M1009 Fuel gauge...

[CycleJay]

Hi guys...

I just got my the fuel gauge I have been expecting from LMC truck for my M1009.

Now I have read the TM, and now know exactly how to remove it.

But...

After I disconnect the batteries FIRST...

If all goes well, how long should it take?
Also, do you simply pull it out of a socket (like a bulb)?
or unbolt 2-3 wires from it?
like with some other gauges. (ie; voltmeter, etc..).

Also, does anyone have any photos of the backside of a stock fuel gauge?
and/or a fuel gauge install? So I can compare it with the new gauge,
to see if it is the same part and correct.

I think I can handle this one on my own, I have the tools and confidence.
But if any of you want to volunteer, please let me know.
I plan on starting this tomorrow morning... (Sunday 11/11/2012.)

The company would be appreciated, and may make the time go faster.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Thank you, good night...

 

[FridgeBrilliance]

Remove the bezel and then a second plate, pop the gauge out, pop the new one in (it just pressure fits into a pronged socket), put the plate and bezel back on and done. Should take you all of 10 minutes.

 

[CycleJay]

Fridge,

Thank you for the post, that is exactly what I needed to know...
What does the back of the stock gauge look like? 3 screws sticking out the back (I hope)..
How many holes in the socket the gauge plugs into?

Good night...

 

[FridgeBrilliance]

Exactly. Three screws on the gauge that fit into three sockets in the cluster. There are even little plastic guide tabs that help you make sure it is seated correctly. Mechanically I am a moron and this was easy as pie for me. You will have fun, have no problems, and feel like a boss when you are done

 

[stationjj]

Cycle Jay,

Did a new fuel gauge help you? I figure gauge is off 1/4 of a tank. My gauge will jump around some too.

Didn't know if a new gauge would help me? Or should I consider a new sender unit on the tank.

stationjj

 

[CycleJay]

StationJJ,

I just got the gauge in the mail today...
I will try and put it in tomorrow. Just got to be careful, so I do not get caught doing it here.

Will let you know if it solves my problem, after I get it installed.

I had a new sender put in just a few months ago, and the rest of the circuit tested,
and repaired, so now the connection in the instrument cluster that the fuel gauge
plugs into is receiving the power, etc. it needs to make the gauge work.
My gauge had been tested and determined to be bad, I even tested it myself
according to the troubleshooting section in the TM's.

I will let you know...

But in the meantime, have your fuel sender, gauge and wiring tested.
So you can see where there problem is.

 

[rsh4364]

same ? as stationjj, when filled to rim mine reads 5/16 of a tank, then works down,

 

[SouthernSteel]

Here ya go Cycle J

Hers some pics cycle jay i hope this helps man its not hard just time consumeing.

 

[CycleJay]

Hello SouthernSteel,

Thank you for posting those photos. Those will be a great help in me doing this.
I can now see what I am getting myself into. Does not look too hard at all.

But I do not plan on removing the entire cluster from the vehicle.
I should be able to get the fuel gauge out, while the rest of the cluster is still attatched.

At least from the way it looks in the TM's... No worries, I will get it done correctly and gently.

Just wondering something though, if I bring in any of those lightbulbs behind the lights and gauges to my local auto parts store,
would they have them, or are those 24v bulbs I have to special order?

And Now I know the fuel gauge I just got in the mail should work, it is identical to the one in your #5 photo..

I plan on starting first thing in the morning if I can... To get it done tomorrow.
If not, perhaps Monday after work.

Thank you, good night...

 

[Warthog]

They are just 12v 168 bulbs. Any parts house should have them.

The GEN2 bulb is a 194

CJ remember that the website will be offline tomorrow. If you run into problems there won't be anyone online to help.

 

[CycleJay]

Warthog,

Thank you for the bulb info..
No problem, I remember.
So I downloaded and read the TM's, copied, pasted and saved all the advice from all of you in this thread,
and saved the photos SouthernSteel just posted to my HD.

