I can't safely crack open the bezel, your advice, how can I recalibrate the gas gauge needle?

[Russ B]

Just went thru this with my 1989. It is probably similar. Before you go crazy on the dash gauge, make sure it is that. Go to fuel tank electrical connector. Disconnect it. Gauge should read F or more. May have to turn on ignition. If not check for power on one of the leads. Not sure what the reading should be but should have some power. Ground the other wire (signal). That should make gauge read empty. If those work problem is in the tank module.

Good luck I spent a miserable week troubleshooting even with instructions and lots of Utube videos as nothing seemed to work. I went so far as installing aftermarket gauge and that did not work. The fix was a new intank module which I did before even starting to troubleshoot. But did not fill the tank as it is 34 gallons. When full the gauge came alive.

 

[95Noobie]

Russ, thanks for the help. We have run only 4 partial tanks of gas. I don't dare run the gas tank down very far as I don't know where empty is and I'm not even sure yet how many gallons my tank holds. Since I have an extended cab short box my tank 'looks' like other folks tanks that are only 25 (or 26?) gallons. I put about 20 gallons each time and due to poor MPG that is around 200 miles or less on the trip odometer.

When I fill it, each time it has gone up above full by about another 1/4. Since it settles out at the same place each time I'm going to say the float inside or the little switches that create variable resistance/current on the sender is probably off in calibration but IS working. Then it doesn't seem to move much till about 6 gallons or so are burned then it heads down fairly quickly and when it gets to about half tank (just above) we say it is time to fill.

So on the 4th time filling and watching the needle move it seems consistent enough that I either live with it and just fill just above 1/2 tank, or it is tempting to try to move the needle position on the cluster shaft to point to E when it truly is close to E and time to refill.

I have a backup cluster (the original with faded/scratched plastic) so I could modify the old one and see how I like it.

If I need a new in tank sender or sensor or swing arm or whatever then I think I would save that project for when I think I also need a new fuel pump as all probably make sense to do together.

I have a new fuel filter now and the gas coming out of the old one was not pretty. That could have stressed my fuel pump. Does the 1995 have a schrader valve somewhere inline by the fuel lines up front to help watch fuel pressure or do you have to tee in by the filter or somewhere else?