1967 Beaumont Fuel Gauge Not working

Slightly_Vertigo · Member

1967 Beaumont Fuel Gauge Not working

Islander · Addicted!

Not always easy to track this type of thing down. The fuel gauge in my 1966 worked fine....until you put the high beams on...then the gauge went to empty and the dash lights went out.... Being a summer driver I never used the heater..I guess I have to mention this car was parked in a shop for almost 20 years and I just put it back on the road last year....anyway back to the heater. Last fall in BC was very nice but cool in the evenings. Went for a drive, flipped on the high beams, gas gauge did its normal dive to empty, dash lights dimmed......pushed the heater to defrost and flipped on the fan and lo and behold the gas gauge jumped to where it should be and the dash lights we fine. Just a spot that was grounded out in the heater controls from sitting for 20 years.....

Good luck!!

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

It should be a simple ground problem for the sending unit.

I think this is a 67 Chevelle (Beaumont same) tank. You can see a black wire on the right. Chances are, your black wire there is either broken or has a poor connection (rusty, whatever) either at the tank or up on the car where the ground is.

Slightly_Vertigo · Member

Hey Carl. the picture helps a bit. It looks like the ground in the pic is just soldered to the outside of the sending unit. On mine there is absolutely no sign that it was ever there. Mine has the fuel hose and the beige wire comes out, to the top left, where the grey plug in the picture is, but no ground at all. It looks like I might have to solder a new one on. Let me know if this sounds right. I'll try to take a pic tomorrow and post it, so as there is no confusion. Thanks again to both of you for replying. So far both this site and the people on it, have been very helpful and great to talk to.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

It seems to me there's a little tab there. I can't remember if it's crimped or soldered, and on this one it might be hard to tell, pretty rusty!

As long as it's clean and you get a good connection, I bet your gauge will be fine.

Magician40 · Poncho Master!

Carl's correct a poor ground is 99% of the problem. You could try a jumper wire and spring clamps on bare metal to create a good ground and then check your dash unit. This stupid gas we have to use can gum up the sending unit inside the tank, but this has been mentioned before. Good luck.
Brian

since 1983 · Poncho Master!

reading this post bring s up a question, i installed my tank and a new sending unit this spring , and a put in a ground from sending unit to the trunk floor, but what is the relationship between the gas gage and the sending unit ????

what i wounder is........how does the gas gage function when i dont recall seeing a wire that connects to the gas gage from the tank or sending unit ( is there supossed to have another wire besides the ground ) , there is something i forgot here ??? car has been appart to long.

thanks Carl smile

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Yes, look just left of the hose in the picture of the tank. That stud with the white plastic circle around it is the stud that the gauge wire goes on. I am thinking it is a lite brown wire but someone can confirm or deny that for me please?

Slightly_Vertigo · Member

The wire I have coming out of mine, where the stud in the pic is, is a beige ish brown color.

Lefty · Uber Guru

Same here. I installed a new tank and sending unit.
If i have the sending in my hand and move the float
the gauge works fine, but when it is installed it will
read full and then later (when i have driven quite awhile)
it will drop to less then 1/4 it must be catching somewhere
very frustrating