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Fuel sender failure?

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Drove to work yesterday, and saw I had 1/2tank fuel; seems right. Left work, started the truck, DING DING.. Low fuel light; WTF? Needle was below E mark. Rushed to fuel station ($3.899) and filled up... 18 gallons, that's it? Started the truck to only see the same thing. Reseated the connector on the tank to no avail. The needle barely moves from key on to key off. Do the level senders fail in this manner, or do I need to look elsewhere?Thanks, guys!

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I have an 01 QCSB 4wd, and I dropped the tank in like 10 minutes, using 2 floor jacks and a 6' long 2x12... Wonder what's so different between the two?

I have an 01 QCSB 4wd, and I dropped the tank in like 10 minutes, using 2 floor jacks and a 6' long 2x12... Wonder what's so different between the two?

Maybe space? Is there a cross memeber near the front of the tank? I have to lift the truck up to get it out anyways. Mnie is 2wd

Speaking of the cross memeber near the front of the tank how important is it? Mine has been out for a week and going to be out for a few more. I broke two bolts getting it out. I still need to drop the tank again to put in my sump and fuel sender.( kinda stinks I did not have this other stuff ready when my brake line went.)

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Maybe space? Is there a cross memeber near the front of the tank? I have to lift the truck up to get it out anyways. Mnie is 2wd

Speaking of the cross memeber near the front of the tank how important is it? Mine has been out for a week and going to be out for a few more. I broke two bolts getting it out. I still need to drop the tank again to put in my sump and fuel sender.( kinda stinks I did not have this other stuff ready when my brake line went.)

Mine is either MIA, or never had it.
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Yesterday afternoon - POOF! The thing started working again, on it's own... :shrug:

This was short-lived. It stopped working again... :cry:

If you pull the module out of the tank you can see what is worn and how to fix it. On mine all I did was flip the wiper blade and VIOLA!!! My gauge has been working great for over six years.

  • 2 weeks later...

I have tilted the bed up to remove the sender/pump assy and while its not that difficult, working in the driveway while doing this sure is. As of yesterday I get to pull the sending unit/fuel gauge out as the nipple for the fuel injection fuel line has broken off and is squirting fuel everywhere from the return line.Truthfully in my truck feel that removing the fuel tank will be easier. You really have to tilt the bed way up to get the room to remove the sender/pump assy out of the tank. FT

Another suggestion is to get a new sending unit from a dealer. They are not much money (around $25 if I remember right) and are just held on by two screws.Far as tilting the bed solo, just tie a rope to the tie downs in the front of the box and tie the other end to a tree or something similar. Then just pull forward SLOWLY. The bed will lift right up!

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If you pull the module out of the tank you can see what is worn and how to fix it. On mine all I did was flip the wiper blade and VIOLA!!! My gauge has been working great for over six years.

Ill try to do this, this week sometime.

Another suggestion is to get a new sending unit from a dealer. They are not much money (around $25 if I remember right) and are just held on by two screws. Far as tilting the bed solo, just tie a rope to the tie downs in the front of the box and tie the other end to a tree or something similar. Then just pull forward SLOWLY. The bed will lift right up!

LOL Ingenious.

I looked at a 'newer' style sending unit and they don't have the same wiper arm as mine. When you get it out you can see what is worn and a lot of times you just need to adjust how everything sits.

  • 3 weeks later...
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so I dropped my tank this evening, and checked out why my gauge quit working.. I found out.. the float had worn out so much that the small retaining washer slid through the hole in the actual float, allowing it to completely leave the arm, and float adrift within the tank. I had to jerry-rig it on, and it's now reading... just not sure of it's true accuracy, due to the driveway mods to repair it.. LOL

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