gas meter gauge problem

[tjr19136]

After I attempted to replace the head gasket; I put almost everything back right except the vacum hoses............But some how my gas gauges meter is under the black thing that holds it up. Now when I go to turn the car on the black line blocks the gas meter from going up..............

Whats cuases this?
And how do I repair it?

[Scrapper]

are you saying it cant get it to go up it's behind the black needle where theres a pin that it cant get passed? if so you may have to take dash apart to get it above that pin or you may have to get new guage. i never heard that happening before if below the pin that holds gas guage but i guess it can. you got all plugins hooked up right? i don't think it's vaccum if so it's a new one to me. maybe someone else can help you on this one.

[tjr19136]

yea somehow the gas gauge needle got under the black needle that holds it. The black needle do not look damage at all. Maybe the car does this for malfuntional raesons. Maybe I damage something when I was attempting to take the engine apart. But now when I go to turn the car on the black needle does not allow the gas gauge go above [E] and the car will cut right off.

[Searchlight]

Originally Posted by tjr19136

yea somehow the gas gauge needle got under the black needle that holds it. The black needle do not look damage at all. Maybe the car does this for malfuntional raesons. Maybe I damage something when I was attempting to take the engine apart. But now when I go to turn the car on the black needle does not allow the gas gauge go above [E] and the car will cut right off.

I had the same thing happen when I replaced my intake gasket some time ago. It is also not a rare occurance either. I think it might have something to do with disconnecting power during the repair, or reconnecting it.

Either way, you are in luck. It can be fixed without removing the dash. Believe it or not, you can fix the problem by getting a paperclip, bending it carefully, and then inserting it in the same hole as the trip reset. Snake it through the side of that hole and then carefully lift the fuel gauge needle ALL THE WAY back around counter clockwise until it rests on top of the stop pin. This needs to be done with the ignition off. When you turn the ignition back on afterwards, the fuel gauge re-initializes from its stop posotion, which makes it accurate one again.

This procedure takes time and patience. I can confirm FIRST HAND that it is absolutely possible to fix it this way if you take your time. I found this fix somewhere on the Net and it does work great.

Post back your results...