Jump to content

To all 95 - 2001 lumina owners


dodgethis

Recommended Posts

Hey I wanted to ask all of yall about your gas mileage and how it is shown on the gas guage. I wanted to know when ya'll get new gas into the car does the gauge stay right on F? I ask this because when my trip odometer hits around "0320", the needle is between F and 3 quarters of a tank. I didn't know if that means a bad gauge or does the car have poor gas mileage. I also ask that when the needle gets to 3 quarters of tank what is yall's number on your trip?

 

What do yall think?

 

I will post a pic of what im talking about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hmm, I just find it funny that when i had my '95 cutlass ciera i could always hit 3100 on the trip and then i needed to get more fuel. The fuel gauge was smaller and when i did fill it all the way up the needle would go past the F. I dunno i just loved to hear what everyone elses opinion on this. I kept wondering since the ciera has the same block "3100 sfi" that i would get close to the same miles per gallon to the lumina.

 

Heh i do need to change the fuel filter, i never tried but will soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On my 96, it will sit past the F until about 75 miles, then it will stay below the half way mark until 230, then will drop like a rock from there until 400 miles. When I hit 400 miles, I need gas! Another thing it does, is once it hits half a tank, if you turn a corner, it will move erratically from half to empty, then back. It's probably a float issue but all of my old cars do it and I'm used to it.

 

On my 97 LS, it will stay above 3/4 of a tank until 200 miles, then drop like a rock.

 

On my other 97 it is unseemingly accurate and whatever the gauge reads, it is correct.

 

 

So no three cars are the same.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine is similar to yours 96 3.1 lumina.but i can go about 200miles until i get to a half tank then the needle moves a little like it's bouncing on half way mark. then when it gets below half it goes crazy. but when it's does get to half i figure i got another 175 miles before it's time to fill up again.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So all of you will admit that your gas gauge actually does "float" whether small amount or big. I have a 2000 chrysler sebring and I swear that gauge is accurate becuase it doesnt float plus the gauge is built horizontal. The guage reads full when all the up and is empty when the needle is all the way down. This is different from my chevy lumina where the needle is full to the right and empty to the left. So while the gauge produces an accurate reading on the chrysler it also has to overcome forces of gravity while its producing an accurate reading. I am talking 9.81 kN/m3 of gravity pushing on that needle when its up to the full mark.

 

The amazing fact is IT DOES NOT FLOAT!!!!

 

Sorry if it was too technical, too many engineering classes for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have a 98 lumina and i had filled it up on wednesday. the needle sat just past the f mark and didn't move to the 'f' till i hit about 80 miles. i was at around 120miles when the needle was at the 3/4 mark. and at the 1/2 mark which it's at now i think im sitting around 200 miles.

 

depending on my driving im getting around 380-400 miles per tank.

 

the needle is so innacurate when i park my car after driving. if i start my day with a 1/2 tank, it will be sitting near 1/4 tank untill i start driving, then it moves back to where it's supposed to be. and my driveway is level.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was a GM Bullentin, to replace the Fuel Level Sensor and reprogram the pcm. I knew somebody with a 97 LQ1 Z34 and his gauge was reading inaccuately. He ended up trading it for a 08 Xterra. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On my 96, it will sit past the F until about 75 miles, then it will stay below the half way mark until 230, then will drop like a rock from there until 400 miles. When I hit 400 miles, I need gas! Another thing it does, is once it hits half a tank, if you turn a corner, it will move erratically from half to empty, then back. It's probably a float issue but all of my old cars do it and I'm used to it.

 

On my 97 LS, it will stay above 3/4 of a tank until 200 miles, then drop like a rock.

 

On my other 97 it is unseemingly accurate and whatever the gauge reads, it is correct.

 

 

So no three cars are the same.

 

That's exactly what my 95 does... My 99 LTZ is actually fairly accurate for the most part... When you fill it, it goes to the full line exactly, and when it gets down near the E, it's actually almost empty...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

On my 96, it will sit past the F until about 75 miles, then it will stay below the half way mark until 230, then will drop like a rock from there until 400 miles. When I hit 400 miles, I need gas! Another thing it does, is once it hits half a tank, if you turn a corner, it will move erratically from half to empty, then back. It's probably a float issue but all of my old cars do it and I'm used to it.

 

 

This is exactly how my winter beater works ('98 LS)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So all of you will admit that your gas gauge actually does "float" whether small amount or big. I have a 2000 chrysler sebring and I swear that gauge is accurate becuase it doesnt float plus the gauge is built horizontal. The guage reads full when all the up and is empty when the needle is all the way down. This is different from my chevy lumina where the needle is full to the right and empty to the left. So while the gauge produces an accurate reading on the chrysler it also has to overcome forces of gravity while its producing an accurate reading. I am talking 9.81 kN/m3 of gravity pushing on that needle when its up to the full mark.

 

The amazing fact is IT DOES NOT FLOAT!!!!

 

Sorry if it was too technical, too many engineering classes for me.

 

Gravity is not causing your gauge to read inaccurately. The gauge receives a signal from the sending unit/float assembly in the gas tank. I assume the signal is like 0 to 5 V, but the perceived problem with your gauge is coming from the assembly in the tank. Like someone said, corrosion, dirt, old age, etc will cause the gauge to not read correctly. If the signal is a 0-5V signal anything that changes the resistance in the circuit will change the reading of the gauge.

 

This is a common "problem" with these and most cars. I know when my gauge gets to 1/4 tank, it's pretty much empty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...