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Topic: fuel gauge

in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems

fuel gauge

Posted: 3/17/17 8:52am Message 1 of 5
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Suffolk, VA - USA
Joined: 7/24/2012
Posts: 138
Vette(s): 1969 convertible 427 4speed
My 1969 fuel gauge has stopped working. The needle stays on full and does not move.  The gauge or sending unit bad?  Any suggestions. Thanks


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Re: fuel gauge

Posted: 3/17/17 7:42pm Message 2 of 5
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
First do a little test. At the fuel tank, there is a brown/tan wire on the sending unit. Take that connector loose, and with the key on, engine off, ground it(use a short piece of wire, or a small screwdriver as a jumper) to the frame. If the fuel gauge goes to "Empty", the wiring, and the gauge itself are good, and your problem is with the sending unit.
 If it does not go to Empty, then you have either a break in the wiring from the sender to the gauge, or there is an issue with the gauge itself. Thumbs Up


Joel Adams
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Re: fuel gauge

Posted: 3/19/17 3:11am Message 3 of 5
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United Kingdom
Joined: 10/6/2015
Posts: 83
Vette(s): 1970 convertible in red 350
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you've got it back to front, if the sensor lead is grounded it will go to full not empty. If it reads full all the time then it's either a short in the sensor lead or in the tank sender unit.
If you disconnect the lead at the sender then switch on the ignition the gauge should drop to empty, if it does its the tank sender if it stays full it could be the gauge or the sensor lead, if you check resistance of the lead to the chassis and it's very low you'll need to get to the back of the gauge and disconnect it there and check again to narrow down where the problem lies.
Graham



Re: fuel gauge

Posted: 3/24/17 11:52am Message 4 of 5
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Long Valley, NJ - USA
Joined: 3/21/2007
Posts: 293
Vette(s): 1972 454 Coupe, 4 speed, Targa Blue with blue interior, luggage rack 2019 Grand Sport Coupe, M7, Ceramic Matrix Gray with gray interior
With apologies to our sponsors, ,Wilcox has a very good diagnostic procedure on their site!


Mario

Re: fuel gauge

Posted: 3/31/17 9:13am Message 5 of 5
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Suffolk, VA - USA
Joined: 7/24/2012
Posts: 138
Vette(s): 1969 convertible 427 4speed
Thanks I will look at the Wilcox site and try the tests that were mentioned by the other members  


in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems


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