Fuel Gauge not working (shocker, I know...)

[ColoradoCuda]

Yep, fuel gauge not working since I bought the car a couple years back. I have read that there is some sort of grounding strap or bar around the fuel line exiting the tank. I'm not familiar with this, but am pretty sure my car does not have it. I'm posting a photo of my sending unit area, does it look like I am missing anything that would cause my gauge to not work?
Thanks for any help!

 

[Challenger RTA]

YES

 

[moparleo]

Bingo ! It is also good to bench test it before you install to find out how accurate it is too.

Videos

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[ColoradoCuda]

Thank you!

 

[EW1BH27]

To check the wiring and the actual gauge pull off the blue wire and ground it somewhere. Then turn the ignition key to ACC (or ON, but not start). The gauge's needle should peg to full. BUT, don't leave the key in the ACC (or ON) position for long, only long enough to see the needle move. Otherwise you could damage things.

 

[Xcudame]

Hey, if you haven't already, switch the an electronic voltage regulator for your gauges. See example on eBay below.
Solid State Mopar Limiter IVR4 push-in (B-body, A-body, others) | eBay

 

[Deathproofcuda]

The part that Challenger RTA showed is the correct one, but if you are not concerned with the correct appearance, or if you just want to test things, you can obviously use any short length of copper wire or similar conductor to create a ground connection between the body and the sending unit.

 

[ColoradoCuda]

Thanks to Challenger RTA for showing me the ground strap I need. I'm going to order one, but in the mean time I made one with a piece of 16 gauge wire and two small hose clamps. I have good contact at each end. I believe my tank is full (just filled it last time I drove it and came right home). Before the ground wire, the gauge would move from below empty to just over the empty line. Now it goes to almost the 1/8 line, so a bit farther, but not much.

I also took EW1BH27's advice and tried the grounding the blue wire trick, and sure enough, the needle swung to Full.

So now I am stumped once again. Any thoughts?

 

[Deathproofcuda]

Well if your gauge "sort of" worked before, then the sending must have had some minimal ground connection. It's responding more now with your new grounding wire in place, but not working exactly like it should. Therefore, I'd assume that your grounding wire is doing something, but you may not have a really good clean connection. If you have a multimeter, you could check the resistance between the two pieces that you are running the ground between, or just clean up the metal surfaces that your ground wire is attached to and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Katfish]

Might have a sunk float. The brass gets pin holes, and the arm can't rise.
Happened to me twice

 

[EW1BH27]

Might have a sunk float. The brass gets pin holes, and the arm can't rise.

That happened to me once too. I also had the sending unit's internal arm fall off once.

 

[EW1BH27]

I've been promoting this little mod and have remedied a few sending units with it. I used a longer wire on the ones I did. here's my videos of the A body one I fixed for a buddy.

 

[Xcudame]

The original type grounding strap Challenger RTA posted really "digs" into the metal fuel line creating a great ground. The strap snaps on easy but is a PIA to get off.

 

[Challenger RTA]

There can be erratic behaver of the fuel gauge. the ground strap is connected the the fuel line that is not directly grounded. The ground is the clamps that hold the fuel line in place. Problems : loose bolts and clamps, paint or rust. Or someone puts rubber on the clamp to keep it from wearing through. Keep this in mind.

 

[Steve340]

The in tank unit is probably faulty - you may need to have it rebuilt or replace it.
Run the gas tank empty before you try and remove it and buy one of those sender tools they are awesome.

 

[ColoradoCuda]

pretty sure my ground wire is good, also put a jumper between the sending unit outlet and the frame, verifying a good ground. Verified with a multimeter.
Steve340, what is the sender tool you are referring to?

 

[ColoradoCuda]

I think my next task is to siphon out my gas tank, and remove and check the sending unit.

 

[blubyou340]

Yep, fuel gauge not working since I bought the car a couple years back. I have read that there is some sort of grounding strap or bar around the fuel line exiting the tank. I'm not familiar with this, but am pretty sure my car does not have it. I'm posting a photo of my sending unit area, does it look like I am missing anything that would cause my gauge to not work?
Thanks for any help!
View attachment 112832

Not really , i would get a brass. Punch or anything. Brass and put it on the inner ring ear tap it counterclockwise and then pull up you sill se a gasket fenagle it out and look it over. Theres a float and a wife to a rainbow gauge slide that goes back and forth and if rubs a brass gauge meter that reads back to your gauge probably rubbed oug i would get a new one with gasket do the opposite putting it back clockwise tighten up and follow your wire back and check continuity to the gauge . it could be the voltage limiter behi d dash that plugs in you can get those too. The sending unit sill probably work if not go to step 2 good luck manl.

 

[Steve340]

Mega Parts sell them.
I looked on their site they are called:
Fuel sending unit lock ring wrench $16

 

[ColoradoCuda]

Sorry, just posted this reply on the wrong thread. I just did a resistance check, it reads 57 ohms. I think the tank is full, but something is odd with that too. I was driving a couple weeks ago and ran out of gas. I had someone bring me some, and I put in about 2 gallons. Then I went to the gas station and I could only get about 8 more gallons in. Weird. Now I'm going to try to siphon the tank down and remove the sending unit.