1996 Chevy Cavalier Incorrect gas gauge display

FONTUCKYDICK

MEMBER
1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
48,000 MILES

I just bought a '96 chevy Cavalier. The car runs out of gas and stalls when gas gauge is 1\8th tank from empty. When full the needle goes past the full mark. How do I find out if it is the gauge or the sender in the gas tank?
Thankyou

5 Replies

WILDFIREV9

MEMBER
49 POSTS

How far past full does the needle go. They normally go 2-3 needle widths past. If it goes way past it is probably the guage.
If the car sat for a long time with very little gas in it, the sender may have rust not allowing it to drop to the bottom of the tank.
Also, is the bottom of the tank dented in?
As long as you know where it runs out, I wouldn't worry about it.
The problem with replacing the sender is that it is in the tank with the fuel pump as an assembly.
Replacing it calls for removing the tank.
The sender/pump unit usually costs $200-$400 plus labor.
Hope this helps, VIC

SPONSORED LINKS

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Saturday, June 7th, 2008 AT 3:39 AM

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Ground the purple wire going to the fuel level sender and see what happens to the gauge whether it will react.

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

+1

Saturday, June 7th, 2008 AT 3:56 AM

FONTUCKYDICK

MEMBER
3 POSTS

2-3 widths past is correct. Can I clean rust off sender?
Or carefully bend pointer to display more accurately?
Thanks, fontuckydick[/quote]

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Saturday, June 7th, 2008 AT 7:13 AM

FONTUCKYDICK

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thankyou, great diagram, fontuckydick[/quote]

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Saturday, June 7th, 2008 AT 7:28 AM

FONTUCKYDICK

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Is it possible to clean rust off sender? This might sound dumb, can I bend gas gauge needle a tad to make the gauge display more accurately? OK, if I short the purple wire that goes to sender how should the gauge re-act it the sender is OK?