I'll more than likely be buying a Bronco some time soon(this week end), and the guy said the fuel gauge dosen't work, but I remember reading about how to fix this, but can't find it on the forums. If some one could send me to a link that says how or just tells me how to do so(if there would be any other option than just pulling the gas tank out), I would be very greatful.

I just want to know what to do because this is the 2nd one I'm really interested in and niether fuel gauge worked, so when I get one I would really like to know how to fix it.

Thanks for any help

 

Well it's either the sending unit in the gas tank, the gauge itself, or the wiring in between. It could be a fuse if none of your other gauges work, otherwise that's not it.

The easiest thing to do first is to check the gauge to see if it works. If it does not then you can get another one easily from a boneyard, they come off of the clusters on most years. If it doesn't come off then just get the whole cluster. You can get one from a pickup as well. They are generally easy to find because in even the most totalled out vehicle, the dash and gauge cluster is about the last thing to get mangled.

If the gauge works, check continuity of the circuit to the tank. If there is none, rewire it. If it had continuity and the gauge works, then you get to drop the tank to fix or replace the sender.

 

I just had to repair my guage on my 93 and it was the sending unit. You can test it by unplugging the ground wire from the sending unit and then putting it to ground. If the sending unit is bad, this should cause the guage to move and that should signal you that it is most likely your problem. From what I have read, this is a common problem for the big broncos.

 

Thread edited. Lets keep the party line stuff off the FTE forums. Thanks

 

Another thing that is "wierd". Mine will register full and 3/4 when full and 3/4. Then it sinks off. But it's not the float. It's the potentiometer on the sender. It wears through after all the years. And a new sender/pump is well over $100.00. A Ford dealer parts guy told me that you can get a sender for a mid 90's 150 and swap it over. $60.00 for that. And there was a place not to long ago on here that someone found for parts that had just the senders available for around 50. That's my choice.

 

Thanks. It was time for the little kiddies to go night-night.

 

Thanks for cleaning it up WheelMA1, sorry to everyone else.

ChargerFan, I had a similar problem on a previous '77 F100, the gage wouldn't move off of FULL until about 1/2 a tank.

We're talking about the "sending unit", which I agree is probably the problem. To verify, is the sending unit's only purpose to operate the Fuel Gage? What is its principle of operation - mechanical, electrical, ... ?

 

I was able to buy the sending unit at autozone, without having to buy a new pump. Since you do have to drop the tank to change the sending unit though, it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and change out the pump and all while your at it. It might be a $100.00 well spent. Just a thought, and now that I think back about it, I should have changed out my pump when I had my tank down. One thing to watch for if you do it yourself... when you put the tank back in, there is a rubber hose that goes from the gas cap down into the tank. Watch that the hose doesn't get kinked. I made that mistake and then couldn't get gas into the tank without fixing the problem. Luckily I wasn't far from home, or I would have had to have it towed.

 

Definitely. If I had to drop the tank, or paid a shop to drop it for me - either way I would put a new pump in at the time. It's like doing the rear main seal if you ever have to pull the tranny - even if it does not leak.