fuel gauge???

[3404speed]

I've got a 73 Dodge pickup. The tank is the in cab style. My fuel gauge stopped working and I was wondering if anyone new of a good way to test the gauge. I can test the sender, but I don't want to pull it because Im not sure if I can find another gasket. When I turn the key on, the needle moves from the bottom to empty. If it turns out to be the sender...does anybody know where I can get one??? I've tried napa and a few others and they say they can't get it. It may just be that they don't know what they're talking about, which is highly possible, or that they can't. Any help here is greatly appreciated. Thanks

[ehostler]

Pull the connector off of the sender. Then ground the connector. Turn the key to 'ON'. The gauge should swing to Full. Don't leave it on (pegged at 'F' too long or you may damage the gauge). If the gauge does not swing to 'F', then the problem is either the gauge or the wiring. If it does swing to 'F', then the problem is either the sender or a missing ground for the sender.

[6 packin]

Easy
Just get a Multi meter flip it to 100 ohm setting touch it to the ground and then to the output on the sending unit. at empty should read near 15 ohms.........full should read near 70 ohms. Most of the time its the sending unit. The gage in the dash does NOT run off 12 volts its a regulated circuit board with a voltage of 5.5 volts, those old mechanical volatge regulators done a piss poor job when they where new. A trip to the local radio shack and under 5$ can solve that problem!

[ehostler]

I think that you may have transposed your resistance numbers. The more the resistance, the less the gauge will move, the less the resistance, the more the gauge will move.

[3404speed]

I tried the test light test and the guage didnt' work but the light lit up....I'll test the sender with the multimeter tomorrow

[ehostler]

If the problem is the dash voltage regulator, you oil pressure gauge and your temp gauge (if your truck has them) will also read the same way that the fuel gauge reads.

[3404speed]

thats what I thought...must be the gauge