gas gauge does not work

[emsdelta21]

I just bought an 83 limited and the gas gauge does not work where should I start looking for the problem

[jeepzilla47]

dont feel bad, none of mine work (except for speedo) in my 84 gw what part of sc, i am from around florence

84 gw
38.5 hawgs
4in rustys
headers, intake, cam, truck avenger, msd
need gears, axles and more lift smile.gif

[ July 07, 2003, 07:53 PM: Message edited by: jeepzilla47 ]

[DerekTJeep]

I have had a new sending unit put in it. It should be only $60 from a Jeep dealer. I wouild think that the price is same in NC as it is here.

Derek

[heydave]

It has been a while since I owned my Wagoneer, but I seem to remember a ground wire coming off behind the rear drivers side wheel. It was either for the gas gauge or tail lights. I can't remember which.
It WAS a bad ground wire on my J-ten.
Just an idea to check out.
Good luck, no gas gauge is like playing roulette with these vehicles! :D

[JeepBountyHunter]

Ground is ususually the culprit...particularly at the sending unit topside, where it plugs onto a terminal, that is exposed to all the 'crude' that get's deflected there...it's likely corroded off, and you'll need a new sending unit..
Good Luck..
Aaron

[Kukur]

Mine also doesn't work... and I know mine is a ground problem. My needles will move just a tiny bit when I start the Wagon. For the longest time I thought I was seeing things.

I have made sure the ground on the rear chassis is good but still no go.

I have shoved a continuity tester into the plug that is sitting on top of the gas tank... and low and behold the meter lives!!! Tester light pulses.

I just can't find where the blasted ground wire goes from there! Possibly to the front?

[LRRH]

I have made sure the ground on the rear chassis is good but still no go.The other possibility is the float has a crack in it and has fuel leaking into the inside. Even if you have ground it will still not read anything due to the extra weight.

[Kukur]

Originally posted by LRRH:
The other possibility is the float has a crack in it and has fuel leaking into the inside. Even if you have ground it will still not read anything due to the extra weight.But when I shove a tester into the plug and ground out the tester... the gas gauge moves. And the tester light pulses.

So I am thinking my ground (for the gas gauge) is either somewhere else... or the wire is broken somewhere in between the plug and the ground.

[Evan Atherton]

Originally posted by Kukur:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by LRRH:
The other possibility is the float has a crack in it and has fuel leaking into the inside. Even if you have ground it will still not read anything due to the extra weight.But when I shove a tester into the plug and ground out the tester... the gas gauge moves. And the tester light pulses.
If the float is cracked what do you do?
So I am thinking my ground (for the gas gauge) is either somewhere else... or the wire is broken somewhere in between the plug and the ground.</font>[/QUOTE]

[Evan Atherton]

I'm sorry but I didn't do the quote thing right.
If the float is cracked how difficult is it to replace?

[Evan Atherton]

The reason I ask is that I had a broken gas guage when I bought my 91 Wagoneer. I had it repaired. Recently I had to replace the brake lines and the gas tank had to be removed. Now the gas guage doesn't work.

[Kukur]

Evan,

I may be wrong... but your Wagon should have a plate underneath the rear seat floor (driver's side) that you can access the top of the gas tank with.

Haven't replaced a float before, but wouldn't think it would be that hard if you have that access hole.

My 78' doesn't :(

[Evan Atherton]

Kukur,
That has been suggested before. I don't have access to alot of tools or even a garage. Would I be able to get to the top with my Husky wrenches? Also does this sound like a broken float to you?
Thanks for your help.
Evan

[Matthew W. Woodruff]

FWIW, the shop manual recommends using a brass punch to remove the large nut that holds the sending unit in place. Brass to keep it from sparking.

Everything else looks like it can be dealt with using the normal set of wrenches, etc.

[LRRH]

But when I shove a tester into the plug and ground out the tester... the gas gauge moves. And the tester light pulsesThen it sounds like you have a bad ground. How much does that gauge move. Mine moved to 1/4 tank when full because of the extra weight in the float.

EVAN--

It sounds like your wires got screwed somehow when they dropped your tank. I would check with a test like Kukur did first. This was the first time I had ever seen a cracked float before...usually it is wiring related.

[youngjeeper]

well when i took my gas tank off the top was muddy, i cleaned it, escially all around the access thing where the float is, careful not to get water into it somhow, and i unscrewed the float and look inside, put it back on, remounted the gas tank, and it started working again.

[Kukur]

Originally posted by LRRH:
[]Then it sounds like you have a bad ground. How much does that gauge move. Mine moved to 1/4 tank when full because of the extra weight in the float.LRRH

It barely moves... just to the E line. I have checked and cleaned the ground at the rear frame (near the driver's side bumper) but that didn't help.

Is there another ground associated with the gauge? Or should I start looking for a broken wire to that ground position.

EVAN,

Depending on the year of your rig the access hole will either have screws or rivots (not sure of the year differences). If you can open that access, there should be a connector plug coming off the top... try grounding that wire and see what the gauge does. That is what I have done and it my gauge works.

Just got to find that blasted ground now.

[bonjohnny]

Another place to check is the connector on the back of the guage pack. all the pins on mine where loose, after a quick solder job voila guages again! also had a cracked float, jeep dealer had no idea what I needed. the ray of hope is the ford dealer, I know, but they usually have them in stock and only cost about $8. mine was a brass removeable unit by the way.

[Evan Atherton]

Thanks for all the input. I guess with lack of experience in this matter I'm afraid I'll blow myself and my car up.

[Wesdog]

If you follow the 2 wires that connect to the sender they will lead you to 2 small connectors near the gastank on the frame rail. Those connectors should be checked, especially the one that is the black ground wire. That is the wire that is tied to the frame back at the rear. Here's diagram of the harness. Connectors C154 and C155 are part of the harness that run down the drivers side frame rail. G105 is the rear grounded lug. The diagram lists the location of the G105 ground as 'upper body at center rear'. The pink wire from the sender goes to the round connector on the back of the instrument cluster.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Misc-Pictures/83fuel_gauge.jpg

Wesdog

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Misc-Pictures/wesdog_avitar1.jpg

[ July 20, 2003, 08:06 PM: Message edited by: Wesdog ]

[AMC258]

Also, the access panel is probably riveted down, I know they are on both of mine, so you need a drill to romove the rivets, not a hard thing to do, just don't drill too far into it.