funky fuel guage

[siii8873]

My fuel guage is acting up on my SIII. The last few times when I first run the truck the fuel guage stays flat at first, then starts to jump all over for a while and eventually settles out and reads correctly. I have a voltmeter and do not see any change on that.
Could an alternator do this? I was thinking the volt stabilizer but would expect the water temp to do same it's fine.

[bpj911]

Mine is a IIA but was doing something similar. The fuseblock had a lot of corrosion and any time it was damp/wet the fuel gauge and the heater acted strangely. I removed the fuse block and cleaned it up and then put a little dielectric grease on the connections and now it's fine. Good luck

[Terrys]

Jumpy fuel gauge is almost always traced to an old tired sender.
Take up the plate under the right seat. There's the sender. Undo the screws atop the sender (Not the screws securing the sender to the tank) and press the wiper contact against the pot windings. It should steady out.
If you're careful, you can clean the pot winding with a Q-tip and contact cleaner, and you may also be able to bend the wiper contact so that it applies a little more pressure to the pot windings.

[jac04]

Terry-
On my SIII, the only screws atop the sender are the ones securing the sender to the tank (6 screws). Can you clarify what screws you are talking about?

[Wander]

It maybe different but on my sender there are the six on the outer and lower section connecting it to the tank and then there are some on top of the sender (higher section) where the wire connects. You migh have to clean off the crud to find the screws.

[scott]

my gauge would jump all around. i removed the rcv'n unit and tore it apart to see why. never got it back together so i got me one of those digital heads up display fuel gauges

[Wander]

Sorry for the double post but I just picked up my tank for being cleaned and sealed. The sender and pickup were removed from the tank and I found out why my sender wasn't reading accuratly-it's nearly frozen in place and the arm is badly rusted. So the arm and/or pivot of your sender could be the cause. If cleaning the connection doesn't solve it you might want to check out the sender itself.

[jac04]

It maybe different but on my sender there are the six on the outer and lower section connecting it to the tank and then there are some on top of the sender (higher section) where the wire connects. You migh have to clean off the crud to find the screws.
Mine is definitely different. Interesting.

[siii8873]

My fuel guage does not have a way, (screws) to disassemble it from the top. The only screws are the ones that secure it to the tank.
I did clean the spade connector and it worked OK. Not convinced it's fixed yet as the problem is intermittent.
I have always teased my wife because she uses one of her trip odometers to check when she needs gas. I ask her what her gas guage is for. She would love those readings written on the windscreen.

[scott]

.... She would love those readings written on the windscreen.

yea i ain't got no fancy trip meter. thems the last 3 digits of the odometer. give her a sharpie, some hand sanitizer and tell her to keeps some fast food napkins handy, that's how i reset my trip meter. i've been using this method for about 2 years. talk about lazy, i have a fuel gauge sitting around, just haven't got to it.

[jgkmmoore]

Dang.
I never thought of using a 'Sharpie'. I love this forum!
Jeff

[scott]

Dang.
I never thought of using a 'Sharpie'. I love this forum!
Jeff

the hand sanitizer's alcohol content and the mickey d's napkins wipe it right off.