Hi
Im new to the forum thank you in advance for any help you can give.
I have a 1982 with a fuel gauge that works only some of the times. I was told that the printed circuit board may be the problem is this true? I don't want to just buy one for $100 to find out that it is something else,
such as the tank float.

thanks

I could be anything in the circuit. Starting with the fuse and gauge ground. I know that's not much help.
The fuse supplies power to most of the gauges, so it they work, it's okay.
The gauge is operated by a ground through the sending unit. When it's grounded, the gauge reads empty. An open circut will make it read about 1/4 or so past full.
Not moving at all indicates a power or ground loss to the gauge itself. You have to catch it in the act so to speak and start testing based on what it is doing.

Idon't have that problem ,my problem is every time I start my 78 up the fuel guage goes down,seems too make short work on that 24 gallon tank

I have (had) a similar problem with my '82 unitl a few weeks ago I went flying over a set of railroad tracks and the guage dropped to empty and will not move.

A friend told me that the bladder (really a liner0 in th egas tank on 82's is notorious for coming off and getting into the way of the float. So I am tearing into mine per the instructions see

http://www.vettefinders.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Vette101Story&ID=21

For how to replace the sending unit which basically is how to get into the tank and see if the float is stuck...

Dave
Share the wave

My fuel guage needle has moved up past the full mark (it sits at about 3 o'clock as you look at it). Does that sound like a bad ground or could the float be hung up????

I appreciate any advice on how to possibly attack this dilemma!

Last year I replaced the sending unit and after that didn't work I sent the gauge out for reconditioning. After all that I had to remove the sending unit again, which involved dropping the tank, and bending the arm on the sending unit to clear the bladder in the tank. It's not as accurate anymore but does work and is better than nothing.
The shop manual claims the sending unit can be removed without dropping the tank however if the bladder is in the way you can't manuver the unit into the right position to get it out of the tank. If you drop the tank you might consider replacing the fuel pump also, I did.

Going past full in an open circuit. Something lost contact after the gauge. It could be between the gauge and sending unit in the tank, a bad ground from the sending unit, or an open in the unit itself.