Review: Cheap Chinese fuel gauge sender install.

[Bob Dillon]

Last weekend I finally got around to installing the cheap Chinese replacement fuel gauge ($75) I bought from Rock Auto last summer.

As I've replaced a fuel pump before (It didn't fail but was very noisy; replaced so my car didn't break down in BFE and cost me $600 to fix) I was familiar with the drill. And yes, the fuel filler hose is still a genuine bytch to get right.

Anyway, the gauge seems to function well. It reads differently than the original. Previously, the gauge didn't move at all for the first 125 miles and then fell all at once to 3/4. The "sweep" (if you will) seems much smoother. I thought originally that it was because the tank is so oddly shaped. Now I wonder if it was ever right.

The kit itself was very complete and came with all parts necessary. My single complaint is the tank gasket, which was just an O-ring. I knew from the fuel pump replacement that the O-ring was a bear to make seal, so I hit the local stealership and bought the GM replacement part gasket which has 3 prongs that stick down into the tank and hold the gasket firmly in place while you set the bayonet mount to seal the tank.

So my '99 is chugging along with 194K and all systems operational. This has been a GREAT car. Hasn't taken either a starter or alternator. Only major repairs have been the fuel pump, this gauge, and a heater core.

But my mileage is falling a little, so I may be replacing intake gaskets soon.

Anyway, that's the story. I'll keep youse all apprised if the gauge craps out.

[J Wikoff]

So where did you mount the gauge?

[Mechanical Mike]

I think he meant fuel sending unit not gauge.

[Bob Dillon]

I think he meant fuel sending unit not gauge.

Whoops. Yes, I did. Fixed.

[BonneBill]

Glad to see you had success with the (I assume) Spectra Premium unit from Rock. I had bought one a couple of years ago due to excessive rust/fuel leak on the outlet tubes. When I put the tank back, the unit failed to work. Drop the tank again and put the original in, everything is fine. Rock took the defective one back even though it had been more than 30 days since I had bought it. I ended up with the $300 Delco/Delphi unit. No problems ever since.

[ColdScrip]

I had the Spectra one and it failed to vent properly. As a result it expended and contracted my brand new tank and caused it to flex too much and put a hole in it. Extremely pissed over the cheapo thing. You could literally hear the tank pop back into place when you took the gas cap off.

[Bob Dillon]

I had the Spectra one and it failed to vent properly. As a result it expended and contracted my brand new tank and caused it to flex too much and put a hole in it. Extremely pissed over the cheapo thing. You could literally hear the tank pop back into place when you took the gas cap off.

No problems so far. Fingers crossed.

Here's hoping. It's not a fun job to drop and replace the tank.

[repinS]

^Especially when you have to drill out the strap bolts

I've had the Spectra one in since the summer. Ditto on the GM o-ring, it's well worth the cost. Function has been great, but the accuracy seems to be just as bad as the GM one. It's fairly accurate from full to 3/4, and then shoots down rapidly after that. I have about 4.5 to 5 gallons left in the tank when the gas light comes on, and when the gauge is just about ON the E mark, that's still a hair under 4 gallons.

[Bob Dillon]

^Especially when you have to drill out the strap bolts

I've had the Spectra one in since the summer. Ditto on the GM o-ring, it's well worth the cost. Function has been great, but the accuracy seems to be just as bad as the GM one. It's fairly accurate from full to 3/4, and then shoots down rapidly after that. I have about 4.5 to 5 gallons left in the tank when the gas light comes on, and when the gauge is just about ON the E mark, that's still a hair under 4 gallons.

That's interesting. That's exactly how mine acted with the OEM part. I noticed that this sender has a more even "sweep." I purposefully ran it to fuel exhaustion first time just to check and figure I had just about 3 gallons left when the low fuel light came on at just below the 1/4 mark.

[Bugsi]

I recall reading a Tech Service Bulletin about the problem with fuel gauge reading full for too long.
GM dealers have a patch to the PCM that corrects the problem if a customer complains about it.
I don't have a bulletin number for it, so I'd recommend calling first and see if they can look it up.