Strange question about gas type...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta GA
Strange question about gas type...
I heard from one of my friends in the gump that some vettes (esp. later model c5's) have a problem with the gas guage float. He has an '02 mongoose package putting 400 on the floor and is a member of the local corvette club. He said that he heard from one of the members that if your gas guage was constantly reading off, that it was due to something in the gas that was messing with the floater (he was vague, he didnt know exactly what they were talking about). He said he had noticed this problem with his car, so he switched to Chevron w/ Techron (the guy said this would fix the problem) and, according to him, it does have an effect. Has anyone ever heard of this? Has it ever been noticed on any c4's?
Im just asking this because I was curious as to what would make one gasoline have a better reading than another, and, as usual, I probably sound retarded, but I'm just passing on something I was told.
Thanks guys,
CJ
Im just asking this because I was curious as to what would make one gasoline have a better reading than another, and, as usual, I probably sound retarded, but I'm just passing on something I was told.
Thanks guys,
CJ
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 758
Likes: 6
From: Gainesville, FL
Well... My gas gauge (like many other C4s apparently) - doesn't read below Full until it hits half a tank or less. Then it goes down quite fast from there. I always use Chevron w/ Techron so I can't switch for the experiment. But I'm pretty confidant that the gas is not what is making the difference. When I brought up my concern about the gas gauge in an ancient thread - I got varied posts (most being as far off as mine is). Gas isn't going to cause that. It may make sense that age would deteriorate the cars ability to properly gauge fuel (in the electronics? - I'm not sure). But in that case I'd assume that C4s would be worse than the C5s. Either way - it seems that most Vette owners have learned how to read their gauges. That is all that matters.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: 1984 crossfire, Alhaurin de la Torre Malaga, Spain
Mine was off as well. It did read more than a quarter during the test for CO, and the engine died. Did not want to start any more. Had to push it out of the test facility :bb
I found that I was out of gas because of this problem
It was the gauge it self. The resistor starts to make bad contact and the ground connection is fed via the shaft, also making bad contact. Take the gauge out, carfully open it up. Clean the resistance wire with extremely fine sand paper (1500 grid or so) and clean the wiper. Than solder a thin multistrand wire to the shaft just above the wiper and roll it two times around the shaft to give it slack when the shaft rotates. Feed the wire out of the resistor case and solder it to the housing. That will make a non-changing ground connection. Bent the wiper carefully a little out to regain some pressure against the resistor and mount the cover on again.
The resistor should read 0 Ohm (less than 2 Ohms) at at the lowest position and 90 Ohms at the highest position (anyway in a 84 vette). I did mine and it reads perfect now.
I found that I was out of gas because of this problem
It was the gauge it self. The resistor starts to make bad contact and the ground connection is fed via the shaft, also making bad contact. Take the gauge out, carfully open it up. Clean the resistance wire with extremely fine sand paper (1500 grid or so) and clean the wiper. Than solder a thin multistrand wire to the shaft just above the wiper and roll it two times around the shaft to give it slack when the shaft rotates. Feed the wire out of the resistor case and solder it to the housing. That will make a non-changing ground connection. Bent the wiper carefully a little out to regain some pressure against the resistor and mount the cover on again.
The resistor should read 0 Ohm (less than 2 Ohms) at at the lowest position and 90 Ohms at the highest position (anyway in a 84 vette). I did mine and it reads perfect now.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
The C5 problem is caused by sulphur depositing on the in tank fuel sending unit. If a gasoline has high sulphur and low detergency, the problem starts.
It can be cured ( usually, there could be a bad ground or the unit could be faulty) by using a strong fuel system cleaner like Techron, or Berryman Chem Tool B-12 o r BG 44-K.
Others just switch to a better quality of gasoline for a few tanks (see www.toptiergas.com) and it clears up .
Rich
It can be cured ( usually, there could be a bad ground or the unit could be faulty) by using a strong fuel system cleaner like Techron, or Berryman Chem Tool B-12 o r BG 44-K.
Others just switch to a better quality of gasoline for a few tanks (see www.toptiergas.com) and it clears up .
Rich
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: 1984 crossfire, Alhaurin de la Torre Malaga, Spain
Originally Posted by curtismoff
my 94 can go 200 miles before it comes off full after that if goes down pretty fast almost like the tank in V shaped.
