Quick Fuel Level Q

[London]

Hey so this probably isn't the right section for this, but anyway…

My fuel level doesn't read properly. It will at times but normally snaps back to full. Now some people told me it could be some differnet pumps or what not sending incorrect readings, but the low fuel light turns on as it should… Which makes me think it's something with the gauge itself… Can this piece be taken out from the counsel? Or is it a matter of changing out the whole thing?

[rThor432]

It's often the solder joints on the main board in the cluster; they break down and cause an intermittent contact. An easy way to tell whether it is level sender (unlikely) or cluster related is to pull out the sender and then by tilting it you can run it through it's range of motion. Watch the gauge while you are doing that. Also, if it faults and you hit the dash surrounding the cluster does it return to the proper spot? That's a dead giveaway..

[London]

Well sometimes it will return to its proper spot. Not so much any more though.

[London]

Bump back up because I need to fix this haha

[jlevie]

First you need to figure out whether the problem is in the sensor(s) or cluster. As rThor432 stated, you can do that by pulling the sensor(s) from the tank and inverting them to see if the gage responds as it should. You don't say what car you have, so I can't say whether the car has a single sensor on the right hand side or sensor on the right and left sides.

The low level fuel light is controlled by a switch in the right side sensor. Thus the low level warning is independent of the gage.

[London]

I have an '86 ES. It seems like its a problem with the gauge itself though. Because at times it'll be displaying the proper fuel level and then I'll hit a small bump in the road and it snaps back to full

[rThor432]

Take the cluster apart and inspect the solder joints and main board-- you'll probably find lots of weak/failing joints that aren't just on the fuel gauge circuit. Reflow the joints and reassemble (unless your SI batteries have leaked and destroyed the main board).