If you have a broken gas guage, read this...

[laydout97]

I know alot of people on here, including me, that dont have a working gas guage. I replaced the sending unit and the guage cluster for nothing. I spent hours tracing wires and pulling the bed off to check connections. I finally found the solution to the problem.

This is called a fuel level buffer.

Im not sure how, but this controls the gas guage.



I have a 97 s10, so the location may be different for other vehicles.

This was located on the passenger side of the dash.

To access it, you need to remove the lower part of the dash that covers the ac condensor/ heater core. theres 2 7mm bolts that hold it on.

After you remove the lower piece of the dash as shown in the pic, reach up in the dash and you will fell something wrapped in foam and velcroed to the dash


Once you find it remove the the foam and the velcro to expose the buffer.


Pop the cap on the top of it off.


Next pull the buffer out, you might have to wiggle it back and forth for it to come out.


Install the new buffer, reinstall the cap, foam, and velcro and place it back in the dash.

Reinstall the cover and 7mm bolts, and your done.

I hope this helps anyone you has spent as much time as me trying to figure this out. I got the buffer from a junk yard for 5.00.

[BobOnAir]

Fock, I replaced my sending unit, but I havn't hooked up a guage to it yet to see if that was it!

[laydout97]

as i said, i relpaced sending unit, guage cluster and spent hours tracing and checking connections/wires.

[Gearstix]

my gauge said full when i got my truck. we added gas to the tank and it kept going past full. i should grab a couple of these when i go to pick a part, maybe that will fix it.

[digbmx4130]

I'm gonna have to look into this. I can't tell you how long my gas gauge hasn't worked. Is it the same for 98+?

[laydout97]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gearstix

my gauge said full when i got my truck. we added gas to the tank and it kept going past full. i should grab a couple of these when i go to pick a part, maybe that will fix it.

that sounds like the needle has been removed and put back on in the wrong position, or the float is bent. My guage didnt move at all, it went to "fuel" and stayed there. Im not saying that the buffer wouldnt fix it though.

[laydout97]

Quote: Originally Posted by digbmx4130

I'm gonna have to look into this. I can't tell you how long my gas gauge hasn't worked. Is it the same for 98+?

It should have a buffer, but im not sure if its in the same location.

[digbmx4130]

do you have full size pictures?

[laydout97]

Quote: Originally Posted by digbmx4130

do you have full size pictures?

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1208140450
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1208140473
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1208140507
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1208140529
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1208140556
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1208140576

[digbmx4130]

thank you sir

[laydout97]

no problem

[slammedblack99]

wow thanks! i hope this works for mine! i havent had a gas gauge in soooo long

[growth]

I looked on my 2K and can't find one. Also I got the factory manual and it doesn't show anything about it. Anybody else find it on a 2K?

[fox_truth7]

my gas gauge has been wack for about 2 years now, was debating replacing the pump and sending unit

[laydout97]

Quote: Originally Posted by growth

I looked on my 2K and can't find one. Also I got the factory manual and it doesn't show anything about it. Anybody else find it on a 2K?

I have a haynes and chiltons manual, neither said anything about it. I found out about it by 502jet. he was helping me with the problem and mentioned it one night. I looked and looked and I finally found it. replaced the broken one, problem solved.

[RED ROCKET52]

This is called a fuel level buffer.

OK guys are we sure that its scientific dealership name is a fuel level buffer. And do we know for sure that 98 and ^ have this part because the guy at the dealer basically thought i was crazy when i asked about it. And i cant find it under the passenger side dash.

[laydout97]

Quote: Originally Posted by RED ROCKET52

This is called a fuel level buffer.

OK guys are we sure that its scientific dealership name is a fuel level buffer. And do we know for sure that 98 and ^ have this part because the guy at the dealer basically thought i was crazy when i asked about it. And i cant find it under the passenger side dash.

No I am not absolutley positive that this is what it is called. 502jet told me that was the name of it and like i said I am not positive that the 98+ have them, if they do have them, they may not be in the same place as the 94-97. I found mine velcroed to the top side of the dash after I took the lower panel off and reached up inside the dash.

[primerdnoma]

I'm pretty sure the name of it is right, I've replaced one before when I worked at a garage.

[cam75w/ls1]

I checked my Alldata and that part is indeed a "Fuel Sender Buffer Module" located above/behind the glovebox. I looked at the wiring on a 1998 and it's not there so I think it's safe to assume 1997 and older have these.

[RED ROCKET52]

Thanks everyone i really appreciate your posts too bad the 98 and ups dont have them because i dont want to replace the whole sending unit and i dont think my gauge is bad because it still goes from full to empty so it moves at least.

[stevehh]

**** that shit, clock the mileage...

It is too much for me to ask to have a working gas gauge...Really.

[tuckn20s]

did this make your gauge go past full ant sit there

[sonomanator]

is this only if it doesnt work at all or is it if it move around from e to full

[laydout97]

Quote: Originally Posted by tuckn20s

did this make your gauge go past full ant sit there

yes it went to "fuel" like 90* to the right and it sat there, no movement.

[laydout97]

Quote: Originally Posted by sonomanator

is this only if it doesnt work at all or is it if it move around from e to full

im guessing doesnt work at all, but it may be the cause of it going from full to empty at random.



I dont know if anyone else has seen this but when you buy a new fuel pump, most of them come with a new connector. You may be able to buy the "improved" connector at the dealer. That may be the problem with the floating needle. The old plug is a square plug. The new one is a flat plug.

[sonomanator]

idk its not even a big deal but if it would fix it i would do it but im not going to try unless i know for sure thanks for this tho i may try it.

[MARS2878]

i know what im trying this weekend
im tired of the random needle jumping
sounds like a cheaper solution than gauge replacement

[n8rsk8r]

so why is it the needle jumps so much? Is it because of the float/sensor deal? I got gas last night.. drove home and got back in the truck today and it reads more than it did last night

[mister880]

Quote: Originally Posted by n8rsk8r

so why is it the needle jumps so much? Is it because of the float/sensor deal? I got gas last night.. drove home and got back in the truck today and it reads more than it did last night

mine does the same thing. it's an 01 - it will jump around alot. if i go start my truck right now - it will say empty, even though i know i have a 1/4 of a tank.

[n8rsk8r]

Quote: Originally Posted by mister880

mine does the same thing. it's an 01 - it will jump around alot. if i go start my truck right now - it will say empty, even though i know i have a 1/4 of a tank.

EXACTLY! What a crappy design/part

[npor]

was there any visible damage to your fuel level buffer?

like any burn marks on the circuit board or anything?



here is what my fuel gauge does.
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...t=MVI_3363.flv

[LM_67_Nova]

In my 2000 S10 the gauge will register from past full down to a little past 1/2.
The dam thing will act like it is working fine while driving around, shows 1/2 tank and around 200 miles on the trip meter.
Get it home and try to start it the next time out and it will be out of gas. Have to get the 5 gallon can out and put enough gas in it to get to the station.

[laydout97]