Fixed Fuel Gauge!!!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,276
Likes: 227
From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Fixed Fuel Gauge!!!
i tried all the standard stuff, switched fuels, tried refueling car while still running and cell phone in use, chevron techron fuel cleaner, calling gm to beawtch and moan about the car being unsafe if i was stranded somewhere(they told me there's a tsb/recall, but won't disclose the years affected)i've got a bunch of pics i'll post later, the fix?--remove pass. side fuel sending unit(there's no pump on this side, just a rubber hose w/ 2 socks and a ck valve(referred to gm as a siphon jet pump, this creates a venturi action)and clean contacts
1. drop the shield(5 15mm bolts for the early cars,in 2k > the shield covers the entire fuel sender)
2. remove 6 screws(10mm or phillips s.drvr)note index mark @ 2 o'clock for the rubber gasket/sender/tank
3. i removed the 2 fuel lines(3/8" and 5/16" fuel disco tool)and elec. conn to completely remove sender
4. remove sender
5. if you've got this far, you can see what you need to do, the contacts will look a bit worn--clean them
6. reverse steps, ck for leaks, don't smoke, don't burn your cardboard pile in the driveway, and w/ <1 gal. in the tank the crossover hose at the top of the tank will keep it from moving much
7. i wouldn't do this w/ more than a couple of gallons in the tanks(my RT tank barely dripped fuel)
8. how do you get the fuel low enough to work on when your gauge works? use the trip meter/ave. mpg method or carry 1 gal. gas can
pics on the way....
1. drop the shield(5 15mm bolts for the early cars,in 2k > the shield covers the entire fuel sender)
2. remove 6 screws(10mm or phillips s.drvr)note index mark @ 2 o'clock for the rubber gasket/sender/tank
3. i removed the 2 fuel lines(3/8" and 5/16" fuel disco tool)and elec. conn to completely remove sender
4. remove sender
5. if you've got this far, you can see what you need to do, the contacts will look a bit worn--clean them
6. reverse steps, ck for leaks, don't smoke, don't burn your cardboard pile in the driveway, and w/ <1 gal. in the tank the crossover hose at the top of the tank will keep it from moving much
7. i wouldn't do this w/ more than a couple of gallons in the tanks(my RT tank barely dripped fuel)
8. how do you get the fuel low enough to work on when your gauge works? use the trip meter/ave. mpg method or carry 1 gal. gas can
pics on the way....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,026
Likes: 178
From: Jacksonville, NC
My 2004 had the bouncing gas gage on the way to Andy's last weekend. My car turned 5K on this trip. My 70 dodge pickup with 100,500 original miles still has the same clutch and the gas gage works like a champ. Anyway, on the way back I dumped in Redline, Techron, and different gas. Still had the bouncing gas gage. The car sat in the garage a few days and all the adatives must have cleaned the contacts or whatever. It is working for the moment but I can't wait for the pics. I know GM has new sensor out but there seems to be a shortage. Anyway, good job!
Jim K.
Jim K.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,683
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by connecticut
i tried all the standard stuff, switched fuels, tried refueling car while still running and cell phone in use, chevron techron fuel cleaner, calling gm to beawtch and moan about the car being unsafe if i was stranded somewhere(they told me there's a tsb/recall, but won't disclose the years affected)i've got a bunch of pics i'll post later, the fix?--remove pass. side fuel sending unit(there's no pump on this side, just a rubber hose w/ 2 socks and a ck valve(referred to gm as a siphon jet pump, this creates a venturi action)and clean contacts
1. drop the shield(5 15mm bolts for the early cars,in 2k > the shield covers the entire fuel sender)
2. remove 6 screws(10mm or phillips s.drvr)note index mark @ 2 o'clock for the rubber gasket/sender/tank
3. i removed the 2 fuel lines(3/8" and 5/16" fuel disco tool)and elec. conn to completely remove sender
4. remove sender
5. if you've got this far, you can see what you need to do, the contacts will look a bit worn--clean them
6. reverse steps, ck for leaks, don't smoke, don't burn your cardboard pile in the driveway, and w/ <1 gal. in the tank the crossover hose at the top of the tank will keep it from moving much
7. i wouldn't do this w/ more than a couple of gallons in the tanks(my RT tank barely dripped fuel)
8. how do you get the fuel low enough to work on when your gauge works? use the trip meter/ave. mpg method or carry 1 gal. gas can
pics on the way....
