Gas Gage

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Mar 25, 2003 | 07:39 PM

Steven Hammer

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Gas Gage

I just bought an "88 150 with dual tanks. However, the fuel gage makes wild swings from past full to nearly empty when cornering or accelerating. Any idea what is going on and how to fix it?

Mar 25, 2003 | 10:18 PM

jrs_big_ford_f150

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From: Dededo, Guam

Gas Gage

Does it do it on both tanks or just one? My F150 (see below) has dual tanks. The guage will read good for the rear tank. But when I switch to the front tank it will read goofy like yours. (mine is very erractic sometimes) Sounds like you might have a loose wire on your <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">sending unit</a>. I have to chase down the wires on mine. Hope this helps you.

Mar 25, 2003 | 10:43 PM

Racerguy

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From: BC, Canada

Gas Gage

Hi Steven Hammer

Welcome to FTE.

It sounds like your <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">sending unit</a> in the tank is shot and will need to be replaced but like jrs_big_ford_f150 said you should check the connections at the tank first. Let us know what you find.

Mar 26, 2003 | 12:41 AM

jrs_big_ford_f150

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From: Dededo, Guam

Gas Gage

Dave, Thats what I plan on doing when I get back to San Diego. Middle of May is about when I will return. I am out in the middle of nowhere right now. I really think it is a loose corroded wire. That needle will bounce around from vibrations.

Mar 26, 2003 | 10:17 AM

tsheriff

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Joined: Sep 2002

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From: US

Gas Gage

does the needle actually bounce fast or does it sweep slowly back and forth. If it acually bounces when going over bumps it something in the dash cluster may be amis. maybe the spring on the needle busted. i just had my dash apart and if you touch the needles thay have some spring to them.

Mar 26, 2003 | 09:29 PM

neversosure

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Joined: Mar 2003

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From: SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY

Gas Gage

I got the same dern thing with my 87 3 qtr ton, both gauges swing, when i fill a tank it reads full till half tank then starts swingin. I asked around 10% say its the gauge because both tanks swing, 85% say <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">sending unit</a>s and 5% say wiring. I guess I am too lazy lmao to check. But I would like to pin point it before I start dropping tanks. The tanks were like this before I got the truck, so I do not know if they went out one at a time or both at the same time, my 78 3 qtr ton had loose wires on the back tank but didn't effect the reading on the front tank

Mar 27, 2003 | 03:42 AM

ret72

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Gas Gage

Last week I posted on my gas gauge problem and had no idea just how many have a related situation. Even friends of mine that have late model 80s trucks now tell me they have them too. Having owned vehicles since 1946, this is the first gas gauge problem I have ever enountered and find out it is so common in these trucks. My 84 E350 worked perfectly, so Ford changed a good thing. That being said, there must be something common to these trucks that some Ford tech has discovered. Can't understand why there seems to be such a difference of opinion in rectifing this Ford screwup.. Before I retired and moved ,I had access to answers for these kind of questions. I am really grateful to have found this forum but unfortunately can't contribute very much to it.
Ret Ford tech in the 60s, body and frame almost forever.