99 Tahoe Fuel Gauge it acting weird

[1996ctnc]

Originally Posted by j cAT

post #13 is what your problem is all about.

use the trip odometer and avoid running outof fuel. if this continues the fuel system will fail.

Started doing that after the fact. with this truck it is hard to judge it has a gas guzeling 7.4l. thanks though

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by 1996ctnc

Started doing that after the fact. with this truck it is hard to judge it has a gas guzeling 7.4l. thanks though

with fuel going up to 5.oo / gal this summer I would get rid of it and buy a 2000-2006 model.

these models with the 5.3L get 15 mpg to 18 mpg.

my 2000 sil truck 4wd gets 15-19 mpg.

[1996ctnc]

Originally Posted by wafrederick

GM does have problems with their sending units and you can get just the sending unit from the dealer.All you need is your insurance slip,the dealer needs the vin to order the part.If you want to buy an aftermarket fuel pump,buy one from Carquest and here is some good news.Carquest did switch to Delphi to manufacture their fuel pumps and did away with Airtex.Found this out recently and it says on the box.Delphi is GM's manufaturer for fuel pumps.

If it is just the fuel guage and the pump gives fuel to the engine. I found on e-bay yesterday just the (fuel level sending unit/ "sensor") for $19.99 with free shipping. Compared to the dealer quoting me over $200 for that part.

[EazzyMoney]

I just got my 96 (158,000) from my brother over the weekend. The gauge flickers all over the place. Stops at 1/4 tank for a few seconds even when full. Then back to the hyper flickering thing it does.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by EazzyMoney

I just got my 96 (158,000) from my brother over the weekend. The gauge flickers all over the place. Stops at 1/4 tank for a few seconds even when full. Then back to the hyper flickering thing it does.

remove the fuel pump ground wire at the frame rail next to tank.. grind down the metal and clean up the elec lug then secure it see if its better.. then use a mineral based sealer over this ground connection.

looking at my 2012 post $5 a gallon for gas in 1 week it will be less than $2 a gallon ..world wide economic collapse.

[ASJT3]

Originally Posted by j cAT

remove the fuel pump ground wire at the frame rail next to tank.. grind down the metal and clean up the elec lug then secure it see if its better.. then use a mineral based sealer over this ground connection.

looking at my 2012 post $5 a gallon for gas in 1 week it will be less than $2 a gallon ..world wide economic collapse.

Good news for us truck drivers right...

Anyways, I had this same problem on my suburban and I solved it by replacing the gauge stepper motor (little motor inside the instrument panel that motivates the needle) with one I got at the junkyard.

If you go this route, after removing the instrument panel you will have to take care to note the "exact" position of the needles (take a picture) prior to removing them to lift off the instrument panel face. Best way to lift off the needles is with a fork, stick it underneath the needle base and use the fork to slowly pry the needle upwards off the stepper motor shaft.

IIRC, the screws holding the stepper motors to the instr. panel were an unusual torx size, I think I used a mini flat head screwdriver to carefully unscrew them.

This seems to be a common problem, and it's not a guarantee that the motors you get from the junkyard will work properly. In fact, I think I ended up swapping my own oil pressure gauge motor for the fuel gauge motor, and put the junkyard motor in the oil pressure needle. You may have to fiddle around with swapping motors. To get it to work properly.

Swapping sending unit will likely not solve this problem.