fuel gauge folly

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Barry Ankney

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Apr 19, 2019
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Akron Ohio
Most recently installed a new fuel sending unit. Works.........sort of. When the tank is filled up, the gauge reads full. After I burn up about 5 gallons, it drops to 1/4 tank, then slowly declines to empty. In essence i am guessing how much fuel i have in the tank. Any ideas out there i can try? Thanks!!!!
 
Find an original sender and have it rebuilt. Tons of threads and info on this problem on the site. Just start searching and plunge into the rabbit hole. I found an NOS unit online and put in mine. Still not perfect but much better than the modern junk.
 
There is a device called Meter Match that can calibrate any sender to any gauge.
I think I'd rather have that than one sender and gauge only matched to each other.
New senders being off in calibration is a rabbit hole for sure.
 
Ha. I have that exact same problem. Brand new sender. Filled it and drove for a while. Gauge said 1/8 tank. Poured 10 gal in it and overflowed. New sender= junk. New turn signal= junk. New coil= junk. Can't get good parts easily anymore. Post what you do to remedy it. Thx
 
All the new senders are junk when it comes to calibration. There are many threads here about the subject. If the tank was a perfect cube they would probably work ok. Like the fellas above recommended, Rebuild a original sender or Use the Meter Match.
 
I was having the same issue with the aftermarket sending units and aftermaket fuel gauges. The first guage, an Equus brand that was supposed to be for Chrysler read backwards, but was reasonably accurate. Next I tried a speedhut gauge and programed it to the sender unit and it would have the rapid gauge drop from 3/4 to 1/4 in about 30 miles of driving. Then I redid the dash gauge cluster with an Intellitronix 6 gauge cluster that has a fuel gauge in it. Hooked everything up and the fuel guage read 38% were the speedhut guage was reading zero. Couple of test drives and the gauge was down to 25% put 8.50 gallons in the tank and the gauge went to 85%. Not enough testing time yet as we are on a Covid-19 stay at home lock down here but it looks promising.
 
Dragonsteel said:
I was having the same issue with the aftermarket sending units and aftermaket fuel gauges. The first guage, an Equus brand that was supposed to be for Chrysler read backwards, but was reasonably accurate. Next I tried a speedhut gauge and programed it to the sender unit and it would have the rapid gauge drop from 3/4 to 1/4 in about 30 miles of driving. Then I redid the dash gauge cluster with an Intellitronix 6 gauge cluster that has a fuel gauge in it. Hooked everything up and the fuel guage read 38% were the speedhut guage was reading zero. Couple of test drives and the gauge was down to 25% put 8.50 gallons in the tank and the gauge went to 85%. Not enough testing time yet as we are on a Covid-19 stay at home lock down here but it looks promising.
Click to expand...
Where you at in MO? I’m in the Southwest corner near Springfield and Joplin.
 
TrailBeast said:
There is a device called Meter Match that can calibrate any sender to any gauge.
I think I'd rather have that than one sender and gauge only matched to each other.
New senders being off in calibration is a rabbit hole for sure.
Click to expand...
I understand calibrating the Meter Match at a full tank. How do you calibrate the other points when you don’t know how much gas is left in the tank?
 
Lord Sparky said:
I understand calibrating the Meter Match at a full tank. How do you calibrate the other points when you don’t know how much gas is left in the tank?
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Start with an empty tank and know what the tank holds.
Add 1/4 of the tank total and set the Meter match to show1/4 tank.
Add another 1/4 and set the meter Match to show 1/2 tank, and so on.

It has more increments than 4 but I don't know how many without looking it up.
You get the idea though.
 
That's all ANY analog style fuel gauge is. A guessing game. All that matters to me is if the gauge reads accurately when it's on E. Sounds like yours is actually fairly close as these old gauges go.
 
I replaced with the available Spectra unit. It was not the issue IMO. looks totally incorrect but was not the real issue! Went from 5/16 to 3/8, it read correctly with the meter. The gauge was the issue! Upgrade your gauges JMO! If you think the 50 year old gauge is going to read anything correctly you are wishing!
 
I put in a new Chrysler type Equus fuel gauge over winter (tank was filled in fall). The old gauge had been sitting a E regardless of fuel level. New gauge reads Full, but after some driving it seems to not be dropping..I see it bounce around in turns or quick stops...I'm still hoping it's working but am doubtful. I did tests in fall showing gauge was bad and have no reason to think the sending unit coincidentally went bad at exact same time. ..Will burn a couple gallons today and know for sure I guess. Anyone had this situation?
 
I bought a meter match and it works really well. I think I might be +/- about a gallon. You also need to change your IVR to use it.

I made a calibration box from data on the forum to calibrate the meter match. Can send it to anyone who would like to use it.
 
Picture of cal box. Has resistors to simulate different aftermarket sender fuel levels. Keeps you from having to change fuel level in tank to calibrate meter match

C7B31340-4CF7-4FAC-AD18-7892573BC287.jpeg
 
Where do You get the calibration items --- "cal box" ? -- "meter match" ? --- Thanks
 
Meter Match has been a life saver. It's why they're made.
You can also save yourself a lot of grief by laying your old sending unit next to the new one, to verify the rheostat and float lever it orientated the same. (Is the float lever bent wrong, shorter rheostat?)
 
follow up
Dave NEO said:
I put in a new Chrysler type Equus fuel gauge over winter (tank was filled in fall). The old gauge had been sitting a E regardless of fuel level. New gauge reads Full, but after some driving it seems to not be dropping..I see it bounce around in turns or quick stops...I'm still hoping it's working but am doubtful. I did tests in fall showing gauge was bad and have no reason to think the sending unit coincidentally went bad at exact same time. ..Will burn a couple gallons today and know for sure I guess. Anyone had this situation?
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FOLLOW-UP: OK, got lucky, ran it out on the interstate for a few miles and it started to drop as it should. Can't recall if the stock gauges were a little 'bouncy' back in the day but this one is as the float moves when I take a turn or come to a stop - anyway it's registering lower as I burn up the high-test. Good luck with yours.
 
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Was able to get an aftermarket fuel/send unit from Van's a couple years ago. Knowing that they don't read very well, I set the send unit up outside of the gas tank over the rear end. Then I proceeded to bend the float arm to read 1/2 tank, then checked the dash gauge, adjust some more check dash gauge again.

Then some fine tune bending at the end for empty and full settings checking the dash gauge. Looking inside the tank, and considering the angle of the mount on the tank to get the swing right.

Took some goofing around to get it pre-set before final install and filling tank with gas.

All worked out well at the end correctly following the proper gas levels in the tank.

Had I installed it without adjusting it, it would have been way off.
 
Mike69cuda said:
-- I bought a meter match and it works really well. I think I might be +/- about a gallon. You also need to change your IVR to use it. -- I made a calibration box from data on the forum to calibrate the meter match. Can send it to anyone who would like to use it. --
Click to expand...
-- What is a IVR ?
 
Instrument Voltage Regulator. I takes the 12 volt battery power and reduces it to 5-6 volts for the gauges.
 
Dave NEO said:
I put in a new Chrysler type Equus fuel gauge over winter (tank was filled in fall). The old gauge had been sitting a E regardless of fuel level. New gauge reads Full, but after some driving it seems to not be dropping..I see it bounce around in turns or quick stops...I'm still hoping it's working but am doubtful. I did tests in fall showing gauge was bad and have no reason to think the sending unit coincidentally went bad at exact same time. ..Will burn a couple gallons today and know for sure I guess. Anyone had this situation?
Click to expand...

Equis are the cheapest gauges made , cant expect much out of them , replaced several of them !
 
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