Fuel gauge is more like a tilt gauge [Archive] - Chevy Tahoe Forum | GMC Yukon Forum | Tahoe Z71

Yukes

06-02-2009, 12:57 AM

Hi everyone. First off, I used to read the shit out of the TahoeForum before it closed down. Now that a new one opened I've decided to finally try and answer a super annoying problem I've been having.

When my tank is less than 3/4 full, and I brake, the fuel guage will go down, as the fuel in the tank rushes towards the front. Likewise, when I accelerate, it goes way up, as the fuel goes back towards the rear. The lower on fuel I am, the worse the problem gets. By around 1/2 tank, if I stop at a light or stop sign, the gauge goes nearly into the red. Any lower and it will peg out in the empty position.

Basically, the guage reads the tilt of the car rather then fuel level when the tank is any less than 3/4 full. It makes it kind of hard to tell how much fuel you have unless you're on a flat surface. Can anyone help me out?

JKmotorsports

06-02-2009, 01:36 AM

It may be the sending unit/pump assembly hanging loose. You'll have to drop the tank to get access to find out if that's the case or not.

wmgood64

06-02-2009, 08:49 AM

mine doesnt move much!!

hardwarz

06-02-2009, 10:34 AM

It may be the sending unit/pump assembly hanging loose. You'll have to drop the tank to get access to find out if that's the case or not.

+1

Sounds like the sending unit is bad.

Hardwarz

AtomicHoe094

06-02-2009, 05:00 PM

mine does the same thing.. : /

chevyguy3766

06-02-2009, 07:36 PM

mine does the same thing. i was told it was because it has a "floating" needle and not a computer sensor to tell you exactly how much fuel i have. another thing that i wish GM had put wast a "low fuel" light in the dash. i just know when i hit about 450 miles to start looking for a gas station.

AtomicHoe094

06-02-2009, 09:45 PM

450 miles!!!!!!!!!! holy damn i start looking for a gas station at like 270.. 300 if im feeling daring.. damn!..

Grebbler

06-03-2009, 05:16 PM

If they are getting that much to a tank then they can put up with a bouncy needle and the chance of running out of gas during a crippling snowstorm in a bad neighborhood.

Screw 'em!

Yukes

06-04-2009, 08:02 PM

bsamoul

06-04-2009, 09:32 PM

I maybe can hit 400...but usually i puss out and get gas at 300 lol. Don't want to increase the chance of the fuel pump burning up

---------- Post added at 06:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 PM ----------

PS, if anyone can figure out how to fix this, it would be greatly appreciated because mine fluctuates +- 1/4 tank once I hit 3/4. Is it really a bad sending unit?

AtomicHoe094

06-04-2009, 09:36 PM

i wish i got 400.. i would be soo happy. lol..

DJTricky

06-05-2009, 09:50 AM

well you got to pay to play ;) i only get 250 to a tank all highway ;) them horses are thirsty. All 422 or more of them

Black_Rain

06-07-2009, 01:26 AM

I had to install a new fuel pump, and the fuel gauge still does that. I get about 320 miles per tank.

AtomicHoe094

06-07-2009, 09:05 AM

I had to install a new fuel pump, and the fuel gauge still does that. I get about 320 miles per tank.

fuel gauge does what? the swaying of the needle when you go around turns and brake hard??? that has nothing to do with the fuel pump.. All that is, is when your gas in the HUGE tank it has, moves side to side because the baffles aren't doing a good enough job in there. Baffles are like little walls inside the gas tank that help the sending unit get a good reading to where your gas level actually is. if anything i would replace the sending unit and gave that a whirl, but i dont have 300 bucks to blow off something that works.

Black_Rain

06-07-2009, 12:23 PM

Mine does the vibrating violently.

mikeykey

06-08-2009, 04:15 AM

fuel gauge does what? the swaying of the needle when you go around turns and brake hard??? that has nothing to do with the fuel pump.. All that is, is when your gas in the HUGE tank it has, moves side to side because the baffles aren't doing a good enough job in there. Baffles are like little walls inside the gas tank that help the sending unit get a good reading to where your gas level actually is. if anything i would replace the sending unit and gave that a whirl, but i dont have 300 bucks to blow off something that works.

While I'm not 100% positive, I do question weather its the fuel pump or not. I concede that it may not be the actual pump itself, but could be caused by the grounding strap off the fuel pump and gas tank assemble. A couple guys mentioned this on the old site. Mine starting doing this after replacing the fuel pump. Weather its a direct connection with doing it or just by chance is still up in the air since I have never attempted to fix it.

AtomicHoe094

06-08-2009, 06:50 AM

is yours the rapid?

hapyspaz

06-08-2009, 08:47 AM

Mine fluctuates between a slow bounce, as if its dancing to the music, and a violent vibration, all depends on the level. My oil pressure gauge does the same thing though, so I think I may have a cluster issue....

