Gas Guage sensitive to brand of gas?

[Bmm001]

Anybody else experience this? My '95 Legacy's gas guage works properly when I fill up at Sunoco's. Any other place, it drops like a stone. I have experienced this now for over a year, and have gone on and off Sunoco gas to test it. 2-3 tanks of other brand and it stops working correctly. 2-3 tanks back on and it works right. Could it be the combination of additives?

 

Brian M.

[lostinthe202]

Not exactly like this. I remember a story that hit the news a couple of times having to do with Shell selling gas that had too high of a sulfur content that was taking out gauges. But as far as I know, it was making them freeze as apposed to just malfunctioning. Maybe your float gauge is sticky or something? Perhaps a cleaner will help? I dunno...

 

 

Will-

[Cougar]

I can believe this to happen. You might try using some Techron, made by Chevron, in the tank to see if that helps clean the contacts. Some folks have had success using it for this kind of problem.

[Skip]

Just to follow up on the excellent replies thus far

and

possibly give you a better "look"

at why what they say is true.

 

Here is the "in tank" gauge sender unit.

 

I removed no covers

this is what is in the gas tank

as it sits.

 

The float moves a sliding contact

on an open potentiometer

 

Hope this gives you a "minds eye" idea

of what is "going down".

[OB99W]

Nice pics, Skip.

 

It would seem that the potentiometer could get "gummed" more readily if not sitting in gas.

I wonder if those who top the tank frequently have less problem.

[Skip]

Thanks OB99W

and

very good point/question.