I'm having problems with getting a proper (or any) reading on my fuel gauge.
Last summer I paid my semi-local Mustang shop to fix the sending unit, which at the time showed empty with about five gallons remaining and full at anything over ten gallons. It worked wonderfully for about a month and then started showing empty no matter the fuel level. Because the shop is only semi-local, I couldn't make time to get the car out there to get them to fix it, but I finally dug into it myself yesterday.
First, I grounded the wire coming from the sending unit in order to check the gauge, and the gauge pegged full.
Second, I drained the tank and took out the sending unit. At this point I discovered the reason for the abrupt failure: the float was no longer attached to the sending unit.
Third, after attempting to coax the float out with a coat hanger, I pulled the tank in order to use gravity to get the float out. Upon doing so I discovered that my shop had left the filter from the old sending unit rattling/floating around the tank.
At this point I made a clear mistake. Instead of testing the variable resistance on the sending unit, I assumed that the problem was only the detached float and proceeded to reattach it (hopefully more securely) and reassemble the tank.
Unfortunately, when I put four gallons back in the tank, it still showed empty. So, after checking to make sure the tank was grounded (continuity and no ohms between tank and the body), I drained the tank again and pulled the sending unit, again.
The multimeter showed 80 ohms with the lever all the way down and 6 at its apogee. I'm guessing this is about right, but I don't know.
So I again installed the unit and tested to make sure it was grounded, and then I put about four gallons of fuel in the tank. And nothing on the gauge.
With those four gallons, the multimeter is showing about 65 ohms off of the sending unit, which I would think would be enough to register on the gauge.
What am I missing, Stangnet?
Last summer I paid my semi-local Mustang shop to fix the sending unit, which at the time showed empty with about five gallons remaining and full at anything over ten gallons. It worked wonderfully for about a month and then started showing empty no matter the fuel level. Because the shop is only semi-local, I couldn't make time to get the car out there to get them to fix it, but I finally dug into it myself yesterday.
First, I grounded the wire coming from the sending unit in order to check the gauge, and the gauge pegged full.
Second, I drained the tank and took out the sending unit. At this point I discovered the reason for the abrupt failure: the float was no longer attached to the sending unit.
Third, after attempting to coax the float out with a coat hanger, I pulled the tank in order to use gravity to get the float out. Upon doing so I discovered that my shop had left the filter from the old sending unit rattling/floating around the tank.
At this point I made a clear mistake. Instead of testing the variable resistance on the sending unit, I assumed that the problem was only the detached float and proceeded to reattach it (hopefully more securely) and reassemble the tank.
Unfortunately, when I put four gallons back in the tank, it still showed empty. So, after checking to make sure the tank was grounded (continuity and no ohms between tank and the body), I drained the tank again and pulled the sending unit, again.
The multimeter showed 80 ohms with the lever all the way down and 6 at its apogee. I'm guessing this is about right, but I don't know.
So I again installed the unit and tested to make sure it was grounded, and then I put about four gallons of fuel in the tank. And nothing on the gauge.
With those four gallons, the multimeter is showing about 65 ohms off of the sending unit, which I would think would be enough to register on the gauge.
What am I missing, Stangnet?