Low Fuel!!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,943
Likes: 18
From: Henderson NV
Low Fuel!!
Anyone have this scenario, I was sitting at a stop light at idle, when I noticed my fuel guage(which is at 3/4 level)all of a sudden the needle went to empty, stayed there for awhile then went back to 3/4, I drove a little longer, was sitting in a parking lot for wbout 10 minutes waiting for my daughter to get out of work, then started to drive again and this time a "low fuel" message showed up and a red "check guages" signal also showed up, then it went away, drove the rest the way home and nothing popped up after, Is this a sign of something possibly going wrong.
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,298
Likes: 4
From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
Originally Posted by Pizzano
Anyone have this scenario, I was sitting at a stop light at idle, when I noticed my fuel guage(which is at 3/4 level)all of a sudden the needle went to empty, stayed there for awhile then went back to 3/4, I drove a little longer, was sitting in a parking lot for wbout 10 minutes waiting for my daughter to get out of work, then started to drive again and this time a "low fuel" message showed up and a red "check guages" signal also showed up, then it went away, drove the rest the way home and nothing popped up after, Is this a sign of something possibly going wrong.
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
Last edited by SLPRC5; Oct 12, 2006 at 02:07 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,050
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
fuel
I had something like that
we donated a computer, and loaded it in the car. we went to deliver it, I had half tank. and arrived, shut the car off. 15 minutes later,
back in the car, turned the key, and it was below a quarter tank.
we made one turn to get out of the parking lot, and it dipped, popped up to full, and back to where it shoud have been
almost like loss of a ground or power
we went to get gas cause I didn't trust the gauge, and it went to full, and then dropped, went empty, and was ther for like 3 minutes, then has been normal since.
that morning, we went through a rain storm that we could hardly see the end of the hood go figure
we donated a computer, and loaded it in the car. we went to deliver it, I had half tank. and arrived, shut the car off. 15 minutes later,
back in the car, turned the key, and it was below a quarter tank.
we made one turn to get out of the parking lot, and it dipped, popped up to full, and back to where it shoud have been
almost like loss of a ground or power
we went to get gas cause I didn't trust the gauge, and it went to full, and then dropped, went empty, and was ther for like 3 minutes, then has been normal since.
that morning, we went through a rain storm that we could hardly see the end of the hood go figure
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,298
Likes: 4
From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
Originally Posted by Pizzano
I have only used Chevron premium in all of my cars from day one.
A few weeks ago I had to put in a 1/4 tank of Shell and a week later I got the same thing have happened and that was after few fill ups with, for now I haven't had it to happen lately.
So it may help to put a can of Techron in the tank. Good luck
Racer
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
From: Auburn AL
I would be careful puting Chevron fuel in your cars. I put Chevron in two of my past vehicles, 98 Dakota R/T and 02 C5 Coupe, and had detonation in both vehicles. As soon as I put Exxon fuel in either it went away. The Two fuels I trust most are BP and Exxon. I go with Exxon because there are two stations here in Auburn that have excelent prices. I have always heard Amaco(BP) is the best fuel. I know it's rated the best by consumers. I'm not saying that your problem would be solved by not using Chevron but if you ever hear what sounds like rocks in a tin can when you are WOT then I would reconsider your fuel choice.
Last edited by electronbluec5; Oct 12, 2006 at 09:21 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,943
Likes: 18
From: Henderson NV
Originally Posted by electronbluec5
I would be careful puting Chevron fuel in your cars. I put Chevron in two of my past vehicles, 98 Dakota R/T and 02 C5 Coupe, and had detonation in both vehicles. As soon as I put Exxon fuel in either it went away. The Two fuels I trust most are BP and Exxon. I go with Exxon because there are two stations here in Auburn that have excelent prices. I have always heard Amaco(BP) is the best fuel. I know it's rated the best by consumers. I'm not saying that your problem would be solved by not using Chevron but if you ever hear what sounds like rocks in a tin can when you are WOT then I would reconsider your fuel choice.
You probably just got a bad batch of fuel from that particular station you filled up at that time.
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Advanced
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 1
Your right tank fuel level sender is probably dirty. It’s common problem. Techron helps clean it. The way most cars work the sender is submerged in gasoline almost all the time. Your Corvette has two gas tanks. The way the Corvette fuel system is plumbed the right sender is only submerged in gasoline until the fuel level goes below ½ tank. Then the right tank is empty and the sender is in gas fumes only. What little gas is I there splashes on the sender and evaporates leaving the solids from the gas. If you are mechanically inclined, the sender is not too hard to clean. If you clean it you will see the problem. The resister will have some build up on it causing some of the windings to short out and cause an incorrect output. Do a search on fuel sender and there should be a procedure on how to get to it. A pencil eraser and some contact cleaner work well to clean it. If you use techron make sure you have at least ¾ of a tank of gas or you won’t get any techron into the right tank. My experience is that techron works somewhat but cleaning really works.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 420
From: Taildragers rule! USA1
Originally Posted by Pizzano
I have only used Chevron premium in all of my cars from day one.
Yea, Chevron is good, but it won't help the fuel gage problem. The dealer needs to reprogram some computer. I had mine done and it has worked for years now. That's after they COMPLETELY replaced the entire fuel system, tanks and all.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,152
Likes: 33
From: Folsom Ca
Originally Posted by Pizzano
Anyone have this scenario, I was sitting at a stop light at idle, when I noticed my fuel guage(which is at 3/4 level)all of a sudden the needle went to empty, stayed there for awhile then went back to 3/4, I drove a little longer, was sitting in a parking lot for wbout 10 minutes waiting for my daughter to get out of work, then started to drive again and this time a "low fuel" message showed up and a red "check guages" signal also showed up, then it went away, drove the rest the way home and nothing popped up after, Is this a sign of something possibly going wrong.
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,857
Likes: 106
From: Sloatsburg NY
Oldtimer
Originally Posted by Pizzano
Anyone have this scenario, I was sitting at a stop light at idle, when I noticed my fuel guage(which is at 3/4 level)all of a sudden the needle went to empty, stayed there for awhile then went back to 3/4, I drove a little longer, was sitting in a parking lot for wbout 10 minutes waiting for my daughter to get out of work, then started to drive again and this time a "low fuel" message showed up and a red "check guages" signal also showed up, then it went away, drove the rest the way home and nothing popped up after, Is this a sign of something possibly going wrong.
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
My vehicle sits in the garage, has never been wet,or even close to rain since I purchased the vehicle last x-mas, so corrosion of some ground could possibly be ruled out, but not totally I guess, any other suggestions on what to look for.
thanx
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I haven't had the "fall off to zero" problem but I did get the "3/4 creeping up to full" recently.
I get my 91 Octane from Nellis or Costco.
I used a couple of bottles of Techron and it cleared the problem.
One of the Supporting Tuners showed some pics of the sender gauge recently and explained the problem. Wish I could find the link.
I get my 91 Octane from Nellis or Costco.
I used a couple of bottles of Techron and it cleared the problem.
One of the Supporting Tuners showed some pics of the sender gauge recently and explained the problem. Wish I could find the link.
