Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Fuel Gauge Reading Inconsistently
Jun 4, 2016
I've had an ongoing issue with my fuel gauge reading incorrectly, and now I'm trying to fix it! Basically, it will change all over the place while I'm driving (not erratically, but definitely moves occasionally). I recently fixed my overhead display, but the "miles to empty" display doesn't seem to be very consistent. It will read 450 miles to empty, and then the next time I look at it, it will have dropped 100 miles or something (after minimal driving).
So I'm wondering where I need to begin looking to fix this problem. I've replaced the dash cluster using Circuit Board Medics, so I'm fairly confident that's not the issue. I've read that it can be the fuel pump or the fuel tank sender, but how to check if these are actually the problem or how much time it will take. Luckily, I've never run out of fuel and been stranded, but I need to fix this or it's only a matter of time!
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Just bought this 1999 7.3 drove it a couple days now and got to walmart today. shut it off to go inside and came back out. turned on key waited for wait to start to go off. cranked the motor over but it didnt fire. i tried it again and nothing. oil is full, oil pressure is good while cranking. no rpm reading on gauge while cranking. no check engine light. batteries are literally brand new two weeks ago. Cam sensor?
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I have an 02 f350 7.3 power stroke...Yesterday I noticed the outside temp was reading wrong,it was jumping from 67 to 86 to 92 back to 67..Temp was prob around 90 with high humidity and my a/c was on..So I got to where I was going and when I restarted my truck to go home the fuel gauge dropped to empty(I just fueled the day before) and fuel light came on and outside temp still wrong on the overhead digital display...Are these two things related???
Stopped the truck restarted it and fuel reads correctly again....Went out today and fuel light back on and on empty...Outside temp wrong again,a/c is on .....I disconnected the batteries when I got home to "reset the system"if there is such thing, fuel gauge working but outside temp wrong..?? Where is the outside temp sensor ?could condensation be running onto the sensor and throwing off my temp gauge? Just strange that both these things happened at the same time......I don't think its a fuse or they wouldn't work at all. I should mention all the other gauges work correctly...
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Just changed the fuel filter in my '04 6.0, no issues worked just like normal, filter primed truck started, great. Well now my fuel pressure gauge is reading dead 0, I know that can't be right because the truck is running, but noticed my fuel mileage seems about 2 mpg lower all of a sudden. Had R&R Injectors installed about 40k ago, figure it's just a bad gauge but wanted to check and see before messing with the frickin wiring. Also, have had a lot of pressure buildup in the coolant tank, has had head gaskets and studs, anything else it could be besides head gaskets? Have had a lot of wiring issues with this truck from the previous owner....
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Two years ago I acquired a very very nice 2001 F350 DRW crew cab. The person I purchased it from put a Remanufactured 7.3 in it and set the truck up to pull wedge trailers. He put 25K miles on it and put it on Craig's list where I found it. It just turned over 300,000 miles.
One of the changes he made was to install a 70 gallon fuel tank in the frame rails below the bed. He told me that when the gauge reads EMPTY there is still 20 gallons in the tank. I remember him telling me that this anomaly is due to using the stock Ford pickup in the larger tank.
I have never filled the tank because so far the truck is used locally. I usually put 10 to 20 gallons in and when it gets to E I do the same fueling.
Then one day I turned the key on and the needle went up and beyond the full indication.
I can get under it and maybe the tank has some name or model number on it.
The truck runs fine, but the gauge concerns me. Eventually the truck will be making round trips from Chicago to our retirement home in Santa Fe, NM. It would be nice to have a working fuel gauge!
I have spoken to the person I purchased the truck from. He installed the tank as part of a complete upgrade that included a re-manufactured 7.3. The fuel tank is a 67 gallon Titan mounted between the frame rails. He believes that the original Ford sending unit was installed. That means it has 300,000 miles on it. I had the truck on a lift yesterday and it is a very tight fit. The garage said the best way to do the repair is to remove the bed. Six bolts, disconnect the tail lights and the 7 pin trailer connector and it is off.
So, my questions now are... Should I stay with a new Ford sending unit or are there better ones to install? Are there any other updates to the fuel delivery system that should or could be done at the time?
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Well besides the pyro breaking friday BEFORE live tuning,and the exhaust leak I gained on the way to Texas(not inpart of the pyro not working). Now the fuel gauge is stuck on full. It looks good,200+ miles and still on full. Could it be the gauge,or possibly just the sending unit? Maybe a fuse?
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I bought an Autometer 4763 gauge that didn't come with the correct fittings to plumb the sender into one of the extra ports on the back of the bowl. I went to the Ace hardware store right across the street and they didn't have anything (not surprised) and then Napa. They couldn't find a fitting to match either. He found that the plug threads are 7/16 20 tpi and the sender is 1/8" NPT. He suggested getting a 7/16 20tpi bolt, drilling it rifle-style, and then tapping it for a 1/8" NPT. The alternative, and what I ended up doing, was to use brass fittings to tee it off one of the supply lines to the heads. I ended up going that route but wanted to know if I should have looked harder for the right fitting.
Here's a pic of what I have now. I've test fit it, and it seems to work although I will need to insulate the hard lines because they rub due to the offset.
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Looking for pics of where/how they mounted their fuel pressure gauge? I'm getting ready to install one.
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1/4 tank just kept cranking. Added some diesel and started right up thought it was bad fuel gauge. Went about a mile and shut down just off. coasted went got more diesel but this time cranked but no start. anti theft light was flashing too.
Towed home started right up after tow... Starting now... Tomorrow was going to change the fuel filter....
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I recently had my fuel gauge stuck on full and at around the same time, my left rear brake light doesn't work. I do have LED brake lights in the rear so I am not sure if that changes anything. I thinking something with a ground or is it possible that these aren't even related.
