Fuel gauge questions.

[CUCVLOVER]

Hi all.
So a quick story. I drove the green machine the other and it ran great. I get home and next I start it and it runs for just a second then it goes dead. Tried to start and nothing, opened an injector line and its dry. Took off the feeder hose for the injection pump and no fuel. So in true dad fashion he has a idea. Which is to run something in the fuel tank, which was dry as the Moon.
Now of course during all this the fuel gauge says 1/4 full. The gauge has been right ever since I got the truck. So I put two cans full of diesel in, bleed the air and it basically started, I did pour a water bottle of full down its throat which did help.

So here are my questions:

1: do you trust your fuel gauge? If so how much?

2: what do you do if you don't trust your fuel gauge?

3: how do you make the gauge more trustworthy?

Thanks everyone

 

[MuleMac01]

Get a new sending unit with the cork float and clean grounds only way to go I think it helped my blazer out.


I'm sorry it might not be cork ..

 

[Warthog]

Never trust a MV fuel gauge is rule number one.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

Never trust a MV fuel gauge is rule number one.

That's what I learned.

I'm just glad I learned that lesson at the house.

Never trust a volt gauge is number 2 right?

Is it possible to add a poll to this thread??

Thanks

 

[jpg]

I use the odometer to cross-check the fuel gauge. When I fill up, I note the mileage at which I expect to need gas again. I also carry a full jerry can.

I had voltage issues that caused my gauges to be unreliable. We've done a lot to fix that in the current rebuild. Once it's back on the road, I'll find out if there's more to be done. In the mean time, I trust the odometer and the GPS and that's about it.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

I plan to be buying a couple jerry cans and build custom lockable holders on the headache rack.
Its just getting to it.

 

[the skull]

1. I never trust any fuel guage, unless it's a stick I can put in the tank.
Much less a 30 year old GM fuel guage
2. I put fuel in it before I come home. I keep track of my mileage and
never go over 100 or 150 miles before I stop for fuel. I do all short
runs though.
3. I would carry a 5 gallon can of diesel if I was going anywhere that
wasn't local.

 

[rsh4364]

Fill up fuel tank,drive 100 miles GPS,fillup again,figure up mpg.Subtract 3 mpg then monitor miles driven.

 

[Karl kostman]

Military trucks are kind of like airplanes when it comes to fuel gauges, that is the reason we know very closely what our fuel burn rates per hour at the specific power setting we are running the engine, our trucks are the same way, keep them full of fuel and get rid of the fuel fill screens so you can dip the tank and make sure what your fuel level is! The gauge is nothing but a reference point!
KK

 

[jpg]

Fill up fuel tank,drive 100 miles GPS,fillup again,figure up mpg.Subtract 3 mpg then monitor miles driven.

I tried to do this on my recovery. It turned out I had a leak in the fuel fill plumbing. So I'd fill up until fuel started to drip on the ground. That's one of the items fixed in our post-recovery refresh. Now I can fill up to a carefully repeatable level. It will be interesting to see what the fuel mileage is with a fuel system that doesn't leak!

 

[choll]

I must be lucky, my gauge is dead on. When I first got the truck I didnt trust it but after many LONG trips I trust it. Knock wood I have never run out of fuel. I do carry 5 gallons spare if I am doing a cross country trip just in case it decides to go south when Im not around fuel stations. Thats when you know who would raise his ugly head.

 

[Postal0311]

I recently bought a M1008. The fuel gauge on it is OFP. Before I drove the truck home, the gauge was on Full. I put in 10 gallons and the gauge jumped to way past the F mark.

 

[Gripy]

Between just past F and just under it is 3 Gallons. Half tank is about 10 gal. So, I'd say my fuel gauge is pretty spot on. Lower than half the fuel splashes around in the tank and the needle will wave between E and Half.

On road trips I fuel up about every 150 miles. While Off road I figure I'm getting ~10mpg, cause I'm going slow and there is a bit of idling going on when ever the group stops.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

Thank you for all the information guys.
I'm sorry I haven't Posted here in awhile.

 

[Assel]

My gauge is 1/4 over the top when the tank is full. so 1/4 above "E" means empty... its pretty accurate though, but I still carry a 25L Can with me to be Safe... its empty atm since there is no longer trip planned and the fuel stations are pretty near to each other here in my area. I once put over 80L in it, that was spooky ...my friend was like "is there a leak? wheres all that diesel going?" normal cars here have a ~50L tank ...

 

[milradioman]

My fuel gauge has been accurate, one day it started to be intermittent like a loose connection, I found the ground wire to the sender broke off, since it is impossible to reach in and repair it I made a clamp and secured the ground wire to the fuel tank crimp edge that sticks out just enough.
Now my fuel gauge reads about a 1/4 mark high, still reliable enough to use. I figure the ground connection between the sender and the tank is adding some resistance so the reading on the gauge is higher. I plan to eventually drop the tank to clean it, paint stuff etc. and fix the ground connection.
Brian