Fuel Gauge Sticking

white diamond said:

I have a 1992 24' Explorer and the fuel gauge started sticking on empty. (I have two tanks and it stays stuck when switched to either tank). I pulled the gauge panel up and used a screw driver to make the gauge "think" it was reading full. It worked to unstuck the gauge but would only work for a few trips and the gauge would stick on empty again. Installed a new gauge and it started doing the same thing after a few trips. The screw driver will unstuck the gauge but it gets old removing the screws and pulling up the panel. Any ideas on what is going on? Did I just happen to get bad new gauge or is there anything else to check?

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When you say gauge panel are you referring to the sender plate? What kind of sender; swing arm or rod with float ring? What exactly are you doing with the screwdriver?

It sounds like he's shorting the gauge (dash) similar to how you would test things at the sender (pink to ground).

From what you've written, you're testing wrong. Well, at least not fully testing. You need to test at the sender. Testing at the sender also verifies wiring in between sender/gauge. Since you bit the bullet and already bought a new gauge (sort of putting the horse before the cart, there), you can pretty much rule out the gauge. It's not "sticking" - the sender, in the tank, is most likely bad (or bad connections at the sender).

Since it's doing the same exact thing with the new gauge, as it did with the old gauge, it's darn near impossible for the gauge to be the problem. First, gauges rarely, if ever, fail like that... and then to have the new one do the same thing?

Look to the senders or the wiring/switch in between. Something there is loose/flaky/corroded/worn. Check all connections, including grounds - at least to the ground bus bar (if you're not having other issues, anyways). If each time you mess with the gauge, it starts working again, look closely at connections behind the gauge - could be a severely corroded connector, corrosion wicking up inside the sheathing, or even a failed wire where "messing with/bending" the wire remakes the connection, but the eventual vibration of the boat cause it to open again.

I just had a call with the people who make Grady White sending units. I was informed that some of their older units were having issues with their float staying "stuck" below the fuel liquid level and so they made an update to the sending units and now the float is much more buoyant and never gets stuck. I'm not sure what type you used to replace, whether it was a new design or old? The company that makes Grady's sending units is called Royce Industries out of Connecticut. My replacement for my 82 gallon tank was only 60 bucks. I would give them a call and they'll get you a new unit, you can install it yourself in under an hour.