FUEL GAUGE PROBLEM
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FUEL GAUGE PROBLEM
06.....6.0 : Twice in the last month, when I filled up with D, the fuel gauge stayed stuck at empty, with the low fuel warning light still on .For a while I thought I had just paid a $100 for air!) After driving maybe fifty miles, it apparently became unstuck, but it just very gradually rose up over maybe the next 50 miles, until it was reading the correct level of like 7/8
I don't know what to do to fix this. ANY IDEAS? Are they just a cork on a rod type system, and is it a DIY replacement job?
I don't know what to do to fix this. ANY IDEAS? Are they just a cork on a rod type system, and is it a DIY replacement job?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2010
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From: West by God Virginyuh
I want to say I’ve read that it’s actually not the sending unit in the tank, but the “anti-slosh module” or something like that. It’s what keeps your gas gauge from going all over the place when accelerating/decelerating/turning. Apparently when it goes bad it does this. On most Ford vehicles I saw videos on it’s located at the back of the cluster behind the fuel gauge.
however, this is info I got off the internets so I can’t verify whether it’s legit or not
however, this is info I got off the internets so I can’t verify whether it’s legit or not
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
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Our truck did the same thing. Read posts on dropping tank and replacing sending unit (way expensive), or cleaning it up. Some comments said gauge could be bad too. Eventually we ran into other issues where other gauges and interior lights quit.
Sent the cluster in to Dashboard medics for a rebuild and now the gas gauge works too! Score- way less expensive than the sending unit in the tank, and a lot less time involved.
Sent the cluster in to Dashboard medics for a rebuild and now the gas gauge works too! Score- way less expensive than the sending unit in the tank, and a lot less time involved.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 330
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From: Greenville, SC
We wanted to chime in and see if we could be of any assistance. We do offer a repair on these instrument clusters, and they do commonly have issues with the fuel gauge. There are actually a couple of different issues that occur within the circuitry of the cluster and our repair addresses all of these (including replacing the stepper motor). There are a couple of other things that we see from time to time that could cause the gauge not to read correctly - a bad fuel sending unit or a wiring issue causing a short to ground on on of the lines between the cluster and the sending unit. If you can get a scan tool on it while it's acting up and see if it's reading the correct value or not then that will give you a clue as to the possible cause. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.
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Thank you to all for the replies. Good information from all. Knowing that there are numerous things it could involve, I'm going to try a few things before I go to more extreme and costly measures.
Intuitively, it seems to me that the sender float sticks sometimes if I let the fuel level get too low. Then when I fill it full it doesn't slosh enough to break free until use a bunch of gas. Once freed, the anti-slosh seems to be working fine as the reading only goes up slow and steady.
First effort will be to try to start to fill up at around a 1/4 and see if I still get the sticking issue. If I do, I'll try and get a scan on the output readings while it is occurring. If they are good, it seems I may need a cluster replacement and if that doesn't solve it its time to drop the dastardly tank and replace the sender.
At least that's a short term plan.
Intuitively, it seems to me that the sender float sticks sometimes if I let the fuel level get too low. Then when I fill it full it doesn't slosh enough to break free until use a bunch of gas. Once freed, the anti-slosh seems to be working fine as the reading only goes up slow and steady.
First effort will be to try to start to fill up at around a 1/4 and see if I still get the sticking issue. If I do, I'll try and get a scan on the output readings while it is occurring. If they are good, it seems I may need a cluster replacement and if that doesn't solve it its time to drop the dastardly tank and replace the sender.
At least that's a short term plan.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Spanaway
One thing I did that solved this intermittent issue was to remove the sending unit from the tank (I have done this to two trucks) and carefully removed the plastic guard covering the sender's sensor. It's just a variable resistor. Then wipe the pads with a Q-tip
wetted in rubbing alcohol. If you see a lot of red coming off that is rust. Keep wiping it until the Q-tip is coming back clean. The next step is one you really must be very gentle on. Move the rod so that the wiper lifts off the pads and wipe it with a wetted Q-tip
to remove any rust. Be careful because that sender is a $300+ part. Once you have it clean snap the plastic cover back on and place a new O-ring on the tank and seal it up.
With both trucks I have done this to the level sender worked like it should after the cleaning. Also while you have the sender out of the tank you can do the Harpoon mod.
If you have the tank almost empty of a place to store the fuel you can also make sure that the tank is clean.
wetted in rubbing alcohol. If you see a lot of red coming off that is rust. Keep wiping it until the Q-tip is coming back clean. The next step is one you really must be very gentle on. Move the rod so that the wiper lifts off the pads and wipe it with a wetted Q-tip
to remove any rust. Be careful because that sender is a $300+ part. Once you have it clean snap the plastic cover back on and place a new O-ring on the tank and seal it up.
With both trucks I have done this to the level sender worked like it should after the cleaning. Also while you have the sender out of the tank you can do the Harpoon mod.
If you have the tank almost empty of a place to store the fuel you can also make sure that the tank is clean.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Spanaway
Drop the tank or lift the bed.
As far as the bed goes you can get away with just pulling the bolts on the driver side and loosing the passenger side. That way you can get away with just tipping it
up so that you can get at the top of the tank. The hangup being if the bolts are rusted in place than that option is sort of out. Dropping the tank is not that bad if you
can get all the fuel out first. Then you only have to deal with the vent lines and the filler.
As far as the bed goes you can get away with just pulling the bolts on the driver side and loosing the passenger side. That way you can get away with just tipping it
up so that you can get at the top of the tank. The hangup being if the bolts are rusted in place than that option is sort of out. Dropping the tank is not that bad if you
can get all the fuel out first. Then you only have to deal with the vent lines and the filler.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: Jersey Shore
Here's two videos that combined give you a better idea whats involved. I have no comments about the videos, I just know she (video 2) has more subscribers to her videos then I do to mine. I must be doing something wrong ......
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 17,829
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From: Jersey Shore
Yeah, both videos seem to be lacking detail, but you never know what you find when you search YT for "dropping Superduty fuel tank" to help someone.
Since she still has a 7.3L rather then a 6.0L I'm guessing she's hung up on displacement. And from the look underneath her truck she's not adverse to going aftermarket rather then OE with components.
Since she still has a 7.3L rather then a 6.0L I'm guessing she's hung up on displacement. And from the look underneath her truck she's not adverse to going aftermarket rather then OE with components.
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Just an update as op that I have now filled up with fuel 4x ( always above 1/4 tank were I still get good slosh). Everything has been working fine and so long as this extra filling diligence continues to work I intend to deal with it that way, saving the labor and expense for a future time (Hopefully after I win the Super lottery).
But thanks for that second video!
But thanks for that second video!