Fuel gauge problem

[MarkNYC]

I have a 2001 Montana extended wheelbase. The fuel gauge now reads full regardless of actual fuel level.

I spoke with a mechanic and have an appointment to get it repaired because I don't want my wife to run out of gas, thinking she has a full tank.

Mechanic said that it is a common problem with this model and that the fuel sending unit is all one piece which is a dealer item at over $500. He said he had trouble with repeated failures on aftermarket brands in the past and wants to go with a AC-Delco-GM brand.

This is a knowledgaeble mechanic I trust, but was wondering if there is now another way to repair this that wouldnt require replacing whole unit? How reliable are the alternate repair solutions?

Thanks,
Mark

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by MarkNYC

I have a 2001 Montana extended wheelbase. The fuel gauge now reads full regardless of actual fuel level.

I spoke with a mechanic and have an appointment to get it repaired because I don't want my wife to run out of gas, thinking she has a full tank.

Mechanic said that it is a common problem with this model and that the fuel sending unit is all one piece which is a dealer item at over $500. He said he had trouble with repeated failures on aftermarket brands in the past and wants to go with a AC-Delco-GM brand.

This is a knowledgaeble mechanic I trust, but was wondering if there is now another way to repair this that wouldnt require replacing whole unit? How reliable are the alternate repair solutions?

Thanks,
Mark

There is one way (the cheapest) to "fix" this issue, and that's to get a small notebook and record when you get gas and the mileage. Then you will have a rough idea of when you need to refill again. Seriously, that's what I did to one of my Ventures that had the wacky fuel gauge. I've used aftermarket sending units from www.rockauto.com in the past in my GM vehicles without any issues . A quick look on their site finds this:ACDELCO Part # SK1134 {#88964335}
SENSOR KIT,FUEL LVL EXTENDED LENGTH $102.99 and
ACDELCO Part # SK1132 {#88964333}
SENSOR KIT,FUEL LVL $132.79 (big difference from the stearlership's price huh?) Ask your mechanic if that is the part # he has for your vehicle, if it is, then you can save quite a bit of money.