So I've noticed that my gas gauge tends to move around, up to a quarter tank at a time. When the car is moving, it tends to be on the higher side, but when I stop or slow down it drops about a quarter tank.

I noticed this same thing in my 94 Camaro V6. Is it something easy to fix, or something to just live with?

 

you have to live with it. just about every car does that. since it is recording how high the liquid is in the tank, when you speed up or slow down the liquid goes to one side of the tank until you are a constant speed and then it levels off. think about taking a bunch of marbles. stick them in a pie pan. move the tin forward at a constant rate (marbles go to back of pan, then stop the tin (marbles go to the front).. the sending unit is in the center of the tank. so any motion side to side or front to back will make the gauge move a little. The less fuel in the tank, the more noticable the move seems to be from my experience. (that and how fast you accelerate or have fast you come to a stop)


Short of it, it's how it will be, and you can't really do anything about it with a stock tank.

 

did a quick search on shoebox's site, but couldn't find it. i believe he has the specs on what amount of fuel reads where on your gauge.
it's been my experience that from full to 1/2 is ~10 gallons and 1/2 to empty is ~5 gallons.

 

http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#fuel_gauge

 

My 94 v6 camaro was the same way. The more gas you have the less it moves. Once you start reading below half the worse the accuracy it has and it moves more.

 

1997 TA Gas Gauge (Reading - Actual)

Full - Full
3/4 - 1/2
1/2 - 1/4
1/4 - 1/8

At least this is the way it is with my car and it's the same as the Shoebox info. You would
think GM could come up with a better calibration for the sender. It's like they want to get
that good first impression like "wow this thing gets great mileage" and then you find out you
are on fumes below 1/8 tank.

 

Part of the problem is deposits on the sender in the tank affect resistance and that is how the gauge reads float position.

I found that using one of the FEW fuel system treatments that actually works helps out this problem a little bit. Fuel Power from Lube Control or Neuta from Shaeffers I have had good results with. You are not going to find these at the parts store though. Shaeffers you MIGHT find a local distributor for, they have a store locator on the website.

A lot of the b-body guys have issues with running out of fuel with the gauge reading as high as 1/4 tank, I can let mine trigger the low fuel light but I hit the closest station if it does and my "low milage" car has 180K on it the other has 224K.

 

ha the good old LT1 gas gauges. I remember when I bought my car and thinking "woah the kid put a full tank of gas in my car" then getting really upset when it didnt take to long to drop to empty. Maybe its just on the chevy's ive driven but ive noticed that every one goes up to full when there is at least half a tank or more in it.

 

Something you just have to deal with, especially in the LT1's.

 

every american car i ever drove has been bad with a fuel level, especially whats on the gauge and whats actually in the tank. But i think lt1s are the worst.

 

that just about nails it to the tee...exactly how mine is

 

It had to do w/ how the LT1 sending unit sucks. There is suppose to be a delay on the unit so it doesnt read right away and give you those wacky results when you start driving. It is suppose to be slow and therfore deliver an average. Newer cars do this much much better.

 

A delay is not going to make up for the shape of the tank and placement of the float.

 

When ours hits the big E I am sitting on the side of the road.

 

i have definately noticed this in my 91, Im happier with the f-bodys' gauges than this one.