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Gas gauge, 1992, slightly possessed


3.0ranger1227

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Been driving my 1992 DD for a couple of months now, slowly working through the little bugs in it.

The gas gauge is a little possessed. When you start the truck it immediately goes way past full. Then as time goes on it slowly settles down to somewhere around 1/2, almost no matter what the fuel level is. When I get low on fuel it seems to drop down and show, but only when it's below 1/4 tank and I'm still not sure that's correct.

Where should i start? Sender in the back or is there a common issue I can get to easier?
 


RonD

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Well you can test system using the connector in the frame rail, but as far as fixing it you will be removing the sender in the gas tank or the instrument cluster to get to the Anti-slosh module(most likely this)

1989 and up Fords use a 16-158 Ohms sender/gauge
So a simple resistance circuit, like a volume control or light dimmer
16 ohms Empty
158 ohms Full

The wiring for the gas tank should have 4 wires
Pink/Black - fuel pump 12volts
Black - fuel pump ground

Yellow/white - fuel sender 5volt pulse
Orange - fuel sender ground

5volt pulse won't show voltage on a meter most times, but no need to test that, you have voltage or needle on gauge wouldn't move at all.

What you can test is the OHMs of the sender in the gas tank.
Set meter to 200 ohms or 1,000 ohms
Test/hookup the yellow and orange wires going to the gas tank to the meter, you should get an ohm reading between 16 and 158 depending on how much fuel is in the tank.
If you have someone rock the truck, i.e. slosh the gas around, the ohms should vary a bit as float goes up and down, if that happens sender is OK.
If ohms jump around alot, or never become stable, then sender is bad.

Now to test the gauge, with connector still unplugged, turn on key, needle should go all the way past Full and stay there, with no connection on that wire it will be infinite ohms, so super HIGH, and way above 158 ohms.
Now use a jumper wire and short yellow/white wire going to gauge to a good ground.
This short would be 0 ohms at the gauge so needle should go to below Empty and stay there.
If gauge doesn't behave this way then you will need to pull the instrument cluster.

Google: ford ranger anti slosh module

The anti slosh module prevents the needle from jumping around when cornering or otherwise causing the fuel in the tank to be changing levels front to back or side to side, these often fail when they get older, they can be bypassed or repaired.
 
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