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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Trucks / June 2007Front tank gas gauge not reading level
1992 F150, 6 cyl. I just filled the front tank to the top and notice that the gauge in the dash does not register any fuel in the tank. Switched to the rear tank, the needle registers the correct amount of gas. What do I check? > 1992 F150, 6 cyl. I just filled the front tank to the top and notice that > the gauge in the dash does not register any fuel in the tank. Switched to > the rear tank, the needle registers the correct amount of gas. > > What do I check? Sounds as if the sending unit in the tank is bad. They are not cheap (on the order of a few hundred bucks if you can get one from Ford) or easy to change. You could hope that it is simply a bad connection between the switch and the sending unit, but it is not likely. Ford fuel sending unit failures are quite common. Could it be that the float (if there is a float) has a hole and fills with gas? Or could it be a broken wire? "If the dark blue/yellow, or yellow/light blue could be either, at the pump/sender assembly is grounded, it will peg the fuel gauge. Power goes through the gauge to and through the sending unit and then to ground. If the wire is broken, the gauge will read EMPTY and if it is shorted, it will read FULL. If you unplug the pump/sender and the gauge still reads FULL, you have a shorted wire or a bad dash board fuel gauge." (from http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl863c.htm) >> 1992 F150, 6 cyl. I just filled the front tank to the top and notice that >> the gauge in the dash does not register any fuel in the tank. Switched to [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > switch and the sending unit, but it is not likely. Ford fuel sending unit > failures are quite common. A new Motorcraft fuel sending switch is either $40 or $50 in the aftermarket depending upon the size of the midship tank (17, 18, or 19 gal, I haven't checked yet to see what I have). Unfortunately, replacing it requires removing the tank. I just replaced the rear tank a couple of months ago. Fun with gas. > Could it be that the float (if there is a float) has a hole and fills with > gas? Or could it be a broken wire? [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >> switch and the sending unit, but it is not likely. Ford fuel sending >> unit failures are quite common. >A new Motorcraft fuel sending switch is either $40 or $50 in the >aftermarket depending upon the size of the midship tank (17, 18, or 19 gal, >I haven't checked yet to see what I have). Unfortunately, replacing it >requires removing the tank. I just replaced the rear tank a couple of >months ago. Fun with gas. The logical solution since there are two tanks is run it untill the tank you have to drop is empty. Whitelightning Is it easier to pull off the bed than to drop the tank? If I can pull the bed, I don't have to wait to empty the midship tank. >>A new Motorcraft fuel sending switch is either $40 or $50 in the >>aftermarket depending upon the size of the midship tank (17, 18, or 19 [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Whitelightning Drive the truck until the tank it empty. Nothing is easier than that. > Is it easier to pull off the bed than to drop the tank? If I can pull the > bed, I don't have to wait to empty the midship tank. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> >> Whitelightning Not on an old used truck. I don't think you would get all the hardware off in serviceable condition, and would be replacing it. I'm sure it would be a much bigger pain in the a.s. > Is it easier to pull off the bed than to drop the tank? If I can pull the > bed, I don't have to wait to empty the midship tank. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> >> Whitelightning no.  SignatureSteve Barker > Is it easier to pull off the bed than to drop the tank? If I can pull the > bed, I don't have to wait to empty the midship tank. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> >> Whitelightning You don't have to drop it completely to get the sender out. Get the truck up off the ground safely, so you can sit up under it. Then remove the drive shaft, and remove the front tank strap completely, then loosen the rear strap until the tank drops enough to get the lines off and remove it from the tank. There, no draining, and no fuss. I've done dozens of them this way. BE sure to have some compressed air to clean off the area around the sender real good so a bunch of sh.t doesn't fall in. SignatureSteve Barker > Is it easier to pull off the bed than to drop the tank? If I can pull the > bed, I don't have to wait to empty the midship tank. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> >> Whitelightning > Could it be that the float (if there is a float) has a hole and fills with > gas? Or could it be a broken wire? I have never seen a failed float, or wire for that matter, but have had 8 or 9 failed sending units. I still have one truck with two bad ones, that will go to it's new owner that way, because fixing it is not worth the cost or trouble to me. > "If the dark blue/yellow, or yellow/light blue could be either, at the > pump/sender assembly is grounded, it will peg the fuel gauge. Power goes [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >> switch and the sending unit, but it is not likely. Ford fuel sending >> unit failures are quite common. > Could it be that the float (if there is a float) has a hole and fills with > gas? Or could it be a broken wire? That's always a possibility -- the float filling with gas and sinking. It could be a borken wire, but my money is on the float or the sending unit. I have a BMW that had this sort of problem, and the trouble turned out to be a very dirty constact strip on the sending unit. I cleaned the strip with contact cleaner and a business card until the card did not turn black anymore. In my BMW, all I had to do was take the back seat cushion out and open the tank through the floor of the car. I also have a '95 Bronco, and I had to drop the tank to service the stuff inside. If I recall, the Bronco did not have the capacity to clean the contact strip, but I did not pay close attention to that because my fault was the fuel pump that had died. No matter what is wrong, you will need to drop the tank to look inside. The floats are a composite type of material. Nothing to fill. SignatureSteve Barker >> Could it be that the float (if there is a float) has a hole and fills >> with gas? Or could it be a broken wire? [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > No matter what is wrong, you will need to drop the tank to look inside. Back in the olden days of our '65 F100 -- where the gas tank resided in the space behind the seat with the vehicle occupants enjoying the smells of a freshly filled tank -- the float was a brass bulb that commonly got a hole or two eaten into it. But I digress. The sending unit has failed ... > The floats are a composite type of material. Nothing to fill. You don't check anything, you buy and install a new fuel level sending unit in the front gas tank, OR learn how to do the math. If the tank holds 15 gallons, and you get 15 mpg, then your range is 15 x 15, or 225 miles on the front tank. ALWAYS fill that tank and note the odometer reading. In 225 miles, give or take, you will need to switch to the rear tank and make plans to visit the gas station soon. > 1992 F150, 6 cyl. I just filled the front tank to the top and notice that > the gauge in the dash does not register any fuel in the tank. Switched to > the rear tank, the needle registers the correct amount of gas. > > What do I check? front tank sending unit. SignatureSteve Barker > 1992 F150, 6 cyl. I just filled the front tank to the top and notice that > the gauge in the dash does not register any fuel in the tank. Switched to > the rear tank, the needle registers the correct amount of gas. > > What do I check? Some wrong replies in there. The sending unit can be purchased separately from the pump assembly and costs about $12. SignatureSteve Barker > 1992 F150, 6 cyl. I just filled the front tank to the top and notice that > the gauge in the dash does not register any fuel in the tank. Switched to > the rear tank, the needle registers the correct amount of gas. > > What do I check?
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