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Gas Needle don't reach full

Old Mar 9, 2009 | 02:38 PM
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Gas Needle don't reach full

Hello do anyone have this problem? When filling up with gas the pump clicks as if it's full I give it a few more clicks to make sure it full, but when I get in the car start it the needle only goes in the middle of full and 3/4. It's been doing this for the last 3-4 fill ups.
Old Mar 9, 2009 | 02:59 PM
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Could be anything from the sender to a wiring issue to a bad cluster.

Did you do anything to the car right before this started?
Old Mar 9, 2009 | 03:29 PM
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My check engine light kept coming on and I needed a valcuum hose replaced and I changed the gas cap because I thought that was the problem.
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 04:42 AM
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what code did you pull? You thought changing the gas cap would make the gauge read right?

Pmohr is right, it's too vauge an issue at this point, you need to pull codes if your CEL is on and go from there really.
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 06:34 AM
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I got "undetected code" so i was told to try changing the gas cap, but remember this was before the needle was reading incorrectly Pmohr asked what did i do before it started. After the light came back on they did a visual look at my engine and found a small hose with a rip in it hidden underneath my strut bar. After this was fix on the next fill up maybe a week or so the gas needle started.
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 08:05 AM
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were you able to put in the correct amount of gas? example when your close to E, are you able to put in 19 gallons to get the gauge to the 3/4 point or do you put in 14-15 gallons to get to the 3/4 point?
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 09:01 AM
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to tell the truth I don't really look at the gallons, when it clicks I give it a few more squeezes and that's it. but i'm starting to pay more attention to that now. The last time I got gas (yesterday) I was in between E and 1/4 it took 15 gals and it went in the middle of full - 3/4. I have notice that while driving it would go to full and by the time I got home (30 miles) I'd look again it's at 3/4, this morning it's back to the middle between full and 3/4?
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 09:50 AM
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Well it's probably not your speedometer then.

Probably your sending unit.
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 09:55 AM
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What's the sending unit and what do i need to do to correct it?

Thanks - TMaxx
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 09:57 AM
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I've had a similar issue with the gas gauge on my '98 since the car was new; however, it seems that the gauge will not go all the way to Full only when I overfill the tank. If I don't squeeze more gas in the tank after the pump shuts off, then it reads correctly.
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 10:04 AM
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Yeah I stopped over filling as well because for some reason my 99 (my 97 didn't do this), but it would spill out like instantly.
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 10:06 AM
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Ok i'll try that the next fill up. Thanks

TMaxx
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 10:21 AM
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On my 97 the gas tank looks like it's only 3/4 full when I leave the gas station, but 10 minutes later it catches up and shows full.

I think it's just a slow learner.
Old Mar 10, 2009 | 12:32 PM
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I had an issue recently, but I got it fixed. I replaced my fule pump and when I put it back together I did something wrong. Go figure! lol I have never in my life run out of gas until this happened ..... when the light came on saying I was low, get gas .... it meant NOW! I could go maybe another 1/2 - 3/4 of a mile and I was done. Let the car sit for 5 mins, then it starts up and I could get another mile or so out of it. Odd ... so I took aprat the access cover again only to find that when I put it back together, the siphen tube was on the outside of the plastic housing (it's supposed to be inside there) so this was throwing my float off. Not likely your problem, I agree it's likely the sending unit. There are two sending units on the access door mechanisim / float and I bet one of them is bad. Read over the FSM on how to test them. You can get the FSM in Pmohr's sig.
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