Fuel tank levels...

[plasticuser]

My 93 F350 has the two tanks. When the fuel switch is up, the needle always goes to above full, but when the fuel switch is down, it seems to read a sane amount.

What do you think is happening? Both tanks are full.

 

[smolkin]

If your senders are like mine, with the arm and float, the arm may be stuck. Does the gauge go down at all as the tank empties?

 

[Csgod0]

from what I've read so far, and I'm in the same boat as you...I have heard its an issue with the a poor ground on the sending unit, causing an innacurate reading. What i've gleaned from thedieselstop

 

[franklin2]

The needle usually will go above the full mark when the tanks are full. If it never leaves full as you use the fuel in that tank, the sending unit is probably bad. Fords have chronic sending unit problems.

One of my tanks goes above full, and stays up there for a long time, and then when the needle starts falling through the guage markings, it goes fairly quickly, while the other tank goes above full, but it's a little more consistent as it falls through the scale on the guage. I credit it to my trucks "personality" and as long as it tells me when I am close to empty, that's all I care about.

 

[NoDaK]

i have the same problem. would a new sending unit remedy this?

 

[SparkandFire]

Like franklin said, the fuel gauge is part of the truck's personality.

I have one gauge that never goes above empty... I fill it up and run it for 200 miles (which leaves me about 5-6 gallons in that tank)

the back tank goes above full for a long time, then drops like a rock between 150 and 200 miles...

As long as I don't go over 400 miles between fill-ups I feel pretty safe...

I would like to get ahold of a sending unit and see if I can make it a better unit, or modify a universal unit to work on my tanks... Just dont have the time.

 

[TBigLug]

Must be a Ford thing. Both my gauges go above full when full and when they read E they are half full.

 

[BrandonMag]

When I fill my front tank, the fuel gauge goes WAY above full. While driving, it doesn't move for at least 100 miles and then works it's way down.
When I fill my rear tank, the fuel gauge goes just slighly above full. While driving, it won't move at first, but after 60-70 mile it will slowly drop consistently. While driving with the switch in either postion and the gauge reading anywhere but extremely full, the fuel gauge needle will move quite a bit while going around corners, going uphill/downhill, etc.
A friend's father had three older Ford pickups and told me they all had odd-reading fuel gauges. I think it's just one of those quirks of personality inherent in owning a Ford.

 

[plasticuser]

I haven't driven this truck yet (still waiting on a gear shift lever) so I don't know what it looks like as it goes down.

How safe is it to run out of fuel on one tank then switch? Is this a huge problem? Does the truck give signs before running out?

I'd like to learn the gauges patterns, but don't want to risk having to bleed the fuel lines of air because I made a mistake :/

 

[RLDSL]

I haven't driven this truck yet (still waiting on a gear shift lever) so I don't know what it looks like as it goes down.

How safe is it to run out of fuel on one tank then switch? Is this a huge problem? Does the truck give signs before running out?

I'd like to learn the gauges patterns, but don't want to risk having to bleed the fuel lines of air because I made a mistake :/

If you have an electric fuel pump, no big deal at all, just jump out with the key on and depress the shrader valve till teh air is out, if you have the factory pump, if someone is with you you can try to bleed the shrader while someone cranks to get the air out faster , otherwise floor it and crank the thing and pray your batts don't give out. Don't crank more than 15 seconds at a time, then let it rest .or else there will be a starter job in your future

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Both my senders will shoot the gauge past the full mark when all filled up, when the needle hits the red mark I still have like 5 gallons left in each tank. My rear tank has its factory float, the front one has a small plastic bottle (some sort of pills used to live in it) as when I was replacing the tank I couldn't find my spare factory float.

As for bleeding the air out of the lines, it's much easier if you crank the engine by jumping the starter relay on the fender, good batteries are a must tho, especially if you're special like me and have a heat exchanger and two filters between the lift pump and the IP...

 

[sassyrel]

Must be a Ford thing. Both my gauges go above full when full and when they read E they are half full.

would need a "extension" harness,,but your arms are bent wrong--a little bending would cure it--

 

[mikelara]

on mine they both go up to the same point at full, but when i get just about a quarter on the gauge the truck runs out. when i go to fill it the tanks each one will only take about 9-10 gallons, shouldnt both of them be 19gallons each?

 

[sassyrel]

How safe is it to run out of fuel on one tank then switch? Is this a huge problem? Does the truck give signs before running out?

as u get used to the truck--it will be a short warning when its going to run out--hard to explain--but dont make a habit of it--the ip--with air in it--is h#@$ on a pump--its meant to have fluid between the rollers--they like lube--you do this enough--and youll be replacing the ip--

 

[sassyrel]

on mine they both go up to the same point at full, but when i get just about a quarter on the gauge the truck runs out. when i go to fill it the tanks each one will only take about 9-10 gallons, shouldnt both of them be 19gallons each?

pickup tube on bottom of sender has fallen off--common problem--