Fuel gauge is stuck below empty

Tiny
SZALKUSKT
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 TOYOTA CAMRY
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 88,000 MILES
Fuel gauge is stuck below empty even after I put five gallons of fresh gasoline in tank. Car sat for awhile and I bought it at an auction and I am in the process of trying to start it. Car cranks and will not start. So I noticed that gas gauge was pegged below empty. I put five gallons of fuel in tank and gauge did not move. Ran out of time to try start again. I figured I would troubleshoot the gauge first. I know access is under rear seat cushion. I just want to know where to start and if anyone has a diagram of the fuel gauge and fuel pump to get me started? What fuse should I look at?
Sunday, January 15th, 2017 AT 11:22 PM

12 Replies

Tiny
SZALKUSKT
  • MEMBER
  • 274 POSTS
I found a schematic only for the fuel pump on Autozone's website, but I am still looking for the fuel sending unit schematic. Because what I want to do is take the five pin connector off of the fuel pump/sending unit assembly and put a resistor between the signal wire and ground to see if the gauge moves to verify the sending unit is bad.
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Monday, January 16th, 2017 AT 11:43 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
See pictures you test gauge and sender with these.
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Tuesday, January 17th, 2017 AT 6:31 AM
Tiny
SZALKUSKT
  • MEMBER
  • 274 POSTS
I pulled connector from gas tank and with key on I read 11.49 volts at terminal one on wiring harness and I read 6.59 volts on terminal 2 on the wiring harness. None of the other pins have power at all. I put a test light on terminal 1 with key on and it lights up bright hence the 11.49 volts. When I put the test light on the #2 terminal it lights up very dim and if I leave it on I can see that the fuel gauge starts to move upward on the instrument panel slowly. I tried to put a resistor between terminals 1 and 2 with key on and nothing happened. If I see the gauge move with a test light on terminal 2 them maybe the gauge is good? I do have some movement of the gauge. Im just trying to sort things out before I take the sending unit assy out of the tank. I am also troubleshooting the pump with another 2carpros question.
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Sunday, February 5th, 2017 AT 7:22 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 50,009 POSTS
Nine times out of ten it is the sender in these situations.

Please let us know what happens so it will help others

Best, Ken
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2017 AT 3:43 AM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
If you put it on #2 and gauge moves it's the sender
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2017 AT 7:37 AM
Tiny
SZALKUSKT
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  • 274 POSTS
Sorry Ive taken so long to reply. I have removed the whole pump and sending unit assembly. The float was really stuck and lots of gunk and rust and corrosion all over the surfaces of the sender and pump etc. Basically the whole thing. I put my meter across pins 1 and 2 and at any position of the float the meter reads open. No ohm reading at all. Sender has to be bad with no ohms reading, it reads OL or open on my fluke meter
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Tuesday, April 11th, 2017 AT 9:45 PM
Tiny
SZALKUSKT
  • MEMBER
  • 274 POSTS
Here are three pictures of the sender unit. Like I said no resistance at pins 1 and 2. It was open regardless of float position.
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Tuesday, April 11th, 2017 AT 10:23 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
With the condition of the pump/sender etc you better get a new tank along with the complete unit pump/sender etc. What you have cannot even be cleaned out.
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Wednesday, April 12th, 2017 AT 6:56 AM
Tiny
SZALKUSKT
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Based on what you see, I know the car sat for awhile. What do you think the reason why so rusty etc in there? Is old gas a problem in there? Your thoughts?
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Wednesday, April 12th, 2017 AT 8:40 AM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Old gas for sure and hard telling what else someone may have thrown down there. Also water has done a ton of damage from sitting.
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Wednesday, April 12th, 2017 AT 9:42 AM
Tiny
SZALKUSKT
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I am going to do my best and I'm not going to drop the tank because I bought this car at an abandoned auction and it has 88,000 miles and body is not great but I want to make it run and possibly a good point A to point B work car so I'm thinking buy a cheap fuel pump and after siphoning the gas out put fresh gas and run some gallons through the engine and after awhile change the whole sender and pump assembly and try it out
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Wednesday, April 12th, 2017 AT 7:49 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
From the pictures I see the least you should do is drop tank and get boiled out otherwise I think you'll have a bunch of problems
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Thursday, April 13th, 2017 AT 5:40 AM

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