Broken Fuel Gauge '89 Ford Ranger (vehicle, auto, engine, Mercedes) - Ford and Lincoln -Car forums - City-Data Forum

halver84 · 08-02-2010, 11:09 AM

I have an 89 ford ranger V6 automatic engine.

My fuel gauge is broken (always reads empty) but before I spend money on a new sending unit I'd like to rule out where the problem is coming from. I know there are two pumps on this vehicle a low pressure pump and high pressure pump and I plan on testing the pressure on both pumps. Anything else I should test to see where the problem lies?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Gimme3steps · 08-02-2010, 12:16 PM

Testing pump pressure will tell you nothing about your fuel gauge.

Before you do anything, with your fist, hit the top of your dash above the fuel gauge with the engine running. If it the gauge starts working, you have a connection problem in the instrument cluster.

Next, find the wire that goes to the sending unit at the tank and ground it to the frame. Make sure you have the correct wire. Have someone turn the key on and watch the gauge. If the gauge responds then it's ok and the sending unit is bad. If the gauge doesn't move then it could be either the gauge or the sending unit.

Now I'm confused

It's easier to do than explain.

jtur88 · 08-02-2010, 01:05 PM

VWs in the 60s had no fuel gauge. Millions of us learned to live with it. But I can see why you want to find a simple fix---they are handy.

halver84 · 08-02-2010, 02:40 PM

Thanks "Gimme3steps" I think I understand (I know my brother-in-law will). We'll see what happens when I look into the problem.

I'm not dead-set on fixing the problem but I'm trying to start learning more about auto mechanics (My brother-in-law inspired me when he converted his mercedes to run on veggie oil.) so I thought it would be a good project to look into or at the least diagnose.

Thanks for the input.

Gimme3steps · 08-02-2010, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtur88

VWs in the 60s had no fuel gauge. Millions of us learned to live with it. But I can see why you want to find a simple fix---they are handy.

With VWs in the 60s all you had to do was take off the cap and stick a piece of broom handle in it for an instant fuel gauge.