After I first purchased my CC I found out just how far I can travel on a single tank of fuel. It was 317 miles. The fuel guage indicated that I still had just less than 1/4 left. Lesson learned. A call to my wife and two gallons of gas out of a red container later and I was on my way to fuel up! I noticed that my ZR2, that I traded in for my CC, was never quite right on the fuel indication either. Is this a shortcoming for the GM corp. or just a fluke on my part? After this occured I took it back and requested that the dealership replace the fuel sending unit. They agreed. Now I understand that the fuel pump is a single replaceable unit. Is it possible to replace just the sending unit portion? The problem was not solved and I just use my mileage and ignore my fuel guage.
Don't feel bad I don't have a gas gauge either and I also go by my trip for how far I can make it. I also carry an extra gallon of gas in the back just in case. And I have had to use it before. The s-series line has been known to have issues with gas gauge accuracy and failures. Personally I would ignore the issue as best as possible and just run by way of the trip until you get a failure of the sending unit as it is a pricey fix. That is unless you are still under warranty. My gauge is locked on empty with the fuel light on. It has been this way for a 1 1/2 years, it is annoying but a minor inconvenience if you keep track of mileage.
Any way we adjust our fuel sending units by adjusting the arm to the float to the lowest liquid setting you are personally comfortable with. That way you may have a full tank for a VERY long time but you have an accurate measurement of when you are ACTUALLY going to run dry.
Last edited by williamcstonejr on Fri Jun 07, 2019 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
[size=75]All it takes is time and money.....the two things I don't seem to have very much of[/size]
When I bought my cc from the used dealer it had the same always empty problem. He said he'd just heard of a cheap fix and told me to buy a bottle of factory GM fuel injector cleaner add it to the tank and let it sit as long as possible this would clean the crusted gas varnish off the electrodes. Being he was a used car salesman I took his word as bible (yeah right). But after awhile I figured what the heck and bought a generic brand of cleaner off the shelf at a gas station. I'll be damned if the guage didn't start woorking. Sparitically at first but now it works perfect. Could be a long shot but you may want to give it a try.
Thats what I figure. I am used to using the trip odometer now and don't know that I will ever be able to trust the guage even if it were certified accurate. Thanks for the input.
[size=75]Drive it in, tow it out! Thats our motto...[/size]
Mine's a little different. Goes a ways above full when tank full. Seems pretty normal then till down to slightly under 1/4 full. You'd better be pretty d**n close to a gas station or carrying extra at that point cuz about all you get at that point is 20-25 more miles then silence. Except for cussing of course.
2001 CC LS, pewter, stock, 4.3,Wait4meperformance, CFM throttle blade, Helix throttle body spacer, 4spd auto, 3button electric 4x4 shift, heavy duty factory suspension, Bilsteins, 1" rear wheel spacers, skid plates.
Despite the bitter cold, the dark moonless sky, and the fact I didn't have my cell phone and had to walk 1/4 mile on the side of the road wearing my military camoflage (not advised) I thought I handled my empty tank pretty well.
I usually get about 50 miles before the guage gets down to the full mark and from there its a crap shoot. I noticed that if I park on a decline with the front of the truck facing downhill then if I'm around a 1/4 tank on the guage it will drop to empty and set the fuel light. That was fun the first time I experienced that symptom.
This isn't my thread but instead of starting a new one... I have tried many of the suggested treatments ect to help the gas gauge issue. I am going on my 3rd summer with the truck and finally came to the conclusion on why the gauge doesn't work.
This may sound crazy... I don't know how but something in the winter gas causes the gauge to read empty all the time.
Spring it works then fall stops working I always thought it was something seriously wrong and tried additives ect. I never thought about the winter gas.
I fill up at the same stations unless I am not in the area and since some stations don't fill at the same time the gauge would work, then stop since I would get a tank of winter gas then a tank of summer mix. I thought it was erratic because I would get the same thing spring and fall one tank it works, one it doesn't until it is all winter and then it won't work again until spring. So it seemed erratic at first now it makes sense.
(I hope this makes sense for everyone it makes sense in my head)
But how/why???
Is anyone else possibly experiencing this?
I doubt it's the blend of gas, more likely it's the temp of that gas. The winter gas is colder and it may be cold enough to warp some part of the float, it wouldn't take much to bind an already poorly designed part.
[size=75]Why does the universe decree that if you have all the time in the world to work on projects you have no money and vice versa?
Green 2004 ZR-5 w/ too much to list here: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2296465[/size]
Yeah, same here. About 300 miles is about as far as you want to go. I had to have the fuel pump replaced last summer. Was about $700 for parts and labor. This also replaced the sending unit for the gauge, I think its all one unit.
[size=75]"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things"[/size]
Just had my tank down and inspected fuel pump sock for plugging. (Poor performance issue) After looking over the pump/sender assy it's easy for me to see why we have so much trouble with erratic/non-functional guages. Very poorly designed. Two little "wiper" brushes running over two graduated segmented contact strips. Wiper arm contacts very light weight and not even copper and the float pivot hole when worn slightly allows the arms to move far enough away for guage to drop to empty. Mine is starting to act up and I can see why. One of the wiper brushes has two of the three "fingers" worn completely off. Just a matter of time till it quits completely.
2001 CC LS, pewter, stock, 4.3,Wait4meperformance, CFM throttle blade, Helix throttle body spacer, 4spd auto, 3button electric 4x4 shift, heavy duty factory suspension, Bilsteins, 1" rear wheel spacers, skid plates.
It is still better than some of the imported solutions I have seen.
Keep your fuel clean. That includes cleaning the filter for the vent valve.
Avoid additives that coat the system. Use a maintenance dose of cleaner periodically.
Stay on the top half of the tank and you will be fine.
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving! - ThunderIIKE7CSK
The fuel guage indicated that I still had just less than 1/4 left. Lesson learned. A call to my wife and two gallons of gas out of a red container later and I was on my way to fuel up! I noticed that my ZR2, that I traded in for my CC, was never quite right on the fuel indication either. Is this a shortcoming for the GM corp. or just a fluke on my part? After this occured I took it back and requested that the dealership replace the fuel sending unit. They agreed. Now I understand that the fuel pump is a single replaceable unit. 
Is it possible to replace just the sending unit portion? The problem was not solved and I just use my mileage and ignore my fuel guage. 
Guess I'll have to use trip-meter reckoning till I get the bucks and the desire to tangle with the tank again. 