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Another Fuel Gauge problem

7K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  dnult 
#1 ·
Hey guys,

I have a 69 SS386 Camaro. My fuel gauge is really acting funny. I have gone through pages of posts on this subject and cant seem to find anyone whit the same problem. Lots of fuel gauge problems but not quite the same as mine.

I do not have the sender nor the gauge installed in the car. When I test them I have the gauge pluged in the dash wiring harness and the sender in the trunk pluged into its harness and grounded. When I turn on the key with the float in the empty position the needle on the gauge is at about the 5 O'Clock position. When I move the float to the full position the needle on the gauge moves clockwise to about the 9 O'Clock position. It's as if the needle is pressed on the wrong position. This is a new gauge I just got it in the mail today.

I have bought a new gauge and a new tank sender. I have 12vdc and ground at the gauge. The wire from the gauge to the sender is good. The sender is good because I get between 0 and 90 ohms resistance as I move the float through the arc.

Am I doing something wrong? Can I test the sender and gauge without them installed?

I thought I would move the needle but it don't want to come off and I am scared I will break it and at $160.00 I really don't want to buy another one.

Sorry for the long post but at this point I am at whits end.

Thanks,

Steve

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#3 ·
I have a similar problem, I have a new sender and new wiring harness but my gauge is at 2 o'clock when empty and 5 o'clock when full. My guess is the gauge is messed up. Year One sells new gauges or repairs old ones and I just saw a 67 Speedo and Fuel gauge go for $20 on ebay. Which brings up a question. The gauges on ebay were black faced but my 67 gauges are silver faced. Anyone know the difference?
 
#6 ·
I'd try and set it up on the bench with a couple of fixed resistors to simulate the sender. A 45 ohm from the meter sender connection to ground should read mid-tank. A 90 ohm from the meter sender connection to ground should read full. If this a brand new gage, I'd question the supplier after this test.
 
#7 ·
Fixed the problem! Since I noticed the needle was exactly 180 degrees out I assumed the needle must have been assembled wrong.

I took the old gauge and using a pair of needle nose I removed the needle just to see if it would come off. It came off pretty easily. So using the same process I removed the needle from the new gauge. I grounded the sender wire and knowing that should make the needle point to empty. At this point I placed the needle back on the shaft and when I replaced the sender wire it went to 3/4. I grounded the sender to gauge wire the needle went to empty again.

Thanks for all the help!

Steve
 
#8 ·
Sounds like you got if fixed. However, why not place 90ohms accross it, as John recommended, and see if you get a full tank.

-dnult
 
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