Fuel Gauge

[big swifty]

My fuel gauge has been pegged on FULL for a while now. I know I don't have a full tank.

I have not yet started doing any diagnostics.

Can anybody save me some time and tell me where to start... is it a ground issue or more likely a 12V issue? Possible sending unit failure?

TIA

[Dan Wilson]

I had a problem with a guage that was always on full and the wire to the tank unit was broken. I think the ground comes from the float unit in the tank so when the tank is empty the gage gets full ground and the fuller the tank there is less ground or it gets closer to 12 volts. If this is not right some one correct me.
Dan

[arveetek]

If you can get to the sending unit wire, unplug it and see if the guage moves with the ignition turned on. The needle should go to empty or all the way to the 3 o'clock position. Grounding the wire should put the needle to full. If it doesn't make any difference, check the wire up to the dash. If that looks okay, pull the guage out. Once you get the bezel and dash front off, the guage just pulls straight out. Sometimes just pulling it out and pushing it back in makes it work again...by cleaning the contacts.

If the wire test shows that the guage is functioning, it could be the sending unit. But, first make sure the ground wire is hooked up going to the top of the sending unit.

Casey

[big swifty]

thanks for the suggestions. The weather is Fugly in VT today so I probably wont get into it until the weekend.