Not Typical Fuel Gage Problem

[jrizz1]

I am having a problem with a stuck or erratic fuel gage. I was using any premium fuel available. Since the problem started I have only been using Sunoco Ultra. I have run the last five tankfulls with a 20 oz bottle of Techron Plus added. I added the Techron with an empty tank then filled. The problem seems a little better but not fixed.

My questions are: 1-I am getting ready to store the car for the winter. I usually store the car with a full tank plus StaBil additive. Would it be a good idea to add another bottle of Techron Plus for storage time of 4 months? 2-Is there any other ideas about this problem? Do I need to go in for service before storage? Could I have a bad sending unit or something else going bad?

Thanks for any help or ideas.

 

[Patrick]

JRizz,
On the subject of storing the Vette for winter, Hib's opinion in THIS THREAD is that if you're storing it for 2-3 months, StaBil is a waste of money. A full tank, along with a bottle of Techron, should be fine.

On the subject of your fuel gage, it might help folks around here with a diagnosis if you described the symptoms a little more fully. Is your fuel gauge reading full until you get to about half a tank, and then suddenly jumps to empty? Or is it stuck permanently on a fuel level you know to be inaccurate?

-Patrick

 

[jrizz1]

Symptoms of fuel gage problem are erratic. After filling the tank, the gage will stay pegged on full for say about 100 miles. It will then SLOWLY start to come down and stop at any given point. From what I can tell this is usually more than what is in the tank. Sometimes after the car is started the gage will show a higher level than previously. This action seems to go on thru the whole tankfull until there is approximately 1/16 to 1/8 fuel left. At this point I usually fill up. Once it was holding at 1/4 tank reading at 350 highway miles driven then just dropped to 0 with "LOW FUEL" suddenly appearing on the HID. I calculated that I had less than 1/2 a gallon left in the tank. These symptoms are approximately with the gage starting, stopping, rising and lowering at all different points. The actions are never the same for each tank usage.

 

[Patrick]

JRizz,
There's a Technical Service Bulletin on erratic fuel gauge readings. Click HERE and see if that might be the problem.

-Patrick

 

[c5y2k]

Yup make sure you have the TSB update done to the computer. I also second "forget the stabil" and go with the 20oz bottle of Techron and filler' up.