1947-87 Chevy & GMC Truck Fuel Gauge/Sending Unit Troubleshooting

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Fuel Sending Units

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[greggutknecht]

Been fighting my gas gauge not working in my 84 C10 6.2 diesel. After watching this video, I added a ground directly from the fuel gauge ground to a screw on the cab metal and that fixed everything! So glad I came across your video! Thank you!

[bowtieboy]

That was truly an expert explanation. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, I am building a ‘64 C10 with my daughter and her fuel gauge stopped working, I am confident that we can fix it now, thanks again!

[deankay]

Dave did an excellent job in this video. Gauges and Sending units seem to be mysterious in some fashion but simple in reality.
A gauge is best described as that experiment in high school science class winding insulated wire around a nail. When connected to a battery, it becomes an electro magnet.
Now, imagine a gauge as a nail on one side wired clockwise, it pushes a paper clip away. A second nail is wound counter clockwise and attracts the paper clip. Now if both nails shared a common ground, a variable resistors, changing the strength to ground makes one side push or become weaker. Same here, except it is inside a gauge. So basically reverse polarity if you can imaging, the common point to ground is a wire wound resistor to ground. In this case, 90 to 0 ohms resistance. If at 45 ohms, both nails have the same push/pull, so the gauge reads? 1/2 full! You got this. As Dave did, placing the lead to a good ground will push the needle completely one direction.
(Imagine one nail is strong and the other is dead) The different is at the sender.
Dave made another good point, that's using dielectric grease on connections. Under the truck? You bet! On the cluster connector, sure! It keeps them clean and not green as copper traces oxidize. They slip in and out better as well, saving that printed circuit on your gauge cluster. Thanks Dave! Good info for those in town and around, the world! Keep em going folks!
DK, ASE master since 1978.

[wesleysmith]

fantastic tutorial and exactly the kind of information needed for me to trouble shoot my old 50 model chevy gas gauge. Very well done. Thanks.

[daviddaniels]

Another great video . Thank you . I have a 1964 c10, 1965 C10, 1979 C30 pickup, & a 1998 C2500 (454). Love your presentations . Great job.

[dongoff]

Thanks David now I know where to start. Thanks again

[coloh]

Thanks. Your straight forward video is great. Fixed my ‘84 k-20. Had to trace after I replaced tank and removed switch over for non existing tank.

[williambutler]

Very good, you explained everything good, I have a 66 C10, I have replaced Guage, new sending unit, still not working, I will recheck all grounds again, thanks this helps me alot, I watch all your videos.

[markbeatty]

Nice video. When testing my sender wire at the guage, the tester light was dim. It had continuity but must of been compromised along the way. Replaced the wire and now is all good. Thanks!

[stevep]

straightforward, to the point. Excellent. No Fluff or nonsense, very well done

[shamusmcgee]

Dave thanks for the video, just changed to EFI on my big block 69 c10 restto- mod. Been fighting with my gas gage for a week. You made it so simple. Fixed after watching your video in about 20 min.

[javirosalez]

You guys are fantastic I buy everything for my 53 chevy truck from you. This video was an incredible help in me figuring out my gas gauge problems. I recently converted my truck from 6 volt to 12 volt and I am installing a gauge reducer to my gauges. Do I need one, not only for my gas gauge, but also for my battery gauge. Thank you for all your informative videos

[drunkenpirate]

Thanks this is the best explanation for me.

[jasonandrew]

Thanks. Was having trouble with my 78 blazer.

[Windytown]

I bought a c10 with dual tanks. Looking for a dual tank setup

[ORipples]

For whatever reason my gas gauge stays high until I hit the brake. When I hit the brake the gauge balances out to the amount I actually have. I’m gonna take a look at it tomorrow after watching this though. Great video man!

[OvGraphics]

Fantastic video brothers. You got me in the neighborhood. For whatever reason my 85 S-10 goes through gas pumps every so often. I'm on the 3rd or 4th one. Early on mos prolly ethanol. Haven't run that in years and the last one is holding good. But after the last round the gauge is just wonky. Might show half full and then flop over to full, depending on the slosh. Did we put the sending unit in backwards? It's all over the darn place but never shows what it should. Ground? Backwards? The bed is coming off soon so I can get to a short rubber line that is currently spewing gas when the pump is on. Failed at the clamp. (The thing is beyond antique. Ha!) While I'm there thought I might as well see to the gauge. Suggestion? I thank you!!
Norm

[adrianquirino]

What side of the terminals does the power go to on the gauge for the cluster is it the terminal on the full side of the gauge and the ground on the empty side

[haniballector]

I have a 1988 gmc sierra 1500 4x4 just bought it the previous owners replaced the fuel pump and sending unit, the guages on cluster does not read looks either empty or nothing any help where to start looks like the ground has been moved

[paulabzotte]

Hey Dave i have an issue with my 1986 chevy silverado on my gas gage a full tank and the gage reads 3/8 on both sides i replaced sending unit on one side both sides grounded good