erratic gas guage
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erratic gas guage
92' F250 w/ dual tanks. Guage with selector on rear tank is fine.
Recently started having problems when tank selector is switched to front.
...Sometimes will start with tank reading empty and needle will move up to correct reading after apprx. twenty miles.
...Sometimes will not move at all during entire trip.
...Sometimes guage will move around erraticly and stop at point which is not accurate
Recently started having problems when tank selector is switched to front.
...Sometimes will start with tank reading empty and needle will move up to correct reading after apprx. twenty miles.
...Sometimes will not move at all during entire trip.
...Sometimes guage will move around erraticly and stop at point which is not accurate
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Formerly Nawlins
Mine did that for a few weeks ... then it just read empty. When I replaced the pump a few weeks later I noticed the float had a hole in it. I think a hole in the float could possibly give the problem in the original question. The float is a cheap part ... about $5 .... and the job about a weekend long.
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I have not checked further to confirm location of problem. We are now into freezing weather for the next few months. I fill both tanks and drive on the bad one until I think its close to empty and then switch to the working tank. With electric fuel pumps if you do this switch tanks before they run dry or you can burn out pump motor.
Think the fact gauge moves around and eventually gets close to correct level precludes the leaky float possibility.
Think the fact gauge moves around and eventually gets close to correct level precludes the leaky float possibility.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 12,281
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Got to remeber guys these tanks do not have baffles in them so the gas sloshes around in the tanks especially the front one cause its long and narrow this causes the gas guage to read wrong
Forgot to add yeah i think there is something wrong with your guages road rash ray..
Forgot to add yeah i think there is something wrong with your guages road rash ray..
Last edited by Dustin1690; Jan 31, 2007 at 07:30 PM.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Langhorne, PA
Hole in float. When you guys with bad gauges ever get inside the tank and look at the float you will understand. It is paper thin brass, soldered together..
two things can go wrong.
A pinhole leak at the solder joint or the float arm is shaped wrong so that when the float comes all the way up it rubs on part of the pump assy. Mine was the latter of the two. The float kept bumping the pump assy. till it physically wore a grove into the side of the float. I have a pic somewhere but I'm too lazy to post it.
A good test to realize if it is a hole is to run the tank bone dry and leave it that way for a couple days..while the tank is empty the gas that leaked into the inside of the float sloshes back out of the hole...Then when you are filling the tank watch the gas gauge. If the gauge goes back up to full immediately after filling the tank, then slowly drops to empty, without driving more than 20 miles..you then have a hole in the float.
two things can go wrong.
A pinhole leak at the solder joint or the float arm is shaped wrong so that when the float comes all the way up it rubs on part of the pump assy. Mine was the latter of the two. The float kept bumping the pump assy. till it physically wore a grove into the side of the float. I have a pic somewhere but I'm too lazy to post it.
A good test to realize if it is a hole is to run the tank bone dry and leave it that way for a couple days..while the tank is empty the gas that leaked into the inside of the float sloshes back out of the hole...Then when you are filling the tank watch the gas gauge. If the gauge goes back up to full immediately after filling the tank, then slowly drops to empty, without driving more than 20 miles..you then have a hole in the float.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Formerly Nawlins
There is one other way it gets punctured .... mine had a small hole worn in it ... you almost couldn't see it, but the metal rod arm where it clips in. But 924 is right ... it is thin as or thinner than the beer can you recently threw away.