It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 12:58 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:46 pm 
Offline
Posts like an L27
Posts like an L27
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:32 am
Posts: 709
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Year and Trim: 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air
My fuel guage is not working properly. It always stays past the full mark even when it is bone dry.

When my grandma bought this car with 4000 miles the fuel gauge has never worked. She never saw it as a problem and didn't even bother to get it fixed.

There are a few things i know are the problem such as....

1. Fuel Sender
2. Fuel Sender Arm
3. Wiring

The instrument cluster works flawlessly except for the fuel gauge...please help

ps...i know i have to drop the tank to do this...if their are any other possible problems please feel free to tell me.

_________________
1997 Bonneville SLE...(SilverStreak)...Totaled...1/25/13...Gone but not forgotten.
1968 Chevrolet Bel Air....the project


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 7:36 pm 
Offline
GXP Member
GXP Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:09 pm
Posts: 278
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Year and Trim: '97 SSEi
My experience comes from a similar (99) Buick Regal 3800 II. On that car the fuel gauge stuck is a sender unit which is "sort of" part of (an attachment to) the fuel pump. The fuel pump and sender are located in the tank. I believe you need to drop axle components to drop the tank and access the parts. The consideration then is that if the sender isn't working, good chance the pump is also old enough that you may wind up needing to change that soon and a large part of the job is labor.

My retail price on gauge only was $413 or $696.50 for gauge and pump. I think the labor on either or both was about $150 of the whole amount so a lot of what you're paying for is time spent getting in there. I think the Bonneville is likely similar. And that is what I think I know. Good luck.

_________________
Image
'97 SSEi, Majestic Teal / Beige interior, Bose, HUD, iPod ready! - SOLD! :sad: Check it out!
'99 Buick Regal LSE, Matador Red / Beige interior - SOLD! Check it out!
'96 Chevy Camaro - White w/Black / fire red interior, 3800, manual, loaded, T-tops, Bose - SOLD! Check it out!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:09 pm 
Offline
Retired Admin
Retired Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
Posts: 65489
Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre
No axle components will need to be dropped. First off, there are no axles on the rear of an H body. Secondly, only the exhaust is in the way, and it's fairly simple to drop that out of the way. You want the tank mostly empty to do it, and 2 people are better than 1.

You'll need a new pump seal (top of the tank) before you start, and you need to troubleshoot to determine if it's the sending unit or not before you begin.

_________________
Image
Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:17 pm 
Offline
Posts like an L27
Posts like an L27
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:32 am
Posts: 709
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Year and Trim: 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air
how do i do that. The cluster eventually moves around but it never gives me an accurate reading. If it ends up being a wiring issue than i will buy an after market fuel gauge.

_________________
1997 Bonneville SLE...(SilverStreak)...Totaled...1/25/13...Gone but not forgotten.
1968 Chevrolet Bel Air....the project


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:23 pm 
Offline
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut

Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 1:15 am
Posts: 3177
Location: Corning, NY
Year and Trim: 2012 Eco
ScanGauge II is MUCH easier to wire in than an aftermarket fuel gauge. It plugs into your OBDII port, and is pretty accurate. Mine's within half a gallon of fuel used. $150 thereabouts. Same price as a new sender. http://www.scangauge.com/

It's an option if you don't want to address the problem itself.

_________________
2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco - Current car
Image Image
1999 Buick LeSabre Custom - Former car

Learn from the mistakes of others, that way when you mess up you can do so in new and interesting ways.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:30 pm 
Offline
Posts like an L27
Posts like an L27
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:32 am
Posts: 709
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Year and Trim: 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air
i would like to get this issue fixed honestly...i can drop the tank and replace the sender...but how do i truly know if it is the problem. As i said the gauge at times goes to the halfway mark but then slowly goes past the full mark as the car warms up.

_________________
1997 Bonneville SLE...(SilverStreak)...Totaled...1/25/13...Gone but not forgotten.
1968 Chevrolet Bel Air....the project


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:12 pm 
Offline
Retired Admin
Retired Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
Posts: 65489
Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre
PP, considering the sheer number of pretty serious problems you have with your car, you should already have a service manual of sime type that will clearly detail the troubleshooting procedures for most (if not all) of your problems. I suggest for the budget-minded drivers you get the Chilton's manual. Costs about 20 bucks. The BEST you can buy is a full set of factory service manuals. They typically show up on eBay for under 50 bucks a set, and cost over 200 new.

Someone will chime in shortly on your fuel sender troubleshooting. I won't, as my 93 and 95 are somewhat different in setup, and I don't have the manual for my 97 Buick.

_________________
Image
Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:58 pm 
Offline
Posts like an LN3
Posts like an LN3
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:37 pm
Posts: 464
Location: Pines of Carolina
Year and Trim: Daily Driver: 2011 Impala LT
Weekender: '95 Aurora
I had a similar problem with my '97 Olds LSS, which likely had the same tank setup as your '97 Bonne. The gauge would read full when I topped off the tank, then drop to empty after a few miles. Then it would go back to near full and drift down almost normally except it would never drop below a quarter of a tank until the next time I filled up. The problem was indeed the sensing unit, but I never worried about it. I just reset the trip odometer with each fill-up and made a point of topping off the tank every 225-250 miles.

