dan239

I have searched and read much but have not found this particular problem discussed.

My fuel Gauge will sometimes read empty when I first start the truck. If I turn off the engine and restart, the Gauge will read correctly.

I have had this happen a few times in the last two or three years. I also have a neighbor with a 98 CTD that has done the same thing. This happened to both of us recently during cold weather. I do not know if it is temperature related.

Any ideas of what is causing this?

Daniel

infidel

Are you using a different fuel additive during cold weather?
Have read about some of them causing tank sender problems.

dan239

I never use fuel additives. I really do not see how this could be a sending unit problem because restarting the truck should have no effect on the sending unit.

Daniel

RCW

The most frequent cause of fuel gauge problems is a very worn or deteriorated hinge pin on the float assembly. It is easily replaced, either as two cents worth of aluminum welding rod inserted to replace the old aluminum hinge pin, or a rather expensive replacement sender unit that will soon fail from a hinge problem too.

The next most frequent cause of fuel gauge problems is a floating body or frame ground. These can be more serious as when the clip on bonding straps start failing, the electrical circuits seek a ground thorough the fuel tank circuit and can lead to serious wiring fires. These last items are an easy fix, just install real bonding straps with bolt on ends between the engine and frame and the engine and body to clean unpainted metal, then coat exposed contact surfaces with dielectric grease to prevent corrosion.

Lastly, the ultra low sulfur fuels now being sold contain one or more of several varieties of exotic alcohols to suspend water. Those compounds eat the insulation from the rheostat that is built-in to the sender unit and will cause it to fail. It is a good idea to regularly use a non-alcohol fuel conditioner to avoid this last problem.

As far as starting the truck having an impact, that is generally how you discover a failed or failing tank sender before they quit altogether. They become erratic and sometimes work and sometimes not. The electrical surge from starting or switching the key will sometimes make it start working or simply quit working.

dan239

RCW

I agree about an electrical surge can cause something to work on fail as the case may be. However, my reasoning that it is not an erratic sending unit is based on my observation of this problem for a long time.

For example, recently I started my truck and the gauge was setting on empty and the low fuel light was on. I had over half a tank at the time. I drove about 10 miles and it did not change. I seems to me that if this was a sending unit problem it would have changed by the sloshing of the fuel during that 10 miles. But, as soon as I stopped and turned the key off and then restarted a few minutes later it was working properly.

Anytime this has happened it has never fixed itself while I was driving. The other truck that I know about with this problem has acted the same way.

Daniel