Regal_GS_1989 Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Alright, so ever since I've owned my Regal, the fuel gauge has been pretty well accurate, generally within a few litres or so of the actual amount in the tank. I went to a different station last week to fill up, and I noticed that immediately, the gauge started dropping slower than usual, almost as slow as it does in the summer. I just figured that maybe I got lucky and they started phasing in the summer gas. However, when I filled it back up, I realized that the gauge was way off. I filled it up when it was showing that I had 3/4 of a tank left, and in reality, there was about 1/2 a tank. Is it possible that the sender is sticking, or could there be some other issue. Any info can help. Also, I could swear that I read that the 2nd Gens have an access door for the fuel pump/sender somewhere under the back seat or in the trunk. I hope thats the case. TIA. Well, I did some digging, and came up with some very useful info, about the quality of gasoline, and how it can affect the fuel sender, as well as other parts of the fuel system/powertrain. I attached a copy of a GM TSB concerning the use of Top Tier vs Regular fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Yeah, in the trunk, just behind the back seat. The sender on my sister's '02 GP went bad, and it would "drop" and go crazy at any given time. I don't know for sure if you have a bad sender, but they are known for failing on the 2nd gens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Well, if thats the case, then its no biggie then. I just find it odd that it has been reading pretty accurate, and then when I fill it up at a different station, that it starts reading funny. I always reset my Trip meter when I fill up, so i know pretty much when I need to fill up. Just something I need to keep an eye on for now and work out once it warms up. On another note...I have the full GM DVD version of Alldata that is just about finished dowloading, and it is chock full of TSB's, troubleshooting and repair info, so that will come in handy for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I read somewhere that this is generally caused by corrosion buildup in the sender. One of the causes could be the gas. Also, considering that this car was stored for the last 6 winters, it is very likely that it is simply corrosion. I think I may just pull the unit out and try to clean the contacts. If it works, then I'll save myself the cash from having to replace the unit. I will report back once cleaned and if it worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgethis Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 On another note...I have the full GM DVD version of Alldata that is just about finished dowloading, and it is chock full of TSB's, troubleshooting and repair info, so that will come in handy for this. Care to share, Man id eat that stuff up Yeah, in the trunk, just behind the back seat. The sender on my sister's '02 GP went bad, and it would "drop" and go crazy at any given time. I don't know for sure if you have a bad sender, but they are known for failing on the 2nd gens. On another note, It being a second gen, would my 98 fall in that category? If it does, would that also include getting at the fuel pump if it went out also? I ask this just in case if i have the same issue or worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 On another note...I have the full GM DVD version of Alldata that is just about finished dowloading, and it is chock full of TSB's, troubleshooting and repair info, so that will come in handy for this. Not sure how good it is yet though. Care to share, Man id eat that stuff up Yeah, in the trunk, just behind the back seat. The sender on my sister's '02 GP went bad, and it would "drop" and go crazy at any given time. I don't know for sure if you have a bad sender, but they are known for failing on the 2nd gens. On another note, It being a second gen, would my 98 fall in that category? If it does, would that also include getting at the fuel pump if it went out also? I ask this just in case if i have the same issue or worse. Just search a torrent site for "alldata" The entire torrent is around 85 GB, but you can select just the manufacturer specific discs, and the GM ones are only around 15 GB total. I don't believe that the 1.5 Gens will have this access panel, so getting at it in your car would involve dropping the tank. The fuel pump and the sender are all assembled together as one unit, but you can separate them once they are out of the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 i dont know anyone thats had luck just cleaning the contacts on the sender. but since there is easy access, its worth the shot to save some bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Alright, next question....How in the hell are you supposed to get the fuel pump out of the tank? I can undo the retaining ring, but the hole is too small to allow the pump to pull out. I know there has to be a way, but it has me stumped. I even checked alldata and it is of no help either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 You just have to wiggle/work it out. The last one I did in a 2nd gen was an Intrigue in a gas station parking lot. Took a whole 20 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runt Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 http://www.intense-racing.com/walbroinstall.shtml That guy might help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted March 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Update: I decided to run a bottle of Fuel system cleaner through the tank, and switched back to using shell fuel and voila! It appears to be working correctly again. Looks like I will stick with Shell fuel from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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