1999 Chevrolet Tracker, 2dr, 4WD with the 2.0ltr engine
I recently had the fuel tank, filler tube and pump/sending unit assembly replaced due to severe rust issues with the tank, constantly having to putty patch a new rust hole every few months.
I now have new issues! The fuel gauge worked fine before the new parts and it filled up just fine, the only problem was the holes forming in the tank itself. Well upon investigating, the OEM sending unit ohms range is around 130 ohms empty to 15 ohms full. The new sending unit is rated at 73-80 ohms empty and 10 ohms full!
So my question is, instead of going through the HASTLE of getting the old 25yr old equipment put back in, can I just buy a cheap aftermarket fuel level gauge to match the new sending units ohms rating?
Seems to me it’d make more sense to go with OEM parts, since this is such an involved thing (dropping the fuel tank).
If you go aftermarket, it might work just fine. Or it might fail within a year, and you’ll be back to where you are now. Apparently the OEM fuel unit worked for 20+ years…
The “sending unit” IS the fuel level sender and it is included with the pump assembly… And if it was replaced and does not work, it is either faulty or the incorrect part.
So MY question is; Which is it? A bad part or the wrong part? An additional question is; Who found the parts and who installed the parts and why aren’t you posing this question to them?
Edit: Read your earlier post about this - less than bright mechanics did the work. Try searching for “Aftermarket configurable fuel level gauge” on Google. Lots listed, none I could easily find that could be fully configured to your values.
The tank and fuel pump assembly have already been replaced. Only now, after the fact, the oem fuel gauge in the dash still works…but isn’t reading correctly. With a full tank, it only reads half a tank now, with the new parts. No, the float isn’t bent before it’s brought up . So I figured out that the input signal from the new sending unit is different than what the old one was. So I can only assume that the stock gauge isn’t compatible the new signal. So, can I just get an aftermarket gauge to read it? Or is it more involved, like is there going to be ECM programming involved or something
I understood you replaced the tank and pump assembly… but with what? Aftermarket parts SHOULD work exactly as original. Clearly this is some sort of kluged install.
The fuel pump assembly came from Rockauto and is supposed to be right for the vehicle, supposed to be :-/. I would rather not have it all done again nor do it myself, so a simpler solution seems to just get an aftermarket gauge. You can get gauges either adjustable or specific to the ohms rating needed. It seems pretty straight forward to me, but before I take that step, I want to be sure I’m not missing something. “kluged install”, well that would have to bend the float rod pretty flippin far I would think to make half a tank difference? I don’t know lol. I do know that the ohms ratings are different, it was supposed to be compatible with my vehicle, it’s apparently not and I don’t want to delve that far into it…pulling the tank out, pump out, digging out old pump, etc etc etc…a gauge seems the easiest solution. And yeah, the mechanics were “something else” for sure
With either level unit, 10 or 15 ohms, the gauge should read “full”. Using an ohm meter measure the resistance of the fuel level sending unit circuit with the tank full. If the gauge is showing half tank, you will find the resistance to be 40 to 60 ohms. This indicates something wrong with the level unit inside the tank, a new display gauge would fix this.
Thanks George_San_Jose1!!! That, is the fix I needed
db4690, I completely agree with “verify the repair”, but if I go back and leave it to them…it will cost a lot more headaches than it’s really worth in the bigger picture. I feel that if I take it back again, a third time and start telling them how I’ve done their job for them and start explaining the incompatibility between the devices and watch them have a “oh yeah, I forgot about checking that” or the float level, or just the parts in general I suppose…I’ll lose my mind, I don’t have the patience for it in my old age lol. I fully understand that sometimes, things just happen and everything can’t be controlled. The pump assembly is supposed to be compatible, I can’t say I would have thought to check the ohm range between the new and old parts with that said. It is what it is, I’d much rather keep my sanity and find a simpler solution…just like the afore mentioned interface module!!! At 180k miles on the vehicle, the life it has lead, I’m still stoked that the new tank/pump/filler are all brand new. Going down the highway/interstate 5 days a week for 50 miles per day with a bunch of gas leaking components, gets a bit stressfull lol.
Well yeah we all like stuff to work but sometimes in a 25 year old car, you just learn to live with imperfection. When my tank was replaced the sending unit did not work anymore and the low fuel light remained on. They took the tank down again but said the sender was shot and $300 for a new one. I drove 100 miles a day for a number of years with the light on and never ran out of gas. I simply reset the computer at each fill up which told me how many gallons were used, not left. Just sayin as all.
So you just don’t trust those knuckleheads anymore?
And I don’t blame you at all
That said, do you drive a lot each week?
One of my cars is quite old by now and the fuel level gauge doesn’t work correctly, due to the fuel sending units being defective and no longer available
My current solution is to fill up the tank every weekend without fail
. So I figured out that the input signal from the new sending unit is different than what the old one was. So I can only assume that the stock gauge isn’t compatible the new signal. So, can I just get an aftermarket gauge to read it? Or is it more involved, like is there going to be ECM programming involved or something