Now that I have a functioning trip meter, I can easily tell how many miles I can go (without doing the math, I hate math)....at any rate, when I fill it completely, the needle buries itself above F. I have driven 150 miles and am now at 3/4. I usually squeeze 250-275 miles out of a tank. So at 3/4, I have 100 miles to go before I have to fill it up. The needle is usually @1/8 and it will take 14 and some odd gallons to fill it. So at 1/8 I have about a gallon left.

 

yeah i went from about an 1/8th of a tank and put 10 dollars in it, (about 2 and a half gallons) then had around a 1/2 tank according to the gauge after around 20ish miles of driving. then i put the 20 dollars in it (about 6 gallons) in it the other day and it put it above full. this was from a half tank, then i drove around about 50 miles now and its a little above the 3/4 mark. i guess ima have to get used to it lol

yeah when he said something about the fuel sending unit aging, i went to the autozone website and looked at what id have to do. and your right, it just dont seem like its worth it. doing all that work for a little more accurate gauge. i didnt know id have to go through all that to fix it. i figured it couldve been some corroded connection or something on the gauge, like an easy fix lol.

also, sorry if this subject has been mentioned before, i normally try to do a little search and see if i can find anything, but for some reason i didnt. maybe i over looked it?

 

Yeah thats how mine is too. At 1/4 tank, im about empty. Also, when im gassin it, the needle rises, and when i brake firmly it shoots down lol.

 

Yeah, the gas gauges in 4th gens aren't that great. I can get about 150 miles before I get to the 3/4 mark. From there, it goes downhill pretty quickly. I'm not out at E, though. If it's highway, I can get at least 60 miles after the check gauges light comes on.

It's pretty inaccurate. I've just figure out what the measurements really mean. 3/4=1/2, last 1/4 means about 30 miles until I buy gas. I just keep track by trip odometer.

 

Aha....so thats the clue your getting ready to run out. I was wondering since I don;t have a "low fuel" idiot light if the car would let you know. Though I have been able to get 14.5 gallons in, which means there was @1 gallon left in the tank and the light never came on. Yes, the bulb is good because I have had it come on before when the temp got too high.

 

Yep. Really worried me the first time it happened, as I had no clue that all it needed was some gas. I wondered the same thing til I needed gas.

 

Unless your gauge is off, and the needle don't drop near E to trip the light(just a hint be for u run out of fuel). I run out at 1/4 on the gauge.


P.S; You guys got it easy, My trip meter don't work(stuck in middle of numbers). However the mileage still works, but I'm to lazy to keep track of that per tank lol..

 

well how new (or old) is your fuel sending unit? I had the same issue and when my fuel-pump went out and they put in a new FSU, it works fine

 

i couldnt tell you to be honest. i bought the car less than a half year ago. so im assuming it could very well be the stock one lol.

 

Kipp, my gauge acts exactly as yours does on my 94 Z. Goes empty as soon ad I hit e, then if I put in 20 bucks, it goes to full. Filling it any more than that and the gauge just sits at full. That's more common I notice on the LT1s. My 99 z and my 02 formula function fine and accurate. Could be the sending unit. My sending unit sticks in my 94z if I fill it up. Then finally starts to move when I'm down to less than half tank. Replacing it will cure this to some degree as previously stated in this thread, but it may still read alittle funny afterwards, but just not as bad. I'm replacing my fuel pump and sending unit together, simply because I'm already dropping the rear end to replace the entire rear suspension. I want a fresh sending unit and a fresh pump, so I can be sure its not going to crap out on me somewhere far from home. If you do the sending unit, by a GM pump and sending unit for your car if it doesn't require a larger pump. Most years they come as a single unit, however, on my 94, they are separate from the dealer. Knowing I've gotten 19 reliable years from my GM assembly, I spent the extra money for OEM again, hoping for another 19 reliable years. Best of luck on whatever you decide.