Firehawk Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I noticed the other day when I went out to run some errands I was on a little more than a quarter tank. Then the needle would sink way down to E and slowly go up a little. I was afraid I was almost out of gas and so I put some in. Today about the same thing happened. I stop to fill up and I could only get 10 gallons in. Well I think it has a 21 gallon tank so is this a common problem and is there an easy fix or is the sending unit going out? It's a bit frustrating not being able to trust the fuel gauge Thanks~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wd21overland Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) I noticed the other day when I went out to run some errands I was on a little more than a quarter tank. Then the needle would sink way down to E and slowly go up a little. I was afraid I was almost out of gas and so I put some in. Today about the same thing happened. I stop to fill up and I could only get 10 gallons in. Well I think it has a 21 gallon tank so is this a common problem and is there an easy fix or is the sending unit going out? It's a bit frustrating not being able to trust the fuel gauge Thanks~ Sadly it is pretty common mine does the same when its just above e i have about 5 gallons left in the tank because if i fill it up i can get right at 16 gallons in. The fuel low level light comes on right at about 2 gallon left for me. I drove around with it on E one day till the light cam on finally and took about 18.9 gallons to fill it up that time. I just did the light once to truly see if it would work and to see when it would kick on. 99% of the time its the fuel gauge sensor in the tank. If you have ever taken one out you'll see the senor and on the side there is a strip of metal and the sensor needle the metal wears away after time and it loses contact. www.courtseyparts.com has the illustration on it sadly you have to get the whole unit. http://www.courtesyparts.com/25060-gauge-assy-unitfuel-tank-pathfinder-wd21-08/1989-07/1992-vg30e-06/1988-08/1989-vg30i-p-540052.html?cPath=5572_5573_5590_5595& Now depending on your year there is a massive price difference. For 88-92 its $210 For 93 only its $157 For 94-54 is $137 no clue whats the difference is but there you go. Edited January 26, 2012 by wd21overland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frecklecolouredbrain Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I swapped my dashto a 93 and im having the same issue below a 1/4tank. I cant find the reason for my life. Just wanted to chime in ciz im happy im not crazy. It seems to mess up at the same point so i just keep it above 1/4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 If it's a defective cluster, I have a 1993 cluster I could send your way if you can cover the shipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firehawk Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 If it's a defective cluster, I have a 1993 cluster I could send your way if you can cover the shipping. Well for now I can deal with it. I will get my repair manual out and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the info guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmoore4512 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 my 95 does the same thing. If its a cluster, so be it... Although I must say that I have never been able to put more than 19.6 gallons in my truck. That was running it completely empty... maybe it has that much slime in the tank... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchizophrenicMC Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 How the hell do the fuel sensors in these trucks do fuel level anyway? I seem to recall reading it's vacuum based. Regardless, if your fuel sensor or cluster are screwed, you'll get all kinds of bad readings. I know the GMC's got one or the other wrong. Fuel gauge is offset a quarter-tank to the right, so it goes empty at the 1/4 mark. The way we handle it is to just keep it topped off all the time. And what's all this about getting 20 gallons into a tank? Mine won't take more than 17 at bone-dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 How the hell do the fuel sensors in these trucks do fuel level anyway? I seem to recall reading it's vacuum based. And what's all this about getting 20 gallons into a tank? Mine won't take more than 17 at bone-dry. These WD21s have 21 gallon tanks. A lot of people can't believe it. I haven't had my tank topped off in so long I can't even remember. Most people can't seem to get the needle above ~7/8 of a tank either. How I would assume the fuel gauge sensor works is by using a floater. I have seen multiple other vehicles use a flotation device secure by a thin piece of metal that holds it in place. The float goes up and down depending on how much gas you have. The piece of metal that it is connected to, in turn, goes up and down. Somewhere along the piece of metal, it brushes against a contact plate. The plate has raised sections on it to create contact. If the metal contacts the plate at the top, then you have a full tank, if the metal contact the plate lower down, then you have less. The problem is over 200k miles or whatever, the contacts start to wear down. That's when your gauge works sporadically or not work at all. Even on newer vehicles, such as my dad's 2000 Sonoma, they use this system. Even at 70k miles, my dad's contact plate was flat and worn like you wouldn't believe. And yet, we went to a junkyard, and found a perfect contact plate on a vehicle with 140k miles. Go figure. That's would I would assume anyway. It's a pretty primitive system. No offence, but a lot of information systems on these older Nissans are primitive. Which is why they work for a good long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchizophrenicMC Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Well, right, most gas tanks use a float. Only thing is, most tanks with a float that sends straight to the gauge immediately rise to the fuel level when switched to ignition. My truck's gauge doesn't move unless the engine's running, and then it does it slowly. I suppose it could be a gauge