dmtaurus

I posted here some time back to get ideas why the fuel gauge on my 2000
flex fuel Taurus gas gauge was reading correctly sometimes and sometimes
was going to below empty and causing the low fuel light to come on.
After testing connections and, in frustration, replacing the fuel gauge
with a new one I finally found the problem. Behind the radio and
climate control panel, located with one screw on a brace to the right of
the steering column, there is a device called a fuel gauge module. It
has a metal bracket and is encapsulated in plastic with a 5 wire
electrical connector connected to it. It works in conjunction with the
flex fuel sensor (underhood) and the fuel gauge. The factory service cd
shows it in the wiring diagram but there isn't much elaboration about
it. I thought before I go to all the work of dropping the gas tank and
replacing the fuel pump/guage sender I would try replacing this. If I
remember correctly there is special equipment to test it, that I don't
have. So for about $30 and 20 minutes I replaced it and haven't had a
problem the gauge at all. Talking to the dealer I got it from, he told
me that they did have a history of replacing these sensors at their
dealership. I hope this post would help any that might be having the
same problem.

351CJ

Thanks for the Update.


"dmtaurus" <dmtaurus@surfbest.net> wrote in message
news:43203998.DFA84FB9@surfbest.net...
>I posted here some time back to get ideas why the fuel gauge on my 2000
> flex fuel Taurus gas gauge was reading correctly sometimes and sometimes
> was going to below empty and causing the low fuel light to come on.
> After testing connections and, in frustration, replacing the fuel gauge
> with a new one I finally found the problem. Behind the radio and
> climate control panel, located with one screw on a brace to the right of
> the steering column, there is a device called a fuel gauge module. It
> has a metal bracket and is encapsulated in plastic with a 5 wire
> electrical connector connected to it. It works in conjunction with the
> flex fuel sensor (underhood) and the fuel gauge. The factory service cd
> shows it in the wiring diagram but there isn't much elaboration about
> it. I thought before I go to all the work of dropping the gas tank and
> replacing the fuel pump/guage sender I would try replacing this. If I
> remember correctly there is special equipment to test it, that I don't
> have. So for about $30 and 20 minutes I replaced it and haven't had a
> problem the gauge at all. Talking to the dealer I got it from, he told
> me that they did have a history of replacing these sensors at their
> dealership. I hope this post would help any that might be having the
> same problem.
>

David O'Grady

let the tank go completely empty while the engine is running until the
engine stops. Then pour in the lowest octane fuel you can find. Start car
and your fuel gauge will operate as normal again


"dmtaurus" <dmtaurus@surfbest.net> wrote in message
news:43203998.DFA84FB9@surfbest.net...
> I posted here some time back to get ideas why the fuel gauge on my 2000
> flex fuel Taurus gas gauge was reading correctly sometimes and sometimes
> was going to below empty and causing the low fuel light to come on.
> After testing connections and, in frustration, replacing the fuel gauge
> with a new one I finally found the problem. Behind the radio and
> climate control panel, located with one screw on a brace to the right of
> the steering column, there is a device called a fuel gauge module. It
> has a metal bracket and is encapsulated in plastic with a 5 wire
> electrical connector connected to it. It works in conjunction with the
> flex fuel sensor (underhood) and the fuel gauge. The factory service cd
> shows it in the wiring diagram but there isn't much elaboration about
> it. I thought before I go to all the work of dropping the gas tank and
> replacing the fuel pump/guage sender I would try replacing this. If I
> remember correctly there is special equipment to test it, that I don't
> have. So for about $30 and 20 minutes I replaced it and haven't had a
> problem the gauge at all. Talking to the dealer I got it from, he told
> me that they did have a history of replacing these sensors at their
> dealership. I hope this post would help any that might be having the
> same problem.
>

Eric Toline

Re: 2000 Taurus fuel guage fixed

Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Mon, Sep 12, 2005, 12:58pm (EDT-3) From:
gradydo@msn.com (David O'Grady)

let the tank go completely empty while the engine is running until the
engine stops. Then pour in the lowest octane fuel you can find. Start
car and your fuel gauge will operate as normal again.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Why does this correct the problem and why the lowest octane?

Eric

dmtaurus

I can't see how letting the gas run, ect., would work. That would only
starve the pump and be hard in it.

One characteristic I did note as this problem continued on over the
approximately three month period, the gauge functioned as it should when
the interior and exterior temperatures were relatively low, say in the 60
deg and lower range. As soon as the temps starting going up then the
problem showed up. Now, the problem could have been caused by a bad
connection, intermittent connection, or losing ground somewhere along
the way. But, I VOM checked connections from FF sensor to gauge cluster
to wiring back to the fuel level/fuel pump connector. So being all that
was "good' the things to suspect were the fuel level sensor or the gauge
sensor or FF sensor. Easiest and cheapest thing to replace was the fuel
gauge sensor. And it made more sense to replace it since it had a
history of failure. If I remember right the factory wiring schematic
shows connections running from the sensor to the gauge and to the FF
sensor and back to the tank mounted fuel level sensor.

Ya' know, encapsulated electronic parts can be a funny thing. "Cold" and
bad solder joints can be there but they can't be fixed or seen if there
is hot plastic poured all over them during manufacture. And improperly
manufactured IC's, transistors, ect., can breakdown when temps start
getting a little warm. I suspect that was what was happening.

Hey, at any rate, it's still working good!



Eric Toline wrote:

>
> Re: 2000 Taurus fuel guage fixed
>
> Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Mon, Sep 12, 2005, 12:58pm (EDT-3) From:
> gradydo@msn.com (David O'Grady)
>
> let the tank go completely empty while the engine is running until the
> engine stops. Then pour in the lowest octane fuel you can find. Start
> car and your fuel gauge will operate as normal again.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
> Why does this correct the problem and why the lowest octane?
>
> Eric