mess for 120. bucks ive tryed looking up part numbers that some others have listed for this an other posts an they dont match up gotta call dorman some day just to find what the new # is for the steel plugs used in my manual tranny ( if i didnt have brain id not need my head ) ohhh wait weres my head auhhhhhhhhh!!!