fuel guage
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Postmaster
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From: Harrisburg, NE
fuel guage
I have a 76 f250 w/460&C6 and dual tanks. the problem is that the fuel guage is terribly off as it sits right know it has about 9 gallons in the aux. tank, but it reads empty 
i would think that it was the sending unit, but it does this on both tanks. I have a few working guages off a van of 1977, will these work, or can I adjust this guage. or do I need to buy a new one? running out of gas 15 miles from home really sucks. 
i would think that it was the sending unit, but it does this on both tanks. I have a few working guages off a van of 1977, will these work, or can I adjust this guage. or do I need to buy a new one? running out of gas 15 miles from home really sucks.
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fuel guage
This topic has been Asked & Answered many times.
There are numerous things that can affect it ,
The Grounding of the sending unit or the actuator inside the fuel tank.
Fixes have been made by removing the S/U,then cleaning/testing/re-installing them.
The S/U from the van should work too,depending on the size of the fuel tank.
Yiou might consider trying a search in this or the 73-79 Truck forum .....for "Fuel gauge".
There are numerous things that can affect it ,
The Grounding of the sending unit or the actuator inside the fuel tank.
Fixes have been made by removing the S/U,then cleaning/testing/re-installing them.
The S/U from the van should work too,depending on the size of the fuel tank.
Yiou might consider trying a search in this or the 73-79 Truck forum .....for "Fuel gauge".
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
fuel guage
If it reads empty, and you have 9 gallons left, you should never run out of gas!
But anyway, take the wire off the sending unit, and with the key on, watch the guage. It should swing all the way to one side of the scale. Then take the sending unit wire, and ground it to a good clean ground on the frame somewhere. The guage should swing all the way to the other side of the scale. Do this for both tanks. If it passes this test, then it is the sending units. You might want to clean a place off on the tank and ground the wire there, to make sure the tanks have a good ground.
But anyway, take the wire off the sending unit, and with the key on, watch the guage. It should swing all the way to one side of the scale. Then take the sending unit wire, and ground it to a good clean ground on the frame somewhere. The guage should swing all the way to the other side of the scale. Do this for both tanks. If it passes this test, then it is the sending units. You might want to clean a place off on the tank and ground the wire there, to make sure the tanks have a good ground.
Thread Starter
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Harrisburg, NE
fuel guage
Originally posted by Franklin2
If it reads empty, and you have 9 gallons left, you should never run out of gas!
If it reads empty, and you have 9 gallons left, you should never run out of gas!
ok, tested it today, read empty when the wires were off and when grounded it shot up to full. later I had the truck in town and filled the aux. tank and discovered that the guage will no longer work. It might not be making connection, but I hope i didn't break anything.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
fuel guage
Sounds like you are going to have the fun job of pulling the fuel tanks. One bright spot though. I have never run across a sending unit I haven't been able to fix at home. Carefully bend back the tabs on the sending unit housing, and usually it's pretty obvious what is wrong with it.
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fuel guage
Why not do what I do,
Put gas in both tanks.
Put 8 gallons in one and what ever in the the other,use the other one until it empties.
When you go for more gas Right Away ,put a couple of gallons
in the tank that got you there,plus as much as you can afford in thr one tank that went empty.
That way you will always have about 8 gallons to get somewhere for gas.
Put gas in both tanks.
Put 8 gallons in one and what ever in the the other,use the other one until it empties.
When you go for more gas Right Away ,put a couple of gallons
in the tank that got you there,plus as much as you can afford in thr one tank that went empty.
That way you will always have about 8 gallons to get somewhere for gas.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Harrisburg, NE
fuel guage
thats kinda like what I do, but I fill the aux. and put 5 bucks in the back, when the aux. runs out I use the 5 buck to get me to a gas station and then I do it all over again. looks like I got quite a project to do.
