Fuel gauge

[Spanky]

Lately my fuel gauge seems to be sticking, and giving false readings. Filled the 10 gallon tank today, and it still showed 1/4 tank. When I got home, I stuck a piece of wire down into the tank and manually lifted the float, so it now shows full, but what gives? My sending unit is similar to this one . . .

 

[choppedtop]

Did it stay up, in the full position after you released it? If so, I would suspect it is either dragging on the tank side, or maybe just a extremely tight rheostat on the sender. If went back down when released, the float must be saturated with fuel.

 

[Spanky]

Did it stay up, in the full position after you released it? If so, I would suspect it is either dragging on the tank side, or maybe just a extremely tight rheostat on the sender. If went back down when released, the float must be saturated with fuel.

It has stayed up, and is not dragging on anything. Why would the rheostat suddenly stiffen up?

 

[fletcherson]

It may have corroded. The new fuel really attracts moisture. I have sender issues on a couple of my older work trucks.

 

[Pushrod]

I used Lucas fuel treatment in a car that had the same problem, it eventually started to move freely, fletcherson is right about the ethanol in our fuel blends.

 

[Spanky]

Thanks, guys! The corrosion idea makes sense; I seldom fill my tank all the way, and I'm sure that contributes to the problem. I used a wire tool I made to move the float up and down several times, and it does seem to move more freely now.