Fuel gauge dropping when idle

How-to's and repair secrets for your 4WD can be found here. Have a question? Ask it in here!
Post Reply
FrankDux
Newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:57 pm
My tercel:: 1984

Fuel gauge dropping when idle

Post by FrankDux »

When it dropped down the E the car sputtered. Once I hit the gas, it's rises to the correct reading.

Any ideas?!
xirdneh
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 2124
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:38 am
My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: Fuel gauge dropping when idle

Post by xirdneh »

bizarre
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
Tercel__jon
Top Notch Member
Posts: 465
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:44 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4wd Wagon

Re: Fuel gauge dropping when idle

Post by Tercel__jon »

Possible loose ground? Or maybe the wire has a short in it? Once in a while my gauge will drop to E, but it comes right back up after a minute or so. I say check all the wires. Under the carpet in the back is several black plugs. pull them until you find the sending unit that goes to the tank, and make sure the wires are tight.
User avatar
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 dropping when idle

Post by Petros »

the contacts on the sender (inside the tank) can get corrossion or wear on them and can cause that. there is a thread in the repair guides section that tells you how to remove it and clean the contacts. Remove the sender from the tank and clean the contacts, also bend the spring plate so it makes better contact with the coiled wires.
'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)
Post Reply