new member with gas gauge problem

[buellxb12s]

Hi my name is Jason. Long time s10 lover. I have a 01 Camaro Z28. i'm in florida going to school at Motorcycle Mecahnics Institute. I bought a 2000 S10 2.2L 5 spd standard cab that now has 129,000 miles paid a whole $3200 for it. its been a great truck so far making to trips to TN already. ok heres my problem. when i first bought the truck the gas gauge worked until it got to 1/4 of a tank. then the needle would actually go up as you went farther on a tank. when ou came up to a red light the needle would very suddenly drop causing the low fuel light to come on. when you pull away it would jump back up. As the tank would empty the light would stay on more and more until eventually it wouldn't go off (which i have discovered it mean the truck is truely getting low)Then i took the truck to TN. since this the truck will barely drop the needle below 3/4 of a tank. sometimes it will still drop the need to E causing the light to come on. It still is reliable that when the needle stays down and light stays on the truck is truely getting low. any one had a similar problem. i'm a broke student and the gauge isn't that important to me but hope to find someone that knows whats going on and can point me directly to the problem.

[tt85_GM]

Welcome.
This is a very common problem on s10's, mine does not work as well I use the trip meter as a gauge and know when to fill up. The fuel sending units go bad most of the time but I've read others cleaning grounds for the sending unit harness, I believe it's near one of the cross members.

Use the search to find other posts, there are alot one here about this issue.

[buellxb12s]

thank you. i'm using m odometer too it just sucks if i can't afford to fill it up because then i don't know how far i got before i'm out

[Back_N_Black]

if you take the fuel pump apart the sending unit is like a little board. You might be able to erase the dirt off of it with a white eraser. It worked for me and i havent had any problems since

[TrYiN2LaYaDiMe]

well if u get 400 miles to a tank fill it up and when u hit 200 which should be half fill it up again. that easy. if you get 300 when u get to 150 fill up this way your only filling a half a tank

[thenick]

I have the exact same problem with my truck.
I just fill up every 250 mi.

[tolowinorlando]

first off i went to mmi and loved it but for the gas problem i would do as others are saying and check for dirty ground wired and if that fails try cleaning the sending unit itself

[PandaS10]

my sending unit went bad but i just tightened it back up and it caused the sliders to hit the board. i just fixed it today and now it works again.

[bigomondis104]

i had the same problem until i was on my way to school and the pump died. replaced it but still use the trip odometer because it started becoming unreliable.

[Fleenor009]

i have the same problem with mine too...appreciate the help guys!

[Fleenor009]

how is the best way to get you your sending unit?

[tolowinorlando]

remove it from the tank and it right there

[eastmeadowsonoma]

When I took my cluster apart I took the needle out for the gas gaugeand moved it( had a full tank). I drove it thru a tankfull and filled up again and it went to full!! I still will pay attention to mileage though.