error, but frankly, it goes all the way to full when full, goes all the way to empty when empty, and seems to accurately reflect, based on my calculations, the amount of fuel in the tank. Anyway, there's no way the tank can hold 21 gallons. I can't get more than 17 in there, and thats' about the number I see everyone max out at. Oh, and SE, don't lecture me on primitive old Nissans; my first was a 1987 200SX, and I've worked on a number of older models (Stanzas are fskcing awesome). I think the real problem is more that no one seems to have Factory Service Manuals for the 90-93 model, and I know there's a difference in electronics between the 90 and the 94 facelift. *ahem* Anyway, keep it topped off until you can check the system for problems. If it doesn't look like a sending issue, check that your gauge still works. If it does, get a new fuel sensor. If not, look into a new cluster and probably get a new sensor anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) Actually, it is a straight up float and resistor setup. However, the gauge has an anti-slosh feature, which is why it rises so slowly. I have taken that fuel sender out a few times so I know what's in there. Edited January 26, 2012 by Tungsten 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) Well, right, most gas tanks use a float. Only thing is, most tanks with a float that sends straight to the gauge immediately rise to the fuel level when switched to ignition. My truck's gauge doesn't move unless the engine's running, and then it does it slowly. I suppose it could be a gauge error, but frankly, it goes all the way to full when full, goes all the way to empty when empty, and seems to accurately reflect, based on my calculations, the amount of fuel in the tank. Anyway, there's no way the tank can hold 21 gallons. I can't get more than 17 in there, and thats' about the number I see everyone max out at. No, your gas gauge doesn't only move when the engine is on, your gas gauge moves when the key is on ACC. I'm not sure why it moves so slowly. It's probably the physical gauge. A small gauge like that isn't going to move rapidly. the gauge mechanism doesn't move that fast I suppose. Also, the anti-slosh feature that Tungsten referenced is a contributing factor as well. Btw, these tanks ARE 21 gallons LOL. Nissan only made two twos. 15 gal and 21 gal. 15gallon tanks were for the 4cylinders. People around here have definitely put 18, 19+ gallons in their tanks. Actually, it is a straight up float and resistor setup. However, the gauge has an anti-slosh feature, which is why it rises so slowly. I have taken that fuel sender out a few times so I know what's in there. Anti-slosh my ass. It sloshes plenty. Edited January 26, 2012 by 1994SEV6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reshma Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Anti-slosh my ass. It sloshes plenty. Oh god your killing me here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wd21overland Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 No, your gas gauge doesn't only move when the engine is on, your gas gauge moves when the key is on ACC. I'm not sure why it moves so slowly. It's probably the physical gauge. A small gauge like that isn't going to move rapidly. the gauge mechanism doesn't move that fast I suppose. Also, the anti-slosh feature that Tungsten referenced is a contributing factor as well. Btw, these tanks ARE 21 gallons LOL. Nissan only made two twos. 15 gal and 21 gal. 15gallon tanks were for the 4cylinders. People around here have definitely put 18, 19+ gallons in their tanks. Anti-slosh my ass. It sloshes plenty. Yep there 21.1 gallons unless you have the 4 cyclinder i had to drain the tank in mine before to fix a hole and took right at 21 to fill it up. Easy way for me to tell is to just look in my factory owners manual under capacities where it says with VG30E 21.1 fuel capacity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firehawk Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 This was where I based my assumption on~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Just a note here: The tanks are 21 USA gallons but 17 IMPERIAL gallons. It all depends on how you measure the size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firehawk Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Just a note here: The tanks are 21 USA gallons but 17 IMPERIAL gallons. It all depends on how you measure the size. Sill Brit's and the Metric System (I kid I kid). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I go by liters. The tanks are indeed 80 liters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firehawk Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 I go by liters. The tanks are indeed 80 liters. I use to but I am not good at converting gallons to liters on the fly at the gas pump anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchizophrenicMC Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Just a note here: The tanks are 21 USA gallons but 17 IMPERIAL gallons. It all depends on how you measure the size. ... See if someone had told me that earlier... All the gas stations local to me measure Imperial. Says right there on the pump. Which is why my bone-dry tank won't take more than 17 at the pump. -__- Anyway, SE, don't tell me what my gauge does and doesn't do. It certainly doesn't move on ACC switched. I've watched it, like so much drying paint, and it doesn't move until the engine is actually running. Even on Ignition, with the engine off. Dunno why. Don't really care. I trust Tungsten that it's an anti-slosh system that makes it move slowly. I know the GMC gauge sloshes, which might explain why it's immediate. Still, there's probably an issue with some wire or part of the gauge that's exacerbating this issue. As I said before, check that your sensors and gauge work properly, and replace what doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Just a note here: The tanks are 21 USA gallons but 17 IMPERIAL gallons. It all depends on how you measure the size. OHHH MAH GAWD!!!! That's it. That's the key. EVERYONE overlooked this. LOL. FFFFFFFU- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now