Gas Tank Woes

[T-top87GN]

Well, I need to drop my tank to change out the rubber o-ring that goes underneath the hanger assembly (if it's even there).

So while I was in there I figured I'd try and fix my gas gauge.

Why does it bounce around so much? Sometimes I can hit a bump and the thing reads way above full, and then another bump shoots it back to where it was.

What (if anything) can I do to repair this piece of crap? I figure the bouncing is due to a ground but I don't know where to look.

I suggested rolling a hand grenade under the car but my friends say that won't fix it either.

 

[crownvic96]

when you pull your tank check all the leads and connections on the picktube assembly thing. it has your fuel pump, some ground leads and the wires that go through the tank outside.

if you have the money i'd just replace the tank(~160 bucks) and put in a nice walbro 340 kit and hot wire while you're going through all that trouble.

get as much gas as you can out of the tank before you do this. i had maybe around 1/8-1/4 tank and i was able to drop it myself and it wasn't so bad. the most difficult part is putting it back on the car and getting the straps back around. but if you have a helper it would go much quicker. two floor jacks will do wonders though if you are doing it solo. thats what i did.

 

[John Larkin]

Jer, drop the tank and take out the hanger. Just make sure the pump wires are oriented so that they don't interfere with the sending unit arm. I forgot what the range is of the sending unit, it's something like 0 - 90 ohms. Anyhow put a multimeter on the purple wire and move the arm up and down, see if it moves through the range smoothly. As for the ground, it is soldered to the top of the sending unit on the outside. The problem here is that the connection tends to rust off. You may have to resolder it.

Check out section 8, part 5, page 3 through 9 on that disc you call your avatar.

 

[Drew L]

don't forget to disconnect the battery

 

[T-top87GN]

Thanks for the help guys!

crownvic96: Already had the tank down before actually. I have an XP double pumper setup

John Larkin: Doh! I guess I should have check that first huh?

Drew L: Do you write for the Haynes manual people

 

[GN Bob]

Fuel level sender

Jeremy,

By the way, I bought one of your CDs too, nice job !

I replaced my sender with one from J.C. Whitney. I took a chance and ordered their universal GM 0 - 90 ohm unit for $15 or so and was able to remove the rheostat from the new unit and screw it right on to the original hanger, the holes even lined up perfectly. You just have to put a 90 degree bend in the new float rod and be careful to cut it to the same length.

In hindsight, I should have checked readings for full vs. empty a little more carefully, I now have a 4 gallon reverve. I was high on 93 octane at the time.

Works fine now. I also cleaned the guage connections but that probably made no difference.

Good luck.

Bob

 

[T-top87GN]

Hey Bob!

Glad the CD helped you out.

Sounds like I may be calling up JC Whitney if this thing doesn't ohm out right. First let's see if I actually have time to get the tank dropped.