_________________
Daily Driver: 2011 Chevy Impala LT
Weekend Toy: 1995 Olds Aurora
Sold but not forgotten: 1997 Olds LSS 1995 Pontiac Bonneville SLE


Last edited by human on Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:18 pm 
Offline
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut

Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 11:21 pm
Posts: 3975
Location: Lone Star State
Year and Trim: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
I can only say that my '92 was recalled for a similar problem with the sender/pickup. The dealer installed a new sender/pickup. It did not fix the problem. I've lived with it since the car was new in '91. My dad had a '51 Ford pickup truck that had the same type issue too. I don't think this kind of problem is uncommon, but it is very annoying. - BC

_________________
In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:18 am 
Offline
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut

Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 1:15 am
Posts: 3177
Location: Corning, NY
Year and Trim: 2012 Eco
Even a new fuel sender won't cure the problem. I had to replace mine due to the lines rusting out 2 years ago. The replacement was inaccurate from Day 1, and has gotten worse. Tonight it indicated a quarter tank gone after 80 miles. Filling up at the same pump used for several previous fillups showed 3.6 gallons used, not the 4.5 gallons the dash gauge would lead me to believe. It also will rest on E with 5 gallons left in the tank.

OTOH, my ScanGauge is accurate to within a few tenths of a gallon. It said I used 3.8 gallons to travel that 80 miles.

Try throwing a few bottles of Chevron Techron or Gumout Regane in there. It could be fouled, and that will help it get un-fouled. It's far cheaper than dropping the tank to replace the sender. Guaranteed you'll need new rubber fuel hoses if you drop the tank due to rust.

_________________
2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco - Current car
Image Image
1999 Buick LeSabre Custom - Former car

Learn from the mistakes of others, that way when you mess up you can do so in new and interesting ways.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:04 pm 
Offline
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin
Retired Admin/Techinfo Admin

Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 2:08 pm
Posts: 26009
Location: Space Coast, or at least it used to be
Year and Trim: 03 SLE, 95 SE, 95 TS SE
On the 97+ H bodies the PCM reads the fuel sender and then sends a signal to the fuel gage on the dash... There cold be a problem from the sender to the PCM wiring to the Cluster... Hard to say...


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:24 pm 
Offline
Posts like an L27
Posts like an L27
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:32 am
Posts: 709
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Year and Trim: 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air
Giving everyone an update on my fuel gauge. It still stays at the full mark but when it gets to below a 1/4 a tank it will read correctly. My mechanic says it is my fuel sender but i wanted to get everyone's opinion if it is or not.

_________________
1997 Bonneville SLE...(SilverStreak)...Totaled...1/25/13...Gone but not forgotten.
1968 Chevrolet Bel Air....the project


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:49 pm 
Offline
GXP Member
GXP Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:09 pm
Posts: 278
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Year and Trim: '97 SSEi
I've had two other GM's with the 3800 series engine etc. Each of them needed new fuel senders at least once during my ownership tenure. Cheap part; hell to get at (unless you're very properly set up and experienced I suppose). When mine were replaced it was a considerable labor cost. If I recall correctly, in the Buick I never replaced and just ended up being attentive to the trip odometer. Wound up selling the car before that faded too much, at times it wasn't full brightness so I was going to need to do something soon! (sold the car). It seems very likely to that it is the sender. If you don't do your own work you should consider the sender and fuel pump as they are both connected and labor is the same for one or both.

I've heard that sometimes replacing the sender means handling the pump and that increases the odds if it's aged, that it is more likely to fail soon too. My cost on the Buick Regal would have been $423 to replace the level sensor and $696 for sensor and pump. Probably straight retail costs, you may be able to do better but you know there are always trade-offs.

_________________
Image
'97 SSEi, Majestic Teal / Beige interior, Bose, HUD, iPod ready! - SOLD! :sad: Check it out!
'99 Buick Regal LSE, Matador Red / Beige interior - SOLD! Check it out!
'96 Chevy Camaro - White w/Black / fire red interior, 3800, manual, loaded, T-tops, Bose - SOLD! Check it out!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:04 pm 
Offline
Posts like an L27
Posts like an L27
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:32 am
Posts: 709
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Year and Trim: 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air
My mechanic quoted me $300 parts an labor to get it replaced IF i took it to him with the tank almost empty...lol

_________________
1997 Bonneville SLE...(SilverStreak)...Totaled...1/25/13...Gone but not forgotten.
1968 Chevrolet Bel Air....the project


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:58 pm 
Offline
GXP Member
GXP Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:09 pm
Posts: 278
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Year and Trim: '97 SSEi
PLAGUE PHANTOM wrote:
My mechanic quoted me $300 parts an labor to get it replaced IF i took it to him with the tank almost empty...lol

Sounds like you have an honest and reasonable mechanic, is that fuel pump too or just the level sensor?

_________________
Image
'97 SSEi, Majestic Teal / Beige interior, Bose, HUD, iPod ready! - SOLD! :sad: Check it out!
'99 Buick Regal LSE, Matador Red / Beige interior - SOLD! Check it out!
'96 Chevy Camaro - White w/Black / fire red interior, 3800, manual, loaded, T-tops, Bose - SOLD! Check it out!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Wacky Fuel Gauge
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:46 pm 
Offline
Posts like an L27
Posts like an L27
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:32 am
Posts: 709
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Year and Trim: 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air
It includes sender and pump

_________________
1997 Bonneville SLE...(SilverStreak)...Totaled...1/25/13...Gone but not forgotten.
1968 Chevrolet Bel Air....the project


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Related topics
 Topics   Author   Replies   Views   Last post 
There are no new unread posts for this topic. fuel gauge not accurate

snira

10

3754

Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:36 am

renchjeep View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Wacky DIC, Temp, Oil & Amp Gauges

ernie44golf

1

1017

Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:17 am

88bonnsse View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. slightly whacky fuel gauge

neo

6

2293

Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:50 pm

siamese7117 View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Fuel Gauge Goes To Empty When Full...

nunesjeff

1

1983

Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:45 pm

J Wikoff View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Gas gauge stuck at full....new fuel sending unit???

Ludichris

16

7908

Thu Nov 18, 2010 11:17 pm

LeSabre in Buffalo View the latest post

 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group


phpBB SEO