[69CHEVELLEDUDE]

Well,

About a week ago I had gone driving in my Velle and the gas gauge was working fine. Then I went for another drive later in the day and the gas gauge needle was pointing completely off the meter and was seemingly sitting on its side point to the right. Whats with this stupid thing? Now today I go driving the car and run out of gas luckily at my home. I had run on fumes for a few miles too. Can anyone relate? Thanks guys.

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69 Post

JOHN
1969 Chevelle

www.geocities.com/w_surfer99/index.html

 

[Bob West]

Its 30 years old for one,might check the wire at the tank,connected to the pickup and sending unit for the guage.oh yeah,it don't hurt to put gas in your car

 

[Redrum]

Check the ground wire at the back of the tank on the passenger side. If you do not have a good ground the gauge will not read correct.

Option two is to ground the sending unit wire. There is a connection inside the trunk just to the passenger side of the rear support for the lock mechanism. I believe the wire to it is brown and there is a connector just inside the trunk. Use a srrewdriver to release the lock and pull it apart. Ground the terminal in it and the gauge should "peg" at full.

Option 3 is to verify the sending unit in the tank is operating correctly. You can take it to a vehicle electical shop to have it tested. This requires dropping the tank which is easier than pulling the instrument cluster to have the gauge tested.

Step 4, pull the instrument cluster and have the gauge tested and rebuilt if needed. This is a tough task and is pretty much a full day job.

Good luck!

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Redrum (or Mike)
68 Corvette - 383 CI 427 HP
69 SS Chevelle being updated to Pro-Touring
97 Z-28

[This message has been edited by Redrum (edited 12-02-2001).]

 

[Redrum]

I forgot to mention that this should be posted in the electrical thread. There are people there that are pretty darn good an answering these type questions.

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Redrum (or Mike)
68 Corvette - 383 CI 427 HP
69 SS Chevelle being updated to Pro-Touring
97 Z-28

 

[Woj]

My 69 Malibu did that once when the fuel tank was near empty. I filled the tank to the top and it has worked properly for the last two years. Granted, filling a tank that you might have to drop isn't smart planning, but it was something that I thought might work since the guage was working just fine up to the point it went off scale. The other posts sound like good ideas. A 32 year old car is going to do some strange things electrically, sooner or later.
Good Luck.
Woj
69 SS, 69 Malibu, 69 SS el Camino

 

[69CHEVELLEDUDE]

First I'd like to say that I'm a MORON. Second, this is why you guys answer my questions. I feel so stupid because last week I had unplugged that brown connector ( not thinking it was very important) to bang out a dent I had in that area. Thanks guys!!

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69 Post

JOHN
1969 Chevelle

www.geocities.com/w_surfer99/index.html