I have paid $$$ to have the gas gauge replaced in my '59 Chevy. Mftr said must have 18 gauge wire, but #@!& mechanic put 14 gauge in. If I change to 18 gauge, should this correct the problem? Everything else in the entire fuel system has been replaced.
A 14 gauge wire is bigger than the 18 gauge, and should not be the problem. The circuit is simple. Gauge gets 12V on one terminal, and the other goes to the sender in the gas tank, which is then grounded. The easy solution is to trace the voltage to find the break. With the power to the gauge, you should get a reference voltage to the sender terminal on the gauge. This should be the same at the gas tank. If no reference voltage, you have a bad gauge. The sender should have some sort of impedance (ohm resistance) to the body ground. If not, there is a problem at the sender.
I agree with BK’s advice. This should be an easy fix. Check the grounding also for the sender and make sure it is bonded to the car chassis.