ponyboy88

trying to find out if the fuel gauge runs off a float or if its a electronic sender, my g/fs gauge doesnt seem right at all,

anyhelp appreciated, as always



NA

1990lxhatch

The fuel level sensor on all fords is a float that provides and analog signal to the PCM and/or instrument cluster. The foxbodies' get the signal straight to the cluster because OBDI vehicles didn't have evaporative emissions and didn't need to know how much fuel they had.

The cluster sends a power and ground to the fuel tank. There is a float on a potentiometer (like a dimmer dial for your house lights) and this will vary the return voltage by fuel level back to the computer. The more resistance - the higher the fuel level. The lower the resistance - the lower the fuel level. If the gauge is stuck full there is an open in the circuit. If the gauge is stuck empty the circuit is shorted to ground (or there is a problem with the sender/cluster)

pastfast125

how bout on mine where it randomly decides where it wants to be? When I fill it it'll say full, then as gas goes down sometimes it'll drop down to 1/2 tank, thenr andomly go to full tank, and back down, you get the picture. Could my float be getting stuck or is it an electrical issue?

1990lxhatch

It could be a sticking float but it could also be a loose connection. I had a bad connection in mine that nearly had me run dry a few miles from home

ryan_89_mustang

Mine reads past full always what would likely cause this the needle never moved since I've owned the car

1990lxhatch

There is an open in the sending unit inside the tank or there is an open in the circuit.

GoldenP21

Mine floats where ever it wants also. If the car is less than half a tank and it sits for a day it will read correctly until I start to drive then it disappears.

Alero99

mine reads past full untill i am about 1/8th tank then it takes about a minute to descend down to the last notch on the guage usually when i have 2 gallons left.

Pony 5.0

The anti slosh module may be defective. It is located behind the gauge pod in the dash. It will cause all kinds of crazy readings when it goes bad.

ponyboy88

is slosh module a technical term and i guess seeing as so many people have it i should learn to live with it, my fox doesnt have any problems with the gauges,
but on my g/f 87 her gas one never seems to be right, moves around alot, and her water temp gauge never gets fully warm, sits at like 140,