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Fuel level Sending Unit

  • Thread starter Thread starter born2saw
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born2saw

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I'm having a dash problem I believe is related to the fuel level sending unit in my 1990 converitible. When my tank is above approximately 2/3 full, the digital readout is screwed up. When the tank gets to about 2/3, it works fine--until I fill it up again. At about the 2/3 full level, when I make a left turn the dash works, but stops when I make a right turn until the fuel level goes down a bit more.

As I am selling the car, I am wondering if it pays to replace the fuel level sending unit. Has anyone had this problem? Is there a fix without spending the $370.00 for the sending unit? If I fix it, I will probably replace the fuel pump as it is only about $100.00 more but I hate to put the money in it as I am not sure I will get it out of the car when I sell it. Any suggestions??

Thanks in advace for all your help.
 
born2saw said:
I'm having a dash problem I believe is related to the fuel level sending unit in my 1990 converitible. When my tank is above approximately 2/3 full, the digital readout is screwed up. When the tank gets to about 2/3, it works fine--until I fill it up again. At about the 2/3 full level, when I make a left turn the dash works, but stops when I make a right turn until the fuel level goes down a bit more.

As I am selling the car, I am wondering if it pays to replace the fuel level sending unit. Has anyone had this problem? Is there a fix without spending the $370.00 for the sending unit? If I fix it, I will probably replace the fuel pump as it is only about $100.00 more but I hate to put the money in it as I am not sure I will get it out of the car when I sell it. Any suggestions??

Thanks in advace for all your help.

greetings,
if it is what i think and the sender unit in the tank is the same as in an 88, the fix is simple and takes less than an hour. pm me with your e-mail address and i will send you instructions complete with picts.
 
You mentioned that you are selling the car.

If I were looking at a car to buy and the car I was looking at had a problem with the dash display, I believe I'd lower any offer I was thinking of by at least the amount to fix it...and then add a few hundred for aggrevation.

You might find that it's wiser to fix it before selling it than getting "@$#^#*" type phone calls after you sell it and it craps out on the new owner.
 
That is why I am going to try badabing9's fix. I hope it will work, but I really do not want to put $400-500 in acar that is not worth a whole lot. i want to sell it so I can get my next Corvette.

I will let you all know if it works--I am waiting on the new gasket from the dealer (they had to order it).
 
Thanks badabing9!! You are the best (as is everyone at CAC). I picked up the new gasket on the way home from work and pulled the sending unit tonight. Before cleaning, I checked the ohms and it read 16 on empty and 119 on full. The specs state 0 on empty and 90 on full. I followed the cleaning procedure & now I read 1 ohm on empty and 94 on full!!. Tomorrow I will fill the tank and see what happens, but I am almost sure this was the fix. Will let you know as soon as I have a chance to fill the tank.

Thanks again!!
 
born2saw said:
Thanks badabing9!! You are the best (as is everyone at CAC). I picked up the new gasket on the way home from work and pulled the sending unit tonight. Before cleaning, I checked the ohms and it read 16 on empty and 119 on full. The specs state 0 on empty and 90 on full. I followed the cleaning procedure & now I read 1 ohm on empty and 94 on full!!. Tomorrow I will fill the tank and see what happens, but I am almost sure this was the fix. Will let you know as soon as I have a chance to fill the tank.

Thanks again!!

coooool!....i hope the picts came out ok....let me know how you made out as it fixed my problem instantly. be sure to pick up a new "sock" (in tank strainer - filter)!
 
We had a few days of rain so I was not able to fill the tank until yesterday. The tank was about half full when I started and the dash was working perfectly. I filled it up and now I have a jumbled display :mad

This morning I checked the resistance at the wiring connector & it reads 88.7 ohms which if my information is correct, should be OK. I can pull the dash & get a rebuilt one for about $185. I can buy a new sending unit for even more ($370), but I am not certain where the problem is. I want to fix it before I sell it but I could see putting lots of money in it & not getting a fix! :confused I really would like to sell the Vette without any problems, but I have been living with it for 1 1/2 years & it is just a minor gripe.

Anybody have any ideas? The guy I called about the dash does not think hte problem is in the dash. Anywhere else it may be occuring?

I really appreciate everyones ideas. Thanks
 
born2saw said:
We had a few days of rain so I was not able to fill the tank until yesterday. The tank was about half full when I started and the dash was working perfectly. I filled it up and now I have a jumbled display :mad

This morning I checked the resistance at the wiring connector & it reads 88.7 ohms which if my information is correct, should be OK. I can pull the dash & get a rebuilt one for about $185. I can buy a new sending unit for even more ($370), but I am not certain where the problem is. I want to fix it before I sell it but I could see putting lots of money in it & not getting a fix! :confused I really would like to sell the Vette without any problems, but I have been living with it for 1 1/2 years & it is just a minor gripe.

Anybody have any ideas? The guy I called about the dash does not think hte problem is in the dash. Anywhere else it may be occuring?

I really appreciate everyones ideas. Thanks

humnnnnn....try disconnecting the battery for a few minutes (reset) and reconnect it and see what happens........
 
No luck with disconnecting the battery. On the bright side, I am getting good at resetting the clock & radio!!
 
OK, it is now July & I just got the instrument cluster replaced--what an ordeal. It took two clusters & two suppliers to get it done right, but now everything works.

However, I forgot about needing to clear the Air Bag malfunction codes and made the mistake of taking it to a local dealer that was recommended for their Corvette service. They told me I had a bad right front sensor & a bad air bag control module ($89.00 diagnostic fee and they got grease on my leather seats :mad ). They wanted $130 for the rt. frt. sensor (part only) & told me the air bag control module is not available anywhere. I then remembered about clearing the codes found the service bulletin describing the procedure (here on :CAC ) to clear the codes and after about 5 minutes my light is now out :duh . Now my car is working 100% :upthumbs !!

Thanks for all the help. If you live in the Indy area, PM me & I will tell you the dealer.
 

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