1996 Ford F53/460 Fuel Gauge Stuck On FULL

[tomnorman457]

We have a 1996 Fleetwood Bounder 38Z on the Ford F53 chassis. On our last trip out the fuel gauge was stuck on FULL, and never budged.

My interim "solution" has been to reset the trip-meter at each fuel stop. Then I would refuel at about 300 miles. Not an ideal solution.

Any ideas on what to check? The fuel pump/sending unit was replaced over a year ago when the OEM fuel pump crapped out, but the fuel gauge had always worked properly until now.

Thanks, Tom

[Kvtaylor]

Hate to say it but we had a 99 Ford F350 that the gage stuck and they had to drop the tank and replace the sending unit and float (still under warranty). The ford garage said not to leave diesel tanks full as they will sometime cause the float to stick.

[tomnorman457]

Originally Posted by Kvtaylor

The ford garage said not to leave diesel tanks full as they will sometime cause the float to stick.

Would this apply to a gas rig as well?

Tom

[gary P]

I had a fuel line on the gen. come off my 95 F53 chassis so I cut a hole in the floor right over the fuel pump to get to it. Now all I have to do is lift the carpet to change the pump or hoses
I put a metal cover over the hole screw down, then the rug. There is 8 in. between floor and metal plate over tank and lots of room in there. I used an air nippers-cuter to cut metal over gas tank
Did not drop the tank.

[Big Dan]

In a lot of automobiles, when the gauge is stuck on dead full, you have a bad ground. I would imagine this might carry over to rv's.

[tomnorman457]

Hi Gary, I'm afraid to cut a hole in the floor. With my luck, I'd accidently slice through a water line or an LP line. Plus I don't have the metal cutting tools to do the job.

Hi Dan, I think I'll sand down a portion of the fuel tank to bare metal, and do the same to a chassis frame member. Then I'll run a section of wire, essentially creating a new ground-path. If that doesn't work I guess I'll be at the mercy of my local mechanic.

[Old Bounder]

I've been using my trip meter as a fuel gauge for several years. I'm so used to it now that I probably wouldn't look at the gauge if it worked. In fact, it sometimes will seem to operate, but since I can't trust it, I pay it no mind.

I have no intention of attempting to repair it.

On my last trip from NC to ILL I drove exactly 400 miles on one tank. Not a wise move. I generally start looking for fuel at the 300 mile mark.

[subford]

Originally Posted by tomnorman457

Hi Dan, I think I'll sand down a portion of the fuel tank to bare metal, and do the same to a chassis frame member. Then I'll run a section of wire, essentially creating a new ground-path. If that doesn't work I guess I'll be at the mercy of my local mechanic.

The ground for the fuel tank is G300 LH side of vehicle, near rear lamp harness connector C303.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...996F53G300.jpg

Fuel Gauge:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...3FuelGauge.jpg


Sanding the fuel tank to bare metal will not help and just make it rust and the same goes for the frame.

[tomnorman457]

Originally Posted by subford

The ground for the fuel tank is G300 LH side of vehicle, near rear lamp harness connector C303.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...996F53G300.jpg

Fuel Gauge:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...3FuelGauge.jpg


Sanding the fuel tank to bare metal will not help and just make it rust and the same goes for the frame.

Hi subford, I'm glad I read your input before I went out and did something that would not fix the problem. I'll try and locate the fuel tank ground, using the diagrams you provided.

In the meantime, I'll keep track of how far I've driven, and fill up when the time seems right. This method has worked fine so far...

Tom

[subford]

You could also have a bad anti-slosh module that plugs into the back of the instrument cluster.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...loshmodule.jpg

Fuel Sender ground G300:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...GroundG300.jpg
/

[tomnorman457]

Originally Posted by subford

You could also have a bad anti-slosh module that plugs into the back of the instrument cluster.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...loshmodule.jpg

Fuel Sender ground G300:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...GroundG300.jpg
/

Hi again subford,

Thank you for the pictures. They will definitely make it easier to track down the fuel sender ground. I never heard of an anti-slosh module. What does it do? And could a bad anti-slosh module cause my fuel gauge to stick on full?

Thanks again, Tom

[subford]

Originally Posted by tomnorman457

I never heard of an anti-slosh module. What does it do?

It averages out the signal from the sender so the gauge will not go up and down as you drive.

Originally Posted by tomnorman457

And could a bad anti-slosh module cause my fuel gauge to stick on full?

It could depending or how it goes bad.

But more than likely you have a bad sender in the tank.


You need to run a check on the gauge by unplugging one of the plugs between the tank sender and the gauge, either C206 or C218. Then ground the wire #29, it is a Yellow wire with a white stripe.
With the key on ground this wire and the gauge should go below empty. And then when you take the wire off ground the gauge should go pass full.
If the gauge does this then the gauge and the anti-slosh module are OK.


C218:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...53/F53C218.jpg


/

[Retired and Happy]

I bought my MH in 2002 and the gas gauge stopped working the first week (no warranty). I've driven by the odometer since then, filling up every 250-300 miles. Last summer i had a problem that turned out to be the fuel pump. The mechanic replaced it and found a hole in the float. After draining the float and waiting for it to dry, he soldered over the hole. The gauge worked for the first time. ... for about 300 miles. Then it dropped to empty and has been dead since then. There's probably a piece of solder in the bottom of my tank.

[gasser 38]

Ford has had sending unit problems on all large tanks I would start there you can us a meter to see if it is the gauge or sender