fuel sender

[tomahawk350]

When I got my bronco II last october, the fuel gauge didn't work. Recently I disconnected the battery for a while to weld some stuff. After reconnecting the battery and filling the tank as usual, the gauge is now reading half tank. Still not right, but it moved. Do you think the sending unit is starting to work again? anyone experience this?

 

[88broncoll]

IF you reconnected the battery and did get some movement, its possible that it is a ground issue. Also, the top of the sending unit, on my 88 at least, was very rusty. My gauge didnt work worth a crap until i put a new sending unit in. Could be bad wiring in the plug for the sender, or a bad ground issue somewheres else. Theres like 20 grounds and they all have to be grounded to make the system work the way it should

 

[tomahawk350]

20? Are you serious? Why would there be more than 1? Guess i have another reason to get dirty crawlin under the bronco. Guess its worth it if it saves me the cost of a sending unit. thanks

 

[arineod]

my fuel gauge is only showing 1/4 tank when I fill it up. Should I replace the sending unit to fix the problem?

 

[Jabs89brnko]

well this i know, when i replaced my battery there was this short ground that was annoying cause it was so short ( small length wise ) well when i replaced the battery apparantly the wire broke inside, and when i went to use anything power ( windows door locks ect ) the system would overload to a point of popping half the fuses.

So to make a long story short ( punt tended ) trace grounds and make sure they arent rusted through

 

[country0001]

I said screw it, my gauge hasn't worked since I got my truck. I just reset my trip odometer and keep an eye on it. I get 360 on a tank , so at 300mi I just fill it up. The fuel gauges don't always work even after u replace them, so why stress out trying to chase down a bad ground.

 

[Freshmeat]

360 on a tank?! I get about 160!

 

[trail B2]

My tank when its full reads 1/4 tank to and what was wrong with mine was there's A small circuit board in the tank about as big as your thumb that varies the resistance with a contact point hooked to the float as the contact point slides up and down the board.And whats happening is the little board is wearing through at the contact connections.You need a new sending unit thats the weak point.I know it's not for everybody but I cut a hole in the panel above the sending unit took a piece of tin before I cut the hole pounded it in to the shape of the panel cut out the piece.Measured the top with the tank underneath with bends in the body and drilled a peep hole and cut the big hole by the peep hole.Wasn't bad at all.

 

[88mudder]

My tank when its full reads 1/4 tank to and what was wrong with mine was there's A small circuit board in the tank about as big as your thumb that varies the resistance with a contact point hooked to the float as the contact point slides up and down the board.And whats happening is the little board is wearing through at the contact connections.You need a new sending unit thats the weak point.I know it's not for everybody but I cut a hole in the panel above the sending unit took a piece of tin before I cut the hole pounded it in to the shape of the panel cut out the piece.Measured the top with the tank underneath with bends in the body and drilled a peep hole and cut the big hole by the peep hole.Wasn't bad at all.

RIGHT ON x2, happened to mine, contacts were burnt up / bad connection. Replace fuel sender