fuel gauge problem

[Don Jordan]

I hope I'm not wearing my welcome out here but I am having problems that I'm sure you guys can solve with the snap of a finger.

I traced the wires from the fuel gauge to the sending unit - continuity.

I used an ohm meter and got 6 volts with the ignition on.

Is there a way to check the gauge? It worked before I replaced the tank. I spent all day with 2 friends in 100 degree temp. None of us could figure it out. Where do I begin? I ran a wire to ground and hooked it to the sending unit. Nothing.

I mean how hard can it be? There are only 2 wires.

Later after all the futzing around I lost the juice at the sending unit. I don't want to swap out the gauge until I can figure out the wiring. Everything is hooked up right - what one little silly thing am I missing?

Thanks for the help.

a brother in need.

[greg g]

Make sure the ground it a good ground. not so much to the tank or sender but to the car.

Probably 90% of fuel gauge [roblems arre ground related.

[Don Jordan]

Thank you - first thing in the morning. (before it gets to 100)

fact is the tank was coated inside and painted outside. I had the car painted and they painted/coated the entire trunk area. I will wire brush around the sending unit.

Is there a check for proper grounding?

I did learn a valuable lesson (why me) on my sedan. I had the gauge wired backwards and was amazed that the further I drove the more gas I had. Now I just want to gauge to work. I will check the grounding tomorrow.

[steveplym]

Check this thread out Don.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=3029&highlight=Fuel+Gauge

I ran a seperate set of wires just to rule out any problems with the wiring. Then I ran a ground wire from under the sending unit mounting bolt to the frame. Haven't had any problems since.

[H Suhling]

Don

When I coated the inside of my tank I installed my sender to soon and the float got stuck to the bottom of the tank. Found it out when I installed a new unit after running all kinds of tests, gave up and bought a new sender and found my problem.

Harvey

[Don Jordan]

Cool - I thought I was the only one that did that sort of stuff. I guess we are all human.

I'm going out now to give the grounding a chance. It's almost 10 and it's 88 out side.

In my next life I think I'm going to take up stamp collecting.

[Plymouthy Adams]

stamp collecting..definitely one thing you can lick...

[steveplym]

stamp collecting..definitely one thing you can lick...

It might leave you with sticky fingers though....I think I'll leave it at that.

[Don Jordan]

I hope people are still following this thread.

I looked at the fuel gauge in my coupe it has a blue wire on the left - black and yellow on the right and one wire from the bottom to the ignition switch.

The sedan has the same blue and black and yellow but it has two wires from the gauge to the ignition.

I know the ground at the sending unit is okay. I ran a line from the battery to the back and the test light worked on the ground.

Here's 2 bits of information that might be helpful (not to me though).

When I had the dash painted they took out all the gauges. I sort of forgot about that. When I put a test light to the gauge (hot) to ground, turn on the key test light comes on. When I put the test light on the left side of the gauge turn on the key there is light but it's not very bright.

I am so frustrated... also I was trying to find my repair manual with the schematic in it - I found that I had 2 parts manuals. The universe is messing with my head.

I will begin again tomorrow after work.

I need some help.

[steveplym]

Check and make sure yours is wired correctly with this schematic. If I remember correctly there are two wires spliced together that go to the power + on the back of the gauge as it goes to something else, but #1 and #2 should not have any other wires on it, it should be #1 goes back to #1 terminal on sender, and #2 goes back to #2 wire on sender. If you have another wire on #1 or #2 there probably lies your problem.

[Don Jordan]

Thank you for the schematic - I've been pulling hair out. I think something may have been crossed when they took the gauges out to paint the dash. Saturday I'm going to take the gauge out and put it back just to see if that does something. I mean it worked when I took it in - famous last words.

I don't know why but I think it's a ground problem. I bought a Rhode Island wiring kit so I feel confident that everything is wired right. This is just so frustrating.