Whacked Out Gas Gauge

  • #1

    Whacked Out Gas Gauge

    So My fuel dial is always on empty.

    It's pretty sad to look at, I wait till my gas light comes on and than getting gas becomes my #1 priority.

    The only time my gauge moves is when I fill the tank completly and it goes to 3/4's. within a day of driving though the dial goes all the way back to empty even though the tank is still full.

    Is this a problem with my dash cluster? or my fuel sensor? Any insight is appreciated, thanks,
    Andrew
    Mmm, that feels good, I mean.. tastes good, I mean.. what?
  • #2
    RooooATM wrote: So My fuel dial is always on empty.

    It's pretty sad to look at, I wait till my gas light comes on and than getting gas becomes my #1 priority.

    The only time my gauge moves is when I fill the tank completly and it goes to 3/4's. within a day of driving though the dial goes all the way back to empty even though the tank is still full.

    Is this a problem with my dash cluster? or my fuel sensor? Any insight is appreciated, thanks,
    Andrew
    im taking it that you have an analog cluster since you said fuel "dial".

    its more than likely your sending unit as mine. when it ran that is.. did almost the same thing.. but i would have half a tank left and it say it was empty.. for almost 6 months i thought i had a 10 gallon gas tank because of that. right now. as the car sits. i have roughly 9-10 gallons of gas in the tank.. and it says im dead empty…

    best thing to do is buy a newer "float and armature" style sending unit. and it wouldnt be a bad idea to clean to the electrical connections involved in that too.
  • #3
    Most likely your fuel level sending unit in the gas tank. You're in luck, you don't need to drop the tank to remove it.

    You can try and fix it using the method linked below:

    http://www.zeeyalater.net/comprob1.htm#fuel%20unit

    Apologies for the background, makes it kind of hard to read. Not my site.

    Or you can replace it with a newer, better design offered by courtesy.

    For Analogue dashes:
    http://www.courtesyparts.com/25060-anal … Path=2317&

    For Digidashes:
    http://www.courtesyparts.com/25060-digi … Path=2317&

    1988 300zxt. gt35, stance, etc. Wheels: Varrstoen ES2 18x9.5 et-13 225/40. 18x10.5 et0 245/40
    1990 jetta vr6'd
  • #4
    I'm sure I could be not lazy and go tracing through the FSM for an hour, but does anyone know off the top of their head which replacement part you would use for an analog dash in a digital dash harnessed car?
    1985 NA2T(now RB) * 1988 SS x2 * 1984 AE x3 * 2006 350Z
  • #5
    DeleriousZ wrote: You can try and fix it using the method linked below:

    http://www.zeeyalater.net/comprob1.htm#fuel%20unit
    This seems to be no longer? Is there another method?
    Jeff
    71 240z

    80 280zx 10th Anniversary

    88 300zx Turbo, 89 300zx Turbo

    Datsun Jeff
  • #6
    None of my Z31s have yet to have functioning gas gauges (not even the slicktop, I'll fix it somewhere along the line…). I usually went by mileage by using the trip meter on the odometer.

    DeleriousZ wrote: Most likely your fuel level sending unit in the gas tank. You're in luck, you don't need to drop the tank to remove it.
    ^^^
  • #7
    DeleriousZ wrote: Most likely your fuel level sending unit in the gas tank. You're in luck, you don't need to drop the tank to remove it.

    You can try and fix it using the method linked below:

    http://www.zeeyalater.net/comprob1.htm#fuel%20unit

    Apologies for the background, makes it kind of hard to read. Not my site.

    Or you can replace it with a newer, better design offered by courtesy.

    For Analogue dashes:
    http://www.courtesyparts.com/25060-anal … Path=2317&

    For Digidashes:
    http://www.courtesyparts.com/25060-digi … Path=2317&
    Pretty sure I got my replacement from the dealer at about $80-$90…
    Damn dirty angels....these cars!

    Current Daily Driver - 86 Turbo.
    Under the cover - THE BANANA… that needs to be re-energized.
    sigpic
  • #8
    Wow I was so helpful back in the day. What the heck wad wrong with me lol

    1988 300zxt. gt35, stance, etc. Wheels: Varrstoen ES2 18x9.5 et-13 225/40. 18x10.5 et0 245/40
    1990 jetta vr6'd
  • #9
    Just replaced mine the other week for the same issue. Sub-gauge worked alright, I'd wait until the gas light came on, and the 1/4 tank gauge kicked in. The main gauge always shot up to full after a fill up, and within a day or so, it would just drop to empty. Replaced, and now I am sitting at a little over a quarter tank! ;d