Thanks for all the ideas. My gauge is original. The sending unit is new from Macs. I drilled a small hole into the top of it and attached a ground wire which goes to the screw that holds the trunk access cover plate on. My gauge kinda works for now...but I seem to have more urgent major problems the more I try to get my car ready for the summer. Heater core control valve leaks now, speedometer doesn't work now....brake lights, signals, horn button missing...etc... First lets start with the heater core leak..





Gt

Gordie T           Long Point, Ontario

Gordie;

I had a hell of a time when I replaced my guages with aftermarket guages and then tried using the factory sending unit. So, my question is; is your gas guage original or aftermarket? If it's aftermarket (like my Haneline guages) you will need to use the same companies sending unit. That's what I had to do with the Haneline guages if it's any help.

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

I'd send it back and get one that works. I got a new one (had 2 wires) and it works fine.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Goordie...........Make sure your tank is grounded good to the car.Very often the ground connection between the tank and rest of the car is bad.You can attach a ground wire from the tank to frame and maybe that will solve your problem.That often is the fix for erratic gas gauges.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

JLB



My car is a 58 Fairlane with a lot of 57 parts on it to confuse everyone. I've hooked up my sending unit and can only get the gauge to read 1/2 full. When I touch the feed to ground, the gauge goes to max full. I can live with the 1/2 full always but it still doesn't make sense why it only kinda works.



Gt

Gordie T           Long Point, Ontario

I saw a 58 on his post, thats what I went with.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

Gordie,

What year and model is the vehicle about which you are querying? Different model years had different gauge systems which operate differently. I went to your profile and couldn't tell what vehicle.

Regards, JLB


55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

I would take your "live" wire, ground it to the trunk floor and look at the gage on the dash. It should go to full or past full. If it does, I would suspect the sender or the ground is bad. If it doesn't go to full when you ground the live wire, then I would look for a bad dash gage or wiring to the sender from the dash gage. You didn't mention the temp gage not working right so I would assume the voltage control for the two dash units is good. Hope this helps.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

I looked at other posts and don't know what my problem is.



My old gauge would only read about 3/4 full. The sending unit had a live feed to the middle and a ground wire to the top of it attached to the trunk floor.

I bought a new sending unit from Mac's and it only had a spot for the live wire. When I hooked it up my gauge would read almost empty. I drilled a hole in the top of the new sending unit and grounded it to the trunk floor.....now the most I can get on my gauge is 1/2 a tank showing. I've tried bending the arm and it makes no difference.



Is there a way to adjust the gauge to read full? Or, is my grounding suspect?



Thanks for your help.



Gt

Gordie T           Long Point, Ontario