Fuel Gauge

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Logbear
Advanced Member
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:38 pm
My tercel:: 86 Toyota Tercel 4WD StaWag
Location: Getchell, Wa

Fuel Gauge

Post by Logbear »

I had a fuel gauge that wasn't working and I had tried two sending units and two gauge clusters with no luck. I thought that maybe it was related to the brake light/charge light warning light issue. I tried a third sending unit out of my "86" that i knew was working and now the fuel gauge in the "83" works. I also discovered that the low fuel warning light works with the two sending units that don't send fuel level info.

One problem down. Now back to the brake light/charge light problem.
"86" Tercel 4wd Daily vehicle
"87" Tercel 4wd Son's car
"87" Tercel 4wd Auto- Spare car
"83" Tercel 4wd Extra spare car
3- "83" Tercel 4wd parts cars
1- "85" Tercel 4wd parts car
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Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11941
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Fuel Gauge

Post by Petros »

sometimes you can recondtion the fuel level sensor with fine sand paper on the contract, and fine steel wool on the windings. I have done it on other cars, and I think someone on the list has done it too. I have not had a reason to yet on any Tercel that I have owned.

Does that mean you are going to replace your gauge?
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Logbear
Advanced Member
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:38 pm
My tercel:: 86 Toyota Tercel 4WD StaWag
Location: Getchell, Wa

Re: Fuel Gauge

Post by Logbear »

I replaced the sending unit and put the original gauge cluster back in. It was hard for me at accept that I had two bad senders, but that was the case. I saw the write-up about cleaning the sending units and I'll give that a try. I took the sending unit that works out of the "86" that has the transmission problem. So for now that car will have no fuel gauge, but it will have a low fuel warning light. After I get the tranny fixed I'll relax by cleaning a fuel sending unit.
"86" Tercel 4wd Daily vehicle
"87" Tercel 4wd Son's car
"87" Tercel 4wd Auto- Spare car
"83" Tercel 4wd Extra spare car
3- "83" Tercel 4wd parts cars
1- "85" Tercel 4wd parts car
takza
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 4414
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 4:28 am
Location: Tibetan plateau

Re: Fuel Gauge

Post by takza »

Since I'm always checking mpg...I use the trip meter. Get less mpg in winter...and with a Tercel...when it's empty...it's empty.
Give a boy a gun-give a biatch a cell phone-and pretty soon you almost got yourself a police state.

Orwell said: War is peace! Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength...

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