AtomicHoe094

06-08-2009, 04:05 PM

yea sounds like your cluster.. mine would do the real slow wave to me thing.. then i swapped out the gauge (individual ones) i have a ton of pics during the process if you want em.. or ill make a thread about replacing individual ones.. LMK

350VortecSSCT

06-08-2009, 05:26 PM

Inside your tank is the fuel pump, big plastic thing with a spring and bolts and just random stuff connected to it...There you also have the sending unit but inside is like a bobber...nothing is electric except the fuel pump...I feel that if your gonna do a electric fuel pump, maybe electric gauge? hahaha, idk. Make sure everything is strapped down tight, becareful taking the fuel pump out, be gentle on the top of it or you'll have to change the sending unit

Monstr Yukon

01-01-2010, 07:53 PM

My yukon does this too and HOLY a 400 miles a tank! I wish mine could go that far but being a 2 door I got a tiny ass tank! :(

mdiacont322

01-04-2010, 03:29 PM

yeah my 97 does the same thing with the fuel guage. Goes down under braking and up during accel. My buddy has a 99 Sierra and it does the exact opposite. but 400 miles to the tank is rediculous. I can romp on the gas from every stop sign or light and i get 270... 320-330 if i drive it easy...

99Yuk

01-04-2010, 05:18 PM

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Next time I take 'er in I'll have them drop the tank and fool around a bit.

Also, 300 MILES to a tank? Rediculous. Now that I'm at university again I only drive in the city, so I start looking at 350 Kilometers, or 218 miles. At about 400 km I'll run out :p.

Ya, I just ran a good long six day highway drive, and I barely got 500kms per tank, all 13 of them. And my needle does the violant shaking thing, and it's off by about a 1/4-1/2 tank.

NovaRacer

01-04-2010, 10:11 PM

Glad to hear that the bounce is common......NOT.

I had mine start doing it, and 3 to 4 months later, the fuel pump died, in the middle of the night, out of town. And wouldn't you know, I had filled it up about 5 miles before I had gotten to where I was stranded.

I put a fuel pump in it, and it still bounces. Not as bad as before, but still moves 1 to 2 guage lines back and forth. I believe it's a cluster issue. I have 1 bulb burned out in the corner of the water temp. guage, and when I get another one to go out, I will replace them and see if I can find a new guage, but it may need a whole new cluster.

I just reset the trip odometer every fill up, and go 340 - 350 miles and fill it back up.

WB

Miami-Yukon

01-05-2010, 07:43 AM

99Yuk

01-05-2010, 02:41 PM

My fuel gauge is way OFF!!! When I have a full tank my gauge is way past the F & my E is at just under 1/4 Tank.... So is this my gauge or sending unit in the tank? I haven't figured it out yet & it annoys the piss out of me!

I was wondering the same thing with mine, so I used the scan tool to monitor the truck computer's fuel levels. Turns out that at least on my truck the computer's fuel levels are bang on with what I think it should be and the gauge itself was out of whack.

riviera rider

01-07-2010, 07:29 PM

question

when i put gas in my truck and my fuel level is at full i have no problem with it driving or running, but once it his around the half tank the gas guage will bounce to where ever it wants then when it gets a little below the half if i turn to quick or stop to quick the truck will shut off completely, could this be my fuel pump???? and why does the guage bounce??

Miami-Yukon

01-25-2010, 07:34 AM

I was wondering the same thing with mine, so I used the scan tool to monitor the truck computer's fuel levels. Turns out that at least on my truck the computer's fuel levels are bang on with what I think it should be and the gauge itself was out of whack.

I was thinking can we just pull the cluster apart and twist the back of it? Maybe it is loose or something! I called a local place that works on speedo's and they said like $250 to fix the cluster, I was like thank you and have a nice day! I can get a new one for that, or a used one from ebay for alot less.....

TheBeast99

01-31-2010, 06:06 PM

ya i have the vibrating hummingbird gas guage problem too.
originally when i bought my truck my guage was bouncing all over the place like everyone else's, but the dealer fixed that problem. and it was fine until one night when i had to unload my truck, i drove up on the sidewalk so that my passenger side was on the 'walk and driver's was still in the street. i noticed my guage was vibrating as i got out. i thought nothing of it - thought it had to do with me being on a slant like that. but it still did it even after i drove off, and after i filled the tank again, and it's still doing it now. the guage is still accurate, but it's highly annoying. i'm waiting for it to burn out or something, which i don't want.
but ya i read about checking the grounding wire for the sending unit and where it was bolted to. possibly taking it off and getting the rust off it and where it's grounded too.

i really need to hurry up and order some repair manuals off Amazon...
and wow 400 miles a tank. i'll never get that! i fill up when i hit 250-275, which is when i'm down to 1/4 of a tank.

Billy_ocean04

02-13-2010, 12:24 PM

mine does it all dances, vibrates, slow roll backwards, lol when i back into my driveway it goes to almost E then when im on level ground it levels out. then when i fill up the tank, my needle goes so far past the "F"ull mark. it goes into the black area where theres nothing

TheBeast99

02-15-2010, 02:22 AM

i think they all go past the Full mark when we fill our tanks :-)

foreverfalcon40

02-16-2010, 09:59 PM

1: Its common Oil Pressure goes up and down due to driving styles. Happens in mine and my uncles 2 dr.

My fuel gauge just started vibrating violently...getting me scared in the sense that maybe the fuel pump is going?

My hoe goes all the way past the F cuz I wanna squeeze all the gas I can in her.