fuel guage problem,, i think

Topic: fuel guage problem,, i think (Read 1025 times) previous topic - next topic

fuel guage problem,, i think

May 02, 2007, 01:51:38 AM

While i was unemployed , i started up my garage for side cash and charged 15 an hour no matter what the job.

I went out on a house call (30/hr) on a 99 mustang that would not start. I spoon fed the info to the "mechanically inclined owner and he still did not try the things i said.

the problem,- car cranks but wont start

findings
fuel guage says 1/4 tank
car is sitting at a 25deg angle nose slightly down.
spark is arriving at the plugs nice and bluish white in color

fuel presure tester says 0 psi
turn key on and i hear the pump and the relay

roll car down to a level area and it starts:D

Problem solved in about 12 minutes.

I noticed something and here is my question. I noticed that his fuel guage said 1/4 tank but when i turned the key on,, it dropped to almost 1/16 of a tank.

i turn the key off and the needle goes up again. Im like, wtf

Somehow i just happened to notice that the very same thing happens to my wifes bronco.

Is something broken? I turn the key on in the bronco and the fuel level drops a little. I turn the key off and it rises.

is this normal or acceptable?

fuel guage problem,, i think

Reply #1 – May 02, 2007, 09:13:24 AM

I would say it's normal. I think it even mentions that condition in the owner's manual somewhere

fuel guage problem,, i think

Reply #2 – May 02, 2007, 10:31:46 AM

the technology behind the system must be different in the mustang and bronco vs my cougar.

on level ground my bronco does this. The cougar does not do this at all.
When we turn out keys off, the gas needle transitions to the below "E" position. On that one mustang and my bronco, the gas needle maintains a reading after the key is truned off.

fuel guage problem,, i think

Reply #3 – May 04, 2007, 07:48:07 AM

Ours are the heated-bimetal type. No current, no heat, drop to zero.
Maybe the newer ones are the magnetic type, with a pair of "balanced" coils to position the needle?

fuel guage problem,, i think

Reply #4 – May 04, 2007, 01:11:55 PM

Mine reads E all the time haha. Do parts stores sell sending units?

fuel guage problem,, i think

Reply #5 – May 05, 2007, 05:32:09 PM

The fuel gage in my 91 Grand Marquis stays put with the ignition off.
The sending unit in the tank goes to an "anti-slosh module" which controls the gage. Don't know how the gage works but it is not spring loaded to return to Empty. It just stays where it is put.