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I've been having a very erratic fuel gauge issue as of about 2 months ago. My fuel level would register full, when in fact I knew it only had 1/2 a tank or so. Then 5 minutes later it would be pegged on full. Under a 1/2 tank the gauge would read any where from 1/2 to empty from 1 minute to the next. So last week I decided to drop my tank and take a look. I was thinking maybe my fuel sender was broken, maybe a loose wire in the tank, or even that my float had dropped off in to the tank.
After dropping the tank, I removed the PK-Up and sending unit and everything was intact. I placed my ohm meter on the sending unit and it checked out fine. So I took the Pk-up and rolled back up underneath the truck and plugged it back in. I had my son turn the key on and off while I moved the float to different levels in order that it would register. It registered empty, 1/4/, 1/2, 3/4 and full just fine as I moved the float to those levels. If you leave the key in the run position and move the float, it won't register or better said, the in cab gauge will not adjust with the movement.
You have to turn the key off move the float and hold it there, then have your assistant turn the key on and the gauge will show the position that you've moved and held it at. I simply removed the plastic cover from the sending unit, and sprayed it down real good with electrical contact cleaner. I didn't scrub the copper contact area at all.
I was concerned that scrubbing might remove more than I wanted to, and really mess things up. I attached an Ohm meter and checked resistance thru out the float travel. All checked out good and I reinstalled it. So now my fuel gauge is working as it should be. I did make a video while I ohmed the Sender Unit thru it's travel, but for some reason it won't load.
[URL] ....
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I am installing a fuel pressure gauge into my 02 7.3 I went to the thread the sensor into the plug hole on the fuel filter housing and it wasn't threaded, turns out the sensor thread is slightly smaller and a different thread ... The directions say to install it into the filter housing or the lift pump ... So I'm assuming I have to go the lift pump direction of installing it but where the lift pump is or how to install the sensor into it while not throwing a code or causin problems ... A step by step and even pictures.
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What else besides a sticky plunger, would cause the fp reading to be all over the map. According to my gauge, I'm at 78/79psi at idle, but can see it dip to 70ish or spike to 90 while using our driving. My cv's are removed, fp reading is pre-filter and wiring seems good....
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Ok so the saga is continuing, not sure if its because enigma hates this mod or if I shorted something out when I was cutting the wires and mistakenly touched the ends together (protected terminal ends) some how or the monitor piece is just old and the fact that it has been my previous truck and this truck for a total combined 8+ years causing this conundrum....anyways the gauge seems to work (yay?) but it looks to read only "8"DC V?? but I know the power port (in dash) works as expected....so I am a bit lost here....one of the digits does look to be faded out as if the device perhaps is going bad and needs replacement....
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I have a 1999 GMC Yukon SLE. I've recently noticed that I appear to be running out of gas at the 1/2 tank mark. When I go to fill it, it seems I really do still have 1/2 a tank of gas (so it doesn't seem to be just a bad gauge). As long as I keep the tank above 1/2, everything is well. What might be causing this?
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2000 7.3 EOT read 272* with engine cold new Ford sensor only getting 3.95 volts at sensor plug and at the 42 pin connector from PCM should be 5 volts, dropping 1 Volt some where I disconnected all the sensors that share this voltage IAT, EBV, ICP, IPR, MAP no change. I left the EOT unplugged and the truck runs good I'll run it like this.
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I just got a 03 f250 cc lariat with the 6.0, the truck sat for a month and a half before I picked it up, I got in started and the fuel gauge showed over half and the miles to empty was accurate and the temp was as well, about half way home the gauge dropped below empty and the fuel light turned on, then the miles to empty went up to 455 and the temp showed 67 when it was 92 out. I have read other post with these problems but no one has a solution, people have recommended techron for the fuel sender, but techron is not recommended for diesel...
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I've recently brought her back to life after a couple months of delayed loving due unforeseen reasons. And now the fuel gauge is completely under the E marking! I'm fairly smart and have looked some things up from other forums just trying to get a one on one response of that makes sense. "If were in the military you will understand" please break it down Barney style!! Not saying I'm dumb just want a good understanding
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I have a 2003 Excursion 6.0. I didn't post this in the 6.0 section because it may not be just a 6.0 issue. (See what I get) On cold starts, anything under 150 degree water temp reading on the SGII. I get a CHECK GAGE light on accompanied by the check engine light. No codes read on the SGII pending or stored. Just some of the time I get a water in fuel light too. This tends to go out fairly soon after driving. (Even after I just drain the fuel pump it still happens.) other issues that accompany the lights are as follows.
The trans temp does not give a reading to the dash. The oil temp does not give a reading the dash. Both show proper temp on the SGII. When in reverse the back up alarm beeps as if something is behind me. And the auto door locks will not activate after 10 mph. The tach also will not show a reading in the dash. SGII shows the numbers. Now the kicker, this ALL gets resolved the instant the water temp hits 150 degrees. The only lingering issue is the that the tach will surge or drop every now and then. The tow/haul light does not come on when this is going on. I've checked the battery terminals all are clean. Both batteries are brand new.
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Fuel gauge goes back to empty when I fill the truck all the way up. It goes back to full once I have used up 2 gallons ( from 36 gal to 34 ) on my 2012 F350. I also had a similar issues years ago with my 2003 6.0L .....
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So my 7.3 started sputtering and lost power, died on the side of the road. I wasn't far from home put about 8 gallon of diesel in the tank with a couple of fuel jugs and it fired right up.
Gauge was reading 1/8 of a tank and low fuel light did not come on. (low fuel light comes on when you start) Gauge came up to about 1/2 after putting fuel in.
What happened? Gauge was always reliable and low fuel light always did work. Only work done to fuel system was had new tank straps put on a couple of months ago.
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