This morning on my way to work my fuel gauge started acting very strange. There was a little less than ¾ of a full tank when I left and about 10 minutes I noticed that the gauge was suddenly reading below half. I could then watch as the needle dropped towards ¼ of a tank. Then the needle moved back up above a half tank where it remained for 45 min, at which point it began its reasonable function. Anyone else have this happen? I just want to pin point what it might be before I start ripping into the sending unit.
If it is any help in the diagnosis I think my alternator is on the way out as my dash lights go dim when I get off the road and the engine goes to Idle.
Thanks in advance for any help.
check the float on the sending unit. it could be getting cought up on something.
abrupt turning, and on/off ramps do this to me all the time…
As stated, check the float.
But its a common problem with 240’s as Kris stated, nothing much you can do about it.
floats are assholes if it keeps doing it just go grab a sending unit from the junkyard
Check all the connections on the sending unit. They get rusted and don’t work as well. The ground for my fuel gauge ended up being all crapped out which was way my gas gauge sucked. I just cut the wire and soldered it to sending unit. Its doubtful the float would all of a sudden get caught on something. Unless you do notice it only around corners.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I knew about the gauge be unaccurate around corners and on hills, but this was on a straight highway section that I drive frequently. I will take a look at all the connections and if need be get a new sending unit. Thanks everyone.