How to check gas tank level???

08-11-2009, 06:47 PM

What would be the best way to check your gas tank level when ur gas gauge dont work on a 1981 cutlass?

I know i seen ppl use like a stick to see how much is in the tank on older trucks.

matt69cutlass · 08-11-2009, 07:44 PM

does the gauge work at all? Does it read completly full or empty? If I remember correctly the fuel sender wire is tan. With it disconnected the gauge will read full. Ground it and the gauge will read empty. Check the ground, if its not good the gauge wont read correctly. If the ground is good and the gauge works correctly when checking the tan wire you need a sending unit.

IIIQuaZIII · 08-11-2009, 08:13 PM

If the gauge/wiring system is f*cked it's easy to check....shove a dowel rod down there and see how far it gets wet. You'll get used to it quick.

If you want to fix the guage, ground it out. The needle should go all the way over.....then ground out the wire by the fuel tank, with the key in the on position. if the needle goes all the way over, the wire to the sender is good. Check the grounds first....its easy.

If the gauge doesn't change when you ground it...either the gauge or the wire is bad....

70W-32 · 08-12-2009, 08:27 AM

Drive it till the car stalls and wont start....then its empty.

FE3X CLONE · 08-12-2009, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt69cutlass

If I remember correctly the fuel sender wire is tan.

Fuel sending wire is pink. At least on the G-body's. Tan would be the oil sender wire.

matt69cutlass · 08-12-2009, 09:02 AM

I stand corrected! Doh!! Not sure what I was thinking.

one442 · 08-12-2009, 01:18 PM

Drove a car like this my entire ownership. Every 100 miles I filled the tank. If I lost track I would push down on the trunk listen for the slosh and fill up ASAP. Worked out fairly well, did make an attempt at fixing it but overall it didn't really bother me.

87Salon · 08-12-2009, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70W-32

Drive it till the car stalls and wont start....then its empty.

Been there, done that. That is how I figured out the one on my 86' was stuck, I couldn't figure out how I was getting such good gas mileage

08-11-2009, 06:47 PM	#1
Gammar Posts: n/a	How to check gas tank level??? What would be the best way to check your gas tank level when ur gas gauge dont work on a 1981 cutlass? I know i seen ppl use like a stick to see how much is in the tank on older trucks.

08-11-2009, 07:44 PM	#2
matt69cutlass Title: I Have an Olds Life Status: Offline Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,969	Re: How to check gas tank level??? does the gauge work at all? Does it read completly full or empty? If I remember correctly the fuel sender wire is tan. With it disconnected the gauge will read full. Ground it and the gauge will read empty. Check the ground, if its not good the gauge wont read correctly. If the ground is good and the gauge works correctly when checking the tan wire you need a sending unit. __________________ 69 Cutlass, 455/ Edelbrock heads,11.71 @114 grocery getter,gotta get the ice cream home before it melts! 06 2500 4X4 Mega Cab 5.9 Cummins daily driver love everything about it Turbo lag= that brief moment in time your competition thinks he is winning! I tell my wife if I didn't do the car thing Id take up drinking! Everyone has to have a hobby! My vehicles are assembled with wrenches.....not chopsticks!

08-11-2009, 08:13 PM	#3
IIIQuaZIII Title: They cal me Mellow Yellow Status: Offline Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Buffalo NY Posts: 10,496 Photos: 12	Re: How to check gas tank level??? If the gauge/wiring system is fcked it's easy to check....shove a dowel rod down there and see how far it gets wet. You'll get used to it quick. If you want to fix the guage, ground it out. The needle should go all the way over.....then ground out the wire by the fuel tank, with the key in the on position. if the needle goes all the way over, the wire to the sender is good. Check the grounds first....its easy. If the gauge doesn't change when you ground it...either the gauge or the wire is bad.... __________________ If a company advertises something as "indestructible", Trust me, I'm the guy you want testing it. iiiquaziii@yahoo.com, iiiquaziii on AIM/iiiquaziii on Yahoo messenger and gmail and gtalk. http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.p...00001623773081 in facebook. Last edited by IIIQuaZIII : 08-12-2009 at 11:23 AM.*

08-12-2009, 09:02 AM	#6
matt69cutlass Title: I Have an Olds Life Status: Offline Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,969	Re: How to check gas tank level??? I stand corrected! Doh!! Not sure what I was thinking. __________________ 69 Cutlass, 455/ Edelbrock heads,11.71 @114 grocery getter,gotta get the ice cream home before it melts! 06 2500 4X4 Mega Cab 5.9 Cummins daily driver love everything about it Turbo lag= that brief moment in time your competition thinks he is winning! I tell my wife if I didn't do the car thing Id take up drinking! Everyone has to have a hobby! My vehicles are assembled with wrenches.....not chopsticks!

08-12-2009, 01:18 PM	#7
one442 Title: I Have an Olds Life Status: Offline Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 5,941	Re: How to check gas tank level??? Drove a car like this my entire ownership. Every 100 miles I filled the tank. If I lost track I would push down on the trunk listen for the slosh and fill up ASAP. Worked out fairly well, did make an attempt at fixing it but overall it didn't really bother me. __________________ Phil 1987 442 STOCK 307 - 15.179 @ 88.58 mph 7A head VIN 9 KZF 200-4R with a 8.5 3.73 air delete. Open/no air filter. 2 1/4" true dual Flowmasters with crossover. Alloy, mags, drums, and rad, 3560 race weight. Timing 22, 23.8 inch diameter rear tires (4.07). Hypertech S R Chip. Mobile 1 http://one442.blogspot.com/ Past rides 1967 Cutlass 2dr 330, 1972 98 455, 1966 442 a2 400, 1971 Eldo 500 Last edited by one442 : 08-12-2009 at 01:20 PM.*

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