Is it mostly the drivers side that starts making the gauge not work? I'm wondering should I buy the drivers side fuel sender for $80 or try cleaning it (already did passenger side) I have a 300+ mile trip in two weeks and I need a working gauge.

You could try cleaning it, but from my own personal experience, the gauge issue came back. I ended up replacing the main sender on the passenger side first, and then had to replace the sub sender to completely fix my gauge issues.

I finally got the sub sender out today

 

 

 

 

I got no reading at all on it and this is after cleaning the track on it.. Funny I put in 8 Gal on Friday and the gauge was stuck around 3/4 of a tank.. So today after 106 miles on my trip it drops all the way to just about on Empty.. So I look in the tank and I'd say it's about 1/2

Those nuts holding the sender in can be a real PITA. I had to use an oxy/acetylene torch to heat them on my mom's outback and pound a smaller socket on to get them loose. I was not pleased about having to use a torch on a tank, especially since the reason I was replacing it was because the pipe elbow sticking out of the sender was rusted though.

I was too scared to use any type of flame or any tool that might spark.. what I did was use some more kroil and used a flat tip screwdriver and started pounding at it and it finally broke free, the nut was pretty much stripped because it was rusted so I ended up replacing that with some new nuts.

Is it mostly the drivers side that starts making the gauge not work? I'm wondering should I buy the drivers side fuel sender for $80 or try cleaning it (already did passenger side) I have a 300+ mile trip in two weeks and I need a working gauge.

 

The two senders are wired in series. i have found subarus tend to be fairly consistant. My gauge is off (E=10 gallons) that I just fill it up every 200 miles, and on a highway drive my kidneys usually call it quits before the tank.

 

The low fuel light is dependable, but if you use 200 miles as a benchmark you would be good to go.

The best I think I got from the tank with a mix of highway and city was 310 miles which was pretty impressive..

 

I'm still debating on taking this drive to NC on Friday.. I expect to maybe only have to fill up just twice it's 588 miles total one way.

 

So in the end I should just have both senders replaced then?