I think I got this covered... And I am confident I can handle this on my own.
No worries.
Unless someone here would really like to volunteer. In that case, I will be home,
and they can contact me by email or cell. And if they want that, they can PM me,
for my cell phone #, and other information.

Thank you, and good night...

 

[ryan77]

Man you got a issue every week with that thing!! If you need help tomorrow i can pm you my cell number. But im 700 miles away.....

 

[CycleJay]

Ryan,

I know that. No worries, it does not bother me.
It is a 25+ year old truck, it is going to have issues, I understand that.
Besides, just about any vehicle on the road now a days has an issue from time to time.
I enjoy working on it anyway, I have the green disease... If I did not have that to work on,
I would be bored in my free time, with not much to do. To cold to do my photography.

Anyway, who here does not have issues with their truck, at least on an irregular basis.
Look at all the posts about people working on their trucks under the titles of:
"What have you done to your ?? lately??????"... I am just doing the same.

Yes, you are about 700 miles away, no worries. But if you still want to pm your cell,
if I ever have a need to call and ask a question. Feel free to volunteer it, if you wish.

I just woke up, so I am going to eat something, get dressed, and get my butt out
there and fix the dang thing, so I can stop doing the numbers to keep track of my
fuel level.

I will let you guys know how it goes and if that helped solve the problem.


Just my

 

[SouthernSteel]

Glad i could help Cycle J.Though i know you dont have to take the cluster out of the vehicle.I wasnt going to go take mine apart in my truck to dark and cold lol.I have several of these clusters i have gathered and it was just easier to use it to show you.Good luck my friend.:]

 

[CycleJay]

Glad i could help Cycle J.Though i know you dont have to take the cluster out of the vehicle.I wasnt going to go take mine apart in my truck to dark and cold lol.I have several of these clusters i have gathered and it was just easier to use it to show you.Good luck my friend.:]

Hello SouthernSteel,

Thank you for the post, information and all that.

I dug into my instrument cluster and replaced the fuel gauge. Was not really that hard.
Just time consuming, because I ran into a few minor problems.

But the new fuel gauge does not work to solve my problem, the new gauge reads emtpy.
I have one idea of what it may be, so I will dig into it again later this week on my day off from work.

However, while I had it all tore apart, I did replace my heater blower switch, since the heater blower did not function,
and now my heater blows on low and high, with heat. So now I can be warm on cold days and defrost the windows again.
Thank God.. It works great now... So I am happy. The old blower switch was burned, and melted.. That is why it stopped working.

No worries..

By the way, you said you have a few of those clusters.
Do you have one for the M1009 in good working condition you can sell me?

Thank you.....

 

[forest522]

Sorry to hear that didn't solve the problem. I was following this thread, like many others, rooting for you! On the bright side, now you have a shiny new fuel gauge! Good luck!

 

[Warthog]

Hey CJ,

have you followed the troubleshooting section in the TM for a non-fucntioning fuel gauge?

 

[forest522]

CycleJay, I just remembered that when I had mine in to a local diesel mechanic for timing chain adjustment, I asked him if he could check the fuel sending unit. There is a test of the electrical connections that he did that basically told him that my gauge connections were bad and the sending unit was functioning. I am not sure of exactly what process he did, but I bet it is covered in the TMs as stated by Warthog above. A few days later, I put in a used, from an similar year GM truck, fuel gauge and a new printed circuit. Boom, all works. How accurate? Not sure yet and I don't want to find out!

 

[CycleJay]

Hi guys...

Update: Today 11/13/2012. I topped off my fuel tank, and when I started my truck, the fuel gauge started working.
It now reads full. And when I shut off my truck at home, the needle started going towards emtpy...
So I suppose that the fuel level was just too low for the gauge to read it after I installed it.
I will keep my eye on it, but for now it appears to be working. I will see how it goes.
I will keep driving until the gauge reads close to empty, and see what happens.

I did read and troubleshoot from the TM's before, and that is what lead me to believe the gauge was bad.

Thanks for all the advice... I will update as I see what happens.


Good day...

 

[Stan]

Cool, just don't run out of fuel.