Gas gauge
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Gas gauge
Well the temps are finally warming enough where I want to get started tinkering on my trucks gas gauge reading. I don't know where it starts because I don't fill my tank unless I am going to drive 3-5 gallons out.
My deal is: Put 10 or more gallons of gas in the tank and the gauge goes to the top. When the needle gets to 3/4 full it starts picking up speed, when it reaches 1/2 I had better start looking for a stop, shortly it is running like a finely tuned FE and headed for E. When it reaches 1/4 I may have 5 miles left and 5 minutes to get gas.
I believe our last discussion, the thoughts were that there is gas in the float. If you guys give some feedback I will be on the lookout for and take photos of the job.
lada
John
My deal is: Put 10 or more gallons of gas in the tank and the gauge goes to the top. When the needle gets to 3/4 full it starts picking up speed, when it reaches 1/2 I had better start looking for a stop, shortly it is running like a finely tuned FE and headed for E. When it reaches 1/4 I may have 5 miles left and 5 minutes to get gas.
I believe our last discussion, the thoughts were that there is gas in the float. If you guys give some feedback I will be on the lookout for and take photos of the job.
lada
John
Welder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 50
From: northwest MT
HMM, if the float was filling with gas, it would go to E with gas still in the tank, and stay on E.
Sounds more like the float arm may be sticking and not coming down with the gas level.
Pull the sender and test it by moving the arm while watching the gauge.
Sounds more like the float arm may be sticking and not coming down with the gas level.
Pull the sender and test it by moving the arm while watching the gauge.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,375
Likes: 5
From: seattle
If the floats bad(full of fuel) I think it would act pretty much as you described. One thing you can do is get another fuel sending unit and plug it in and ground like original w/o opening your tank up. Move its arm and see what the gauge does... The gauge in mine is fairly good at moving at a normal pace vs being slooooooow to go to F after you top off from E.
If the spare unit reads like normal either the float is indeed bad or the sending unit itself is bad. If you do end up opening the tank up be careful as the sending unit bolts are fine machine thread and do snap off in which case you have another headache to contend with.
If opened up sucessfully have a cork gasket all ready to go as the original will most likely crumble or shrink after being opened up.
PM me if you want
- cs65
If the spare unit reads like normal either the float is indeed bad or the sending unit itself is bad. If you do end up opening the tank up be careful as the sending unit bolts are fine machine thread and do snap off in which case you have another headache to contend with.
If opened up sucessfully have a cork gasket all ready to go as the original will most likely crumble or shrink after being opened up.
PM me if you want
- cs65
Thread Starter
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
The ol truck has had to sit out on the grass and I can't believe the black mold that is covering the gas tank as well as under the hood. I may pull the seat get out the pressure washer and try to clean it up before starting on the gauge.
I did wiggle the wire connector on the outside but didn't have the key with me. I will try to be mind full of your suggestions as I start looking. Since I don't trust the gauge I don't leave home without stopping for gas if the needle is 1/2 or lower.
My parts are 40 miles away on the farm and I don't recall having another sending unit.
John
I did wiggle the wire connector on the outside but didn't have the key with me. I will try to be mind full of your suggestions as I start looking. Since I don't trust the gauge I don't leave home without stopping for gas if the needle is 1/2 or lower.
My parts are 40 miles away on the farm and I don't recall having another sending unit.
John
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Stormville NY
Mine goes up to 3/4 and stays there. When I first got it I thought it worked, untill I drove 40 miles and it never moved. Thats some good mpg! I screwed around with the ground and still does the same. I bought a new sender but haven't put it in yet..
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 104
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From: Stormville NY
John, I'm sorry if I'm hi-jacking you here but, I replaced my sender with a new one. Before I installed it I hooked it up and cycled the float. The gauge moved normally. I installed the sender and it went right back to 3/4 and stays there. What am I doing wrong? 
New User
Joined: Feb 2011
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There should be a way to test the resistance reading on the fuel sender, not sure of exactly anymore of how it should read but it should increase or decrease steadily all the way though the as you fill up the tank. If the reading is weird like 0 in the middle somewhere it is likely a bad sender. If you have replaced the gauge or the sender make sure they operate at the same resistance range.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
I had some things come up this week and didn't get started, it's been like this for the dozen years that I have owned it, so no big rush. I am aware of a resistance issue involved also. Not sure but I think that one is at the dash.
John
John
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Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
The float is made from two pieces of copper soldered together. Solder breaks down, gas seeps in, float settles to the bottom of the tank.
Remove float from sending unit arm, shake it to hear if gas is sloshing around.
Carpenter sells a one piece brass replacement float, same 1957/79 Passenger Cars/Trucks, 1961/79 Econoline & 1966/79 Bronco.
In-Cab tank fuel sending unit (C1TZ-9275-K aka D7TZ-9275-G) same: 1961/77 F100/750 / Also available from Carpenter.
Remove float from sending unit arm, shake it to hear if gas is sloshing around.
Carpenter sells a one piece brass replacement float, same 1957/79 Passenger Cars/Trucks, 1961/79 Econoline & 1966/79 Bronco.
In-Cab tank fuel sending unit (C1TZ-9275-K aka D7TZ-9275-G) same: 1961/77 F100/750 / Also available from Carpenter.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 82
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From: San Diego
There should be a way to test the resistance reading on the fuel sender, not sure of exactly anymore of how it should read but it should increase or decrease steadily all the way though the as you fill up the tank. If the reading is weird like 0 in the middle somewhere it is likely a bad sender. If you have replaced the gauge or the sender make sure they operate at the same resistance range.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 212
Likes: 11
I am not sure about this, but I believe I saw a voltage stabilizer under the dash in the center of the gauge cluster. Again not sure if the fuel gauge goes through the voltage stabilizer but it should, and if the stabilizer has been arched the calibration of the gauges can off because of it. I bought my truck in1975 and the gauge has always been one of those gauges that stays at full for a long time then drops fast once it gets moving plus the gauge goes way past E before the tank is dry.
steve
steve
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