Fuel sending unit, gas gauge problems

Tiny
WAECKERLE5
  • MEMBER
  • OLDSMOBILE
I have a 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette, 139,000 miles it has a 6 cyl. 3.4L engine, the gas gauge has quit working properly. It will dop a half tank all at once, and when stopping or accelerating it will move up and down as much as a half a tank. Sometimes it will quit registering at all and the low fuel light will come on. I am thinking it is the fuell sending unit? If so where on the thank is it located? And how hard to change? Also is this something that the tank will need to be removed to do?
Saturday, June 9th, 2007 AT 9:44 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
The sending unit is in the tank. The problem can be in the gauge, the wiring such as ground or in the sender itself.
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Saturday, June 9th, 2007 AT 11:51 AM
Tiny
SDHEN
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  • 15 POSTS
Here is something really stange. I had the same issues and found out it was the battery. Yes, the car starter turned over fine and the car would start fine. Changed the battery and the gas gauge quit acting like it was possessed. Dont replace your battery but have an auto parts store test it. Other wise I would go with Paul's suggestion.
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Saturday, July 7th, 2007 AT 8:33 PM
Tiny
ROCKWOOD84
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  • 103 POSTS
Also under the driverside sliding door there is what the dealer calls a passthru plug the fuel pump and sending unit wires go thru this plug sometimes g.M. 'S all weather plug boots will not keep water out and it gets corroded up. The sending unit is made on the fuelpump as a complete unit it is in the tank and you have to drop the tank to access it. Could be a loose wire on pump unit that goes to the sending unit. When the fuelpump it put in the tank it has to be collapsed about three inches and locked into place. The fuelpumps for all silouettes, ventures and montanas are made in mexico and are cheap made almost all plastic. Usually when the gauge starts acting crazy it won't be long until the fuelpump quits pumping. Sometimes the pump will still run but won't be pumping the 40lbs pressure that it is supposed to pump. These pumps cost around $300.00 for a replacement pump
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Sunday, July 22nd, 2007 AT 3:28 PM

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