Gas Gage Flatlined Today
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 19
Likes: 8
From: Aurora,Ohio N.E. Ohio
Gas Gage Flatlined Today
Hello all. Today I drive my 1998 stock 24k hatchback. After putting in about 14 gallons of gas and driving for about 40 minutes my gas gage flatlined. Drove about another 1/2 hr. to get the car home with no issues. Once garaged, shut off the car waited about 30 seconds and fired it up again. Fuel gage cycled and read a little above 3/4 of a tank, seems close to what it should be to me and repeated this a few times with no flatline or warning lights but now the fear of the sending units and transfer pump and after reading these threads of getting stranded, this needs attention. I did not pull codes yet, tomorrow and have always used Techron. Would it be possible to prove the problem is in the right tank by syphoning down the left and then seeing if it starts and transfers fuel or no start or starts and quits after a while or is this a waste of time and just tear it apart ? I should have probably kept more fuel in it but i try and get it out 1-2 times a month based on weather, All thoughts, opinions, reprimands welcome. Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 939
From: Orlando Florida
The transfer pump is a static siphon, so it only transfers fuel when the left hand electric pump has fuel to pump. Found this description, which seems to be a circular reference back to this forum, but an interesting read:
https://www.z06vette.com/threads/how...m-works.60056/
https://www.z06vette.com/threads/how...m-works.60056/
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 1,144
From: Sleepy Hollow- NJ
My fuel gauge has done that on and off for 23 years and 148k miles in my '99. I always run top tier 93 octane with techron or sea-foam. But every few drives my gauge goes to "E" for no reason. Sometimes after a really hard stab of the throttle, sometimes after a bump, and other times for no apparent reason what so ever. Doesn't matter if it's a full tank, 3/4, 1/2 tank or 1/4 tank. It's just random.
A reset of the fuel error code from the DIC while driving typically gets the gauge working again and the CEL will go off (without having to pull over for a restart).
I went a few years without having the issue. Had to stop at a low budget station ONCE (purchased $20 worth to get me to a Shell or Chevron) in an emergency but after that one stop it started recurring randomly again every few drives.
Eventually I'll get to doing a proper repair but It hasn't pissed me off enough yet now that the car is no longer a daily driver.
A reset of the fuel error code from the DIC while driving typically gets the gauge working again and the CEL will go off (without having to pull over for a restart).
I went a few years without having the issue. Had to stop at a low budget station ONCE (purchased $20 worth to get me to a Shell or Chevron) in an emergency but after that one stop it started recurring randomly again every few drives.
Eventually I'll get to doing a proper repair but It hasn't pissed me off enough yet now that the car is no longer a daily driver.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Pre 03/04 C5 owners are fortunate that these issues can be fixed without removing the tanks like has to be done in my '04. Over the past 3 years after filling my gas always with Shell, the gauge will go bonkers by going up/down many times until I drive about 10 miles while making turns. I have dumped what seems like gallons of Techron and Seafoam into the tank trying to fix the gauge. No love! Because of the cost to repair ($2K+) I just put up with the DIC messages and hit the Reset button until the gauge finally reads correctly.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,861
Likes: 4,664
Pre 03/04 C5 owners are fortunate that these issues can be fixed without removing the tanks like has to be done in my '04. Over the past 3 years after filling my gas always with Shell, the gauge will go bonkers by going up/down many times until I drive about 10 miles while making turns. I have dumped what seems like gallons of Techron and Seafoam into the tank trying to fix the gauge. No love! Because of the cost to repair ($2K+) I just put up with the DIC messages and hit the Reset button until the gauge finally reads correctly.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
No superior design. A forum member had previously opined in another post that this was done in response to the Feds requirement for 2003+. My DD '04 Murano has the same stupid set up. OK, but one would think the 'brilliant' designers would have made some reasonable design access to replace the internal units without removing the rear end stuff to drop the tanks. And you would think that because of the cost to replace the parts top notch parts would be in the tanks. Nope, not with GM. My 04 Murano has 160K on the odometer and never had a problem with the gauge.
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 19
Likes: 8
From: Aurora,Ohio N.E. Ohio
Thanks again for all the great info. I took the car out again yesterday, First thing i did was get the error code--- 1431. Upon starting the motor the gas gage looked and acted normal going to a little above 3/4. I drove the same route as Tuesday and at almost the exact time and miles in- 35 minutes- the gage went flat. No loss of performance but pulled over and restarted the car and gage went normal. Drove home with no issues. Right sender in my future.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,134
Likes: 802
From: Espanola New Mexico
No amount of Techron will help a sending unit that has a true dead spot on the windings, it will help if there are deposits on the windings. My 97 has done this a few times, luckily a couple of applications of Techron have corrected it.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 425
Likes: 94
I have been dealing with this problem for 3 years. When I fill up it never goes past 3/4 tank. This spring I’m going to take a gallon of gas with me and drive about 250 miles and see if I run out or not, at least that way I will know if the transfer pump is working as I have been filling up around 200 miles each time. Local Corvette shop estimates about $2500 for repairs. 2000 M 6
Pro
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 563
Likes: 201
From: Montgomery City, MO
If it were mine I would replace both fuel level sending units. There's nothing that can fail in the right fuel pump unless it becomes clogged with debris, which is highly unlikely.
Went through this process about a month ago - about a 3 - 4 hour job doing it in my garage. Best $100 I've spent on the car.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ing-units.html
Went through this process about a month ago - about a 3 - 4 hour job doing it in my garage. Best $100 I've spent on the car.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ing-units.html
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,861
Likes: 4,664
I have been dealing with this problem for 3 years. When I fill up it never goes past 3/4 tank. This spring I’m going to take a gallon of gas with me and drive about 250 miles and see if I run out or not, at least that way I will know if the transfer pump is working as I have been filling up around 200 miles each time. Local Corvette shop estimates about $2500 for repairs. 2000 M 6
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 1,144
From: Sleepy Hollow- NJ
What Corvette shop would charge $2,500 to install new senders? Senders can be removed/installed on the earlier model C5s, INCLUDING your 2000 model, w/o pulling the tanks. I've researched this to a point, because I also own a 2000 model. Its my understanding the senders are between $35-$50 per side, plus labor. Do they know you have a 2000 model? Sheesh, if they get $2,500 for doing the 2000 models, the '04 models must be $5,000+!!!
I just now ordered just the sensors (19421094) without the pumps for my '99 from Rock Auto for $45.79 each.I picked up from @Mr.Black (on @grinder11 's thread) that although listed as "left side" on Rock Auto the sensors are the same for both sides in the instructions.
So I pulled the trigger on 2 and added this to my Spring "to-do" list. Maybe my laziness and desire to only drive the C5 in my spare time vs. wrench on it will take a back seat while I finally get this corrected at the root.