1. drop the shield(5 15mm bolts for the early cars,in 2k > the shield covers the entire fuel sender)
2. remove 6 screws(10mm or phillips s.drvr)note index mark @ 2 o'clock for the rubber gasket/sender/tank
3. i removed the 2 fuel lines(3/8" and 5/16" fuel disco tool)and elec. conn to completely remove sender
4. remove sender
5. if you've got this far, you can see what you need to do, the contacts will look a bit worn--clean them
6. reverse steps, ck for leaks, don't smoke, don't burn your cardboard pile in the driveway, and w/ <1 gal. in the tank the crossover hose at the top of the tank will keep it from moving much
7. i wouldn't do this w/ more than a couple of gallons in the tanks(my RT tank barely dripped fuel)
8. how do you get the fuel low enough to work on when your gauge works? use the trip meter/ave. mpg method or carry 1 gal. gas can
pics on the way....
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
There are differing opinions on what is good gas and what is bad.
Shell V Power seems to have good reports.
Amoco Ultimate has mixed reports.
Texaco now advertises it uses the Techron Additive
Berryman B-12 additive ( most autoparts including Walmart $2.79)
and BG 44K ( from many car dealers)
also are reported to fix the problem.
I use Shell V Power and when Stuck BP (Amoco Ultimate) Once a year I treat with Valvoline Synpower Fuel system treatment. Over the winter I store with an absolutely full tank treated with Stabil. So far ( knock on wood) no problems.
Good Luck
Shell V Power seems to have good reports.
Amoco Ultimate has mixed reports.
Texaco now advertises it uses the Techron Additive
Berryman B-12 additive ( most autoparts including Walmart $2.79)
and BG 44K ( from many car dealers)
also are reported to fix the problem.
I use Shell V Power and when Stuck BP (Amoco Ultimate) Once a year I treat with Valvoline Synpower Fuel system treatment. Over the winter I store with an absolutely full tank treated with Stabil. So far ( knock on wood) no problems.
Good Luck
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,634
Likes: 15
From: IL, Chicago area.
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16
I used Citgo all the time never had a problem. I tried a tank of Shell's Vpower and bang there went my gas guage, went back to Citgo and again no problems. I have also used gas from Costco fairly often and no problem there either.
I then tried a couple tanks of BP and had no problems so I again tried Vpower and bang there it goes again.
I then tried a couple tanks of BP and had no problems so I again tried Vpower and bang there it goes again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,927
Likes: 3
From: Glendale NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18- '19
Pictures Please
________________________________________ ____________________
[connecticut]lost em for now, just pull the pass side sender and clean the contacts; i forgot about this thread; bill when is the cam/heads install happening?
________________________________________ ____________________
What do you mean you "lost" the pictures
.......Now you will have to do it all over again......on my car. My gas guage went to "O" when I returned home from Carlisle. Still had about 1/4 tank of gas.
[connecticut]lost em for now, just pull the pass side sender and clean the contacts; i forgot about this thread; bill when is the cam/heads install happening?
________________________________________ ____________________
What do you mean you "lost" the pictures
.......Now you will have to do it all over again......on my car. My gas guage went to "O" when I returned home from Carlisle. Still had about 1/4 tank of gas.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 796
Likes: 0
From: Crapachusetts MA
Odd, I think I have 2 problems. I still have the dreaded fuel gauge goes empty problem, even after a bottle of B12. Im on teh second bottle of B12, we will see how it goes.
But today my tank said 1/8 full, and I had about 211 miles on the tripmeter. Well I almost ran out of gas, pulled into a gas station sputtering and stalling. Filled the tank and it came out to about 14 gallons, hmm. I know I have 19.1 gallons total, but what are the separate tank sizes? I think that I am onlly using one of the tanks for some reason.
But today my tank said 1/8 full, and I had about 211 miles on the tripmeter. Well I almost ran out of gas, pulled into a gas station sputtering and stalling. Filled the tank and it came out to about 14 gallons, hmm. I know I have 19.1 gallons total, but what are the separate tank sizes? I think that I am onlly using one of the tanks for some reason.
