Stuck Fuel Gauge?

[kacssk]

Hello Everyone! I was wondering if someone could help. I have a 98 Windstar with about 120,000 miles. I have had recurring problems with my van. and Of course, my CEL is on, once again. I had the codes read about a month ago. the codes were for the auxillary emission control and cyclinder 4 misfire. My husband changed the spark plugs a couple of months ago, and everything seemed fine. I have not done anything about the CEL, because it has been running fine and lack of money and time to check it out. Well, a couple of weeks ago, we went about 60 miles north and was coming back when the fuel guage went nuts. It went to empty and the gas light came on. Then it went back to where it should have been about five minutes later. It did that a couple of times, just when on the interstate on longer trips (100 -120 miles there and back). I didn't do anything about the gas gauge because always corrected it's self. Well now, it is stuck on FULL. It is higher than it has ever been, even when I fill the van full. I filled the tank up last weekend, and I have about 180 miles on this tank. The gas gauge has not moved from the highest point that the needle can go!??! Any ideas? I usually get about 300 miles per tank (with 17 gallons per tank). so I am okay withou the gas gauge for now, guessing when I need to fill up! Any help would be great! I just don't want to get standed somewhere along the road at six months pregnant. Thanks in advance for any and all help!!!!

[DRW1000]

I think 300 miles per tank is low. Perhaps the failure that caused your CEL on is affecting your mileage.

Sounds like your gas gauge has a loose wire somewhere. A loose ground or something will cause the gauge to sit at one of the 2 extremes. Could aslo be a faulty gauge or sender. Does your low fuel light operated as before?

[kacssk]

Actually, 300 miles per tank is higher than what we were getting before. I have not had the low fuel light come on at all. I have only filled up once, since it started. I have no idea of what to do next. I guess I will take it into AutoZone and have the codes read again, to see if any new comes up.

[DRW1000]

Well I doubt that the code is related to the fuel gauge. I had a couple of instances where I filled up my tank but the gauge said empty until I restarted the car. This happened twice about ayear ago and never came back.

I get 600 KM (~400 miles) per tank on my 99. I don't know if the 98 had a different sized tank. I figured out that I was getting 20-22 mpg (imperial gallons here) in mixed highway/city (mostly stop and go driving).

[CoachKarl]

My opinion is . . . . replace the sending unit in the tank.

Karl

PS. My fuel gauge was intermittently, then consistantly, drifting to E, with the little fuel pump lit up. I went for a few years using the odometer as a surrogate. . . I suspected that the culprit was the "anti slosh module" in the instrument cluster. This gizmo's job is to deal with gas sloshing around the tank, and "even things out" so the gas gauge doesn't jump/dip sharply. However, after replacing that with a junkyard replacement things didn't change. I pulled the sending unit out of the fuel tank, checked out OK. Full = 5V & 0 OHMs, Empty = 5V & 10000 Ohms. I fixed mine by chasing down a dead wire in the harness connector closest to the fuel filter. Sounds like you have a stuck sending unit in your tank.

My fuel g