Wacky Fuel Gauge

[Scottdog]

Ever since I got my 97 Yukon SLE, its had a fuel gauge that moves all over the place when stopping and taking off. When I take off, it goes way over whats in the tank and drops to the E when stopping.

I had to replace the fuel pump because it was going out and I thought that it might have been the float, but when I got the new pump in, its still doing it.

Does anyone else have this issue?

 

[_Dylan_]

Fuel tank baffles, our trucks don't have them.

 

[SunlitComet]

And 4 dr models are the worst at it because of the long tank.

 

[Scottdog]

And 4 dr models are the worst at it because of the long tank.

So all that moving around is normal?

 

[BirchyBoy]

Is this something pre-99? Mine doesn't move at all like the OP mentioned.

 

[Scottdog]

Is this something pre-99? Mine doesn't move at all like the OP mentioned.

I have a '97 Yukon SLE.

 

[BirchyBoy]

I have a '97 Yukon SLE.

Sorry. I was trying to ask if there was a change in the '98 and '99 models.

 

[SunlitComet]

There was a signal buffer that used to be available that could be installed but I am pretty sure it will be very difficult to still find the kit from gm. You may have had one installed at one point.

And yes at an ideal tank level of fuel I can get mine to move as much as a 1/4 of a tank from stopping and going.

 

[newbie78]

I have the same issue on my 97. All i did was swap out my gauge cluster with another one from the junk yard and it did nothing. It did stop it from spinning around and going nuts though. It just sits at full and drops back and forth from 3/4 to full.

I just use my trip odometer to judge how much fuel i have. It sucks but what can you do. I just figure 11 miles to a gallon to be on the safe side so i don't run out of gas.

 

[SunlitComet]

Use a scangauge to do your calculations. It is very accurate.

 

[largewon62]

My fuel gauge in my 97 Yukon spins like crazy too. I use my Scan Gauge and it has kept me from running out of gas.

I calibrated My Scan Gauge with my GPS, comes fairly close. The actual gallons used is off by a gallon or two, but I can live with that. I would MUCH rather fix my gauge though. Any suggestions?

 

[Immortalmort]

No suggestions for repairing your gauge, but I find using the torque app for android and the elm 127 Bluetooth adapter works quite well for me. Shows % remaining, fuel used, litres per hour and all that jazz. Well worth the 40 $ for the app and adapter. Quite accurate too.

 

[Asfalto]

hi Immortalmort!
what year is your truck?
and..
do you really get the % of remainig fuel? that will be awesome!!
(my fuel gauge has gone..as many of ours)

thanks

 

[Immortalmort]

Like I said above, with an Android phone, get the Torque pro application (~5$) and use a Bluetooth adapter with your OBD2 port on your truck. It will ask you to make a profile of your vehicle (fuel capacity, weight, engine size, ect.) and makes calculations based upon that. Then, in the "real time data" section of the app, there are options to have fuel % remaining, range, mileage and a host of other cool things.

However, the fuel level % is NOT calculated from the fuel level sensor in our trucks (not sure about 0411 pcm's, but the stock one on my 98 doesn't). You have to manually tell the program how much fuel you have in your tank, and it calculates the remaining fuel by subtracting the fuel YOU say is in the tank against how much fuel the truck is burning at the time, only as the sensors on the truck poll it.

I"m not sure if this app is available for other phones/operating systems (apple, blackberry, windows) and have heard that the ELM 127 adapter quality can be questionable when buying online, so please do so at your own risk! Sorry for the late reply!

Link to the ELM adapter that I have:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Auto-ELM327...251?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4855da1a4b

 

[Asfalto]

thank you Immortalmort for your explanation! no problem for the late reply.
it will be a quick and cheap try!
thanks again
bye