I think my gas gauge is not working

[ReggieD]

I just purchased a 1992 Vette. My gas gauge is a bar indicator. I noticed the the car appeared to be 3/4 tank full of gas based on the gas gauge. I added gas to the car and I was able to dump 10.5 gallons of gas in the car. The tank is only 20 gallons. The gas indicator should have shown close to 1/2 tank of gas.

Do anyone have any ideas on what I can do to see if this is a problem and or what is the best method to fix it myself.

 

[Tuna]

Seems about normal to me.

My 92's gauge does not start dropping until I burn about 4 gallons out of it and that makes the rest of the gauge display read higher than it really is. With half indicated, I'll put in 13-14 gallons everytime. I'm sure this is what you are seeing.

As my tank gets lower, the gauge starts becoming closer to reality.

I did have the sender unit replaced once a long time ago when it stuck and refused to move at all and I noticed the new sender doing pretty much the thing.

Ditto for my ex 96.

 

[beamer]

just got my 96 back from dealer and gas gauge squirrely. it was on reserve when i took it in. the replaced temp control for ac in dash and the programmer. now the gas gauge moves very slowly. i filled up the tank and burned a 100 miles - tank still says above 3/4. and the range is moving up and down - from 315 to 289. do i need to reset it, or is it a loose wire. any suggestions?
the dealer claims they didn't touch fuel system so they zare not responsible and i don't want to pay another 100 dollar deductible

 

[Vettelt193]

C4's have crappy gas gauges.... I use a simple rule of thumb to get me along. When the car says half, fill it up. It is usually really on about 1/4 of a tank in reality, just like Tuna said

 

[kingman]

cheap gauges!!!!!!!!

My temp gauge sometimes goes beyond the end and then l smack the dash board and it corrects itself.

And this is a car that cost's over $40,000. My friend had a Yugo and didn't even close to the problems that we have or had.

Thank the lord that the XLR (Caddy) is now being built at Bowling Green.

Maybe now they will raise the quality control level up to a Yugo!!

Alan

 

[regalniz]

ill run my vette till no bars show and still have room for 4 gallons of gas. its been doing this for a year now so im not worried anymore. just another quirk of our fine automobiles.

 

[KREX 725]

A few weeks ago I let my '95 get down to "reserve" or three bars. A couple of miles down the highway, it went down to two bars, then one bar within a few more miles. Now, I know we don't exactly drive hybrids but if I actually believed that gauge, it would suggest that I only got a few miles per gallon.

While I'd love to rag on the gauge, I should rag on myself for letting it go that far belong half, where I normally fuel up.

 

[92ghost]

My 92' ran out of gas Monday. It was showing RESERVE on the guage and I think 2 bars on the fuel meter. However, I was going up a long hill about 1 mile long (got 1/2 way up) when it happened. I do agree that when the fuel guage says 1/2 fuel it is more like 1/4 or less but I have not varified this. I believe if I were on a flat road I could have gone another 25+ miles, I was only 4 miles from my destination and a gas station. I'm not proud of this and I hope I didn't ruin any O rings or gaskets in my fuel system. I will definetly fill up at 1/2 tank as indicated on the guage from now on.

I try to learn from others mistakes. Learn from mine...

 

[slashnick]

Mine has always been pretty inaccurate also. Once I drove 50 highway miles on reserve (2 bars) A month later I ran out of gas with 3 bars showing.

 

[kyote]

I don't know if this helps anyone or not -- My spouse drives ours exclusively, so I did not know the gauge was inaccurate until she ran out of fuel.

The gauge showed full even when fuel level was as low as 1/4. I removed the sending unit from the tank. (Easy enough with a manual) The resistance across the sender checked out, although I do not remember now what the correct number is. With the ignition key on and the sending unit held outside of the tank, but reattached to the wiring, I worked the float up and down. I could view the gauge, and it read 1/2 even when the float was bottomed out on unit.

I reshaped the rod that holds the float and trimmed away part of the unit where this rod rests when all the way down, until the gauge read empty.

With a wooden dowell, I determined that the tank was approximately 1/2 full. I reshaped the rod that holds the float, by trial and error, until it read 1/2 when installed.

The gauge works correctly now.

If you attempt this, of course be most careful that there is no fire or spark present while the fuel tank is open and fumes escaping.

 

[Bonnell]

I have run out of gas twice with two or three bars left and no low fuel indication. I now follow that simple rule of adding fuel when the bar graph indicates 1/2 tank left.

 

[trackitman]

Well, since we're all being honest here, I also ran out of gas two weeks ago in my '92. ;stupid Same issues, althought I pay more attendion to the miles remaining. It still read 60 miles when it ran out, it did say reserve also. I agree will all that when it reads 1/2 tank, it's more likely 1/4 of a tank or less.

So, the rule of thumb for me will be to fill up when at 1/2 tank.