Fuel Guage Read s Empty
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: ADELAIDE AUSTRALIA
Fuel Guage Read s Empty
Just hopped in my 1981 F100 today to go for a spin and noticed the fuel gauge read empty....but the truck is completely full.
I disconnected the fuel sender wire and it reads 10.9 ohms ( Which by the manual is correct ) I did notice though it is leaking and plug is wet with fuel ( Not sure it this will change anything).
The previous day I had tucked a few wires away that were hanging off the chassis very close to were the sender wires run.
I decided to cut the loom half way down the truck and replace that section with new wire. But when I checked the plug where that loom connects in the engine bay the reading are way off and erractic.
Placed a jumper wire in sender plug and turned the ignition on and nothing....so Im guessng it is ethier wiring ( good chance it is ) or guage.
Will be getting a megger from work to check continuity of wiring tomorrow.
Anyone had a similar problem to this...cheers Rory.
I disconnected the fuel sender wire and it reads 10.9 ohms ( Which by the manual is correct ) I did notice though it is leaking and plug is wet with fuel ( Not sure it this will change anything).
The previous day I had tucked a few wires away that were hanging off the chassis very close to were the sender wires run.
I decided to cut the loom half way down the truck and replace that section with new wire. But when I checked the plug where that loom connects in the engine bay the reading are way off and erractic.
Placed a jumper wire in sender plug and turned the ignition on and nothing....so Im guessng it is ethier wiring ( good chance it is ) or guage.
Will be getting a megger from work to check continuity of wiring tomorrow.
Anyone had a similar problem to this...cheers Rory.
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: ADELAIDE AUSTRALIA
Hi all please dont worry about it......PROBLEM fixed....( WHAT AN IDIOT )
Was just going through check every connection and earthing it out to see if the gauge would work....at loss I decide to re wire my nitrous retard switch and rev limiter switch.
After completing the job I was looking at climate control panel and noticed a switch on there sayiing front and rear....though this was wierd and then I went oh my god I bet it is a tank selector switch....flicked it to front and suprise, suprise it worked.
Sorry to waste your time!!!
Was just going through check every connection and earthing it out to see if the gauge would work....at loss I decide to re wire my nitrous retard switch and rev limiter switch.
After completing the job I was looking at climate control panel and noticed a switch on there sayiing front and rear....though this was wierd and then I went oh my god I bet it is a tank selector switch....flicked it to front and suprise, suprise it worked.
Sorry to waste your time!!!
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,658
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From: Out of here
Don't worry the same thing happened to me a couple months ago.
When I swapped my cab and bed, I only kept the front tank but still had the dual tank switch in my cab.
One morning while warming up the truck I noticed that my fuel gauge was on empty. I thought some kids had siphoned my gas and I was not happy. I just got about $30 worth of fuel the day before.
On the way to the gas station, I looked over and realized that my selector switch got bumped to the rear tank accidentally when I was cleaning the truck the day before. I no longer have a rear tank (my new bed did not have the second filler door) and the selector valve has already been bypassed hence the zero reading on the fuel gauge.
I have another climate control panel without the selector switch, but have not had the chance or energy to swap it out.
When I swapped my cab and bed, I only kept the front tank but still had the dual tank switch in my cab.
One morning while warming up the truck I noticed that my fuel gauge was on empty. I thought some kids had siphoned my gas and I was not happy. I just got about $30 worth of fuel the day before.
On the way to the gas station, I looked over and realized that my selector switch got bumped to the rear tank accidentally when I was cleaning the truck the day before. I no longer have a rear tank (my new bed did not have the second filler door) and the selector valve has already been bypassed hence the zero reading on the fuel gauge.
I have another climate control panel without the selector switch, but have not had the chance or energy to swap it out.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Oshawa, Ontario
Ha! A friend of mine borrowed my truck once. I get a call a half an hour later, "hey Rich, I'm stalled with your truck". So off I go to the rescue. I start looking around the engine bay and stuff, could 'nt figure it out until he said " I was only trying to get the heat on......" he, he 
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From: Virginia
I did the same thing to my old truck, used to have dual tanks but only was running the front one. Never moved the switch in the wrong direction, but started having trouble with the gauge reading correctly. By accident I found if I moved the tank selector switch up and down very quickly, it would start reading correctly again. After doing this a few times, I decided it was time to wire around the selector switch. The sending unit is the #1 cause of fuel gauge problems, but a heads up on the switch, since all these trucks seem to fail in the same manner.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 647
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From: Brumley, MO
When I first drove my truck I didn't know where the gas tank selector was, and it was hot, and I noticed I had A/C so I was doing everything to try and turn it on next thing I know the truck I just bought died on me LOL. The former owner figured it out, and away I went.
New User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 22
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my 86 f150's gas gauge is reading empty but i dont have dual tanks. i have gas in the tank i put 15 dollars in it in 2 days and it still shows E. any suggestions
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
Like I said, the #1 cause of faulty fuel gauge readings in these trucks is the sending unit inside the tank. If you want to test it, take the wire off the sending unit and with the key in run, engine off, touch the wire to a ground. The gauge should swing full scale empty or full. Then take the wire off ground and it should swing the other way full scale. If it passes this test, then the wiring and the gauge are good, and the sending unit is faulty.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Panama Illinois
When I got my truck the guage did not work, and just before i bought a new sending unit i figured out you could take it apart. So I opened it up cleaned and readjusted the contacts, put it back together and now I dont carry a gas can with me for just in case purposes.
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From: Virginia
That's what I always do myself, but most people don't have the patience, and possibly the time.