Diesel Fuel Gauge Always Shows Full

[Dom Ferris]

Anyone have any idea's on why the Diesel Fuel Gauge would not work? my fuel gauge shows full all of the time. Any ideas?

Dom

[rellick]

Hi Dom, if you can locate the sending unit on the tank take the wire off and your gauge should go to empty, if it does I'd say your sending unit is bad. If it stays at full the sender wire may be shorting to ground somewhere, you could check the gauge this way also by taking the sender wire off and see if the gauge drops. Hope this helps!!

[Dom Ferris]

Wow, that was some quick response time guess I have some testing to do whoohoo new project time & thank you Keith I'll let you know how it goes, Dom

[Novice Traveler]

Sounds like the float is stuck to the side of the module. Sometimes kicking the tank hard or hitting it hard with a soft handed mallet will break it loose.

[David Carrol]

Sounds like your sending unit may be bad (pretty common).

[lbrachfe]

If your sending unit is bad it will only indicate full when you ground the hot lead on top of the sender. If the gauge is stuck at full it is probablt the GAUGE not the sender. I just went through this entire process including replacing and testing all the aformentioned. The sender is much easier to replace than the gauge which requires taking the dash partially apart. The gauge runs around $20 and the sender around $100 depending on length and there are different sizes depending on your year. Good luck

[lbrachfe]

Novice Trav, FYI ,there are NO floats in these tanks. The sender device is a spring loaded tube with an internal sytem that utilizes a float type device, which cannot be repaired as the tube is made from soft metal and any small dent retards the internal spring device ...

[MrE]

This is some great information! When I go to sell my Newell I will be sure to have the fuel gauge reading full even if it's almost empty, convince the buyer that my fuel tanks have 250 gallons of $5 per gallon diesel.rollinglol

[rellick]

You could always carry a stick and dip it in the tank!! Is that banjos I hear again?:bandit:

[SharkRacing]

I have to agree with ibrachfe on the sending unit maybe being easier to deal with then tearing the dash apart depending on your year I would suppose.

[Chester B. Stone, Jr.]

I have replaced both and the gauge is a snap, but the sending unit is very difficult to replace. In some coaches, the tank has to be removed.

[jWolfe]

Dom you may not what to mess around with fixing this yourself if the tank needs to be removed and it's a difficult process. Take it in to a shop,

[Dom Ferris]

You're right It's easier to take it in this way I don't need to think about it.

Dom

[lbrachfe]

Dom,
Replacing a sender unit is simple and in almost all cases does not require the tank be removed. You just remove the stainless cosmetic tank cover and test the sender which is located within a few inches of the front of the tank and about midway in width. Remove the center wire (hot) and ground it and your gauge should go to full and if it doesn't the sender is bad aand if it does the gauge is bad. The gauge replacement is tough because aligning the dash covers and tree plugs is always a challenge and there are 3 wires on the gauge and a set ring to hold the gauge to the dash. Good opportunity to clean up inside the dash.

[Chester B. Stone, Jr.]

Dom, replacing the sending unit is just as Larry described. On my rig, I had to use a jack and a piece of 4" x 4" long enough to lift the rod a few inches at the top of the bay to have enough room the remove and replace the sending unit. As to the gauge, I just removed the three screws holding the dash face plate and had enough room the replace the gauge without taking the top off of the dash. Good luck.

[lbrachfe]

I don't have a "dash face plate" and my gauges are back set and require rear entry.

[Dom Ferris]

I sure appreciate your help fellas. I guess I can do some more checking before I break down and take her in.

Dom

[Chester B. Stone, Jr.]

Dom, if you would post a photo of your fuel tank bay, we may be more helpful.