okie44e

well hope i can get some help with this one, guess no one to help with my last topic hope someone can here, my gas gage just started being erratic, sometimes when you turn it on its full then drive a couple miles and the low light comes on. i ran out of fuel last week so i know i have a issue with it, i called chevy dealer and asked price for sending unit thats 192 dollars that i would not mind if i knew its that, the dealership said it could be the cluster to. and its about 300 dollars if i have to change it and it would have to be programed to the computer. i though there was like a generator or something like that on each of the gages in the instrument cluster and they could be changed? any thoughts or help?

tobinator23

Hey okie I had the same problem with my 01 Impala as well. There is actually a really easy free fix that you can do. It most likely is the sending unit that is causing the problem. However, you DON'T need to replace anything!! Here's how the system works:

In the sending unit there is are feelers that make contact with a circuit board. Your car measures the resistance based on the position of the feelers on the board, and use it to display your fuel level. What happens over time is the feelers get worn out, and eventually loose contact with the board which cause your fuel gauge to go crazy. The easiest fix is to bend the feeler back towards the circuit board. I did this on my Impala and it works just as accurately and well as did before.

Here's the fix:
Thankfully GM has changed the design to allow you to get to the fuel pump without dropping the tank out. Fold the back seats down all the way and slide the carpet out of the way. This will give you access to a plate that is held in with a few screws. Take the plate off giving you access to the fuel pump.

There is a circular metal collar that with a gentle tap from a hammer and screwdriver will turn to allow you to pull the fuel pump assembly out of the tank. If I remember correctly, you have to remove the fuel lines and a wire harness as well.

Now you can pull the entire pump assembly out of the tank. There is a float attached to a piece of plastic. This is the area of focus. You can pull the plastic piece that the float is attached to off, giving you access to the little feeler. CAREFULLY bend the feeler so that it can make firm contact with the circuit board. Put everything back together, and you should be good as new.

You can also reattach the wiring and fuel lines to make sure the fix worked as you move the float up and down.

Altogether it takes about 30 minutes and doesn't cost a dime unless you break something along the way. There is a really helpful website with pictures, but I can't seem to find it at the moment.

Hope this helps

okie44e

i appreciate that, and i am going to try iy, lothing lost. sure wish you had the site for the pictures that would even make it easier, but anyway i sure appreciate you help and i will post the findings thanks

tobinator23

Here's one link to another forum that shows the actual parts that you have to get to to bend back the fingers and how to disassemble them. I'll keep looking and see if I can't find the original site I referenced..

http://www.naioa.com/v2/modules.php?...wtopic&t=37605

Forgot to mention that with mine the fingers wore down to the point that a small portion of them actually broke off. It's been a year plus, and everything is still working well.

okie44e

appricate the picture, that helps a lot

Bucketfoot

We recently had the fuel filter replaced in my daughter's Impala, and ever since her fuel gauge has been intermittently sticking at empty.

Are these events likely to be related or just coincidence?