Fuel gage misread

[TrailRatedRN]

My '06 LJ is slowly becoming worse and worse at reading the level of my gas. It used to chime when I had 3 gallons left and was at the bottom of the red when I was just past 18. This last fill up, it was to the bottom of the letter E and I filled up with 15.6 gallons.

To recap, the system works, it's just getting ahead of itself and reading empty too soon. Does this need replacement or might there be a kink in the system that I can troubleshoot beforehand.

 

[superj]

You can check readings with a meter but it sounds like the float is just not floating as well anymore, like maybe its going bad and getting gas logged so it sits below the top of the fuel instead of ontop. Sometimes it happens and you can put a new sender or probably pump since your jeep is new

 

[Jeepergeo]

I got a major dent in my tank while off road in the rocks, and since then my gauge has been out of calibration. It knows full just fine, but now shows empty long before being close to empty.

So check for dents.

 

[TrailRatedRN]

I have a skid. No dents in the skid. Gas tank was good before I put the skid on. I don't want to drop that tank again or get the skid off and look at the tank structure unless I really have to. Lol I hated putting that sucker on.

Is it hard to replace the unit? I'm not skilled. Ive only done small things that require a few bolts, like shocks and routine maintenance. Should I take it to a pro, or could I read up and tackle the troubleshoot?

 

[steady.foot]

I agree with superj. I think it might be the sending unit. For the price of the new sending unit and the dificulty of replacing it, I would learn to live with it. If it was the other way around and it ran out of gas when the gauge read 1/4 tank, I think i would replace it.

 

[69jeepcj]

I had a 79 that did that as well. I would fill it and it would only read 3/4 of a tank and then it would read empty when it wasn't. Mine was as superj says, the float wasnt going all the way up when I filled and sank to the bottom before it was empty. I replaced the sending unit and it was like new. It was kinda a pita, but I think that was because the clamps holding my hoses on were all rusted and the hoses were stuck to the tank fittings. If you do it your self, use a floor jack to support the tank, take the bolts out and lower the tank just enough to disconnect the hoses then lower the tank the rest of the way. Mine had a lock ring holding the unit in the tank that twists off, I tapped on the ring with a screwdriver and hammer to unlock it and the unit just slid out. Dont bend the ring up getting it off (if yours has one) or you will need to buy a new lock ring.