Recently bought a 95 Legacy that seems to be having some fuel level issues. I can fill it up and within about 130 miles it reads emtpy. Fill it up again and it only takes 5-6 gallons. Did some searching in the forum and noticed its often the fuel sending unit. I know there are two units in the tank but was curious if its one more often than the other. They are about $100 each and don't really want to just start replacing them in hopes that I get the correct one. Is there any way to test them or is there a good place to start diagnosing the problem without just replacing the units? Thanks for the help.

Here's what I learned when I had a 95.

 

The fuel gauge was incredibly pessimistic. I had more or less the same experience you are with the fuel level.

BUT

The fuel light was right on the money. It's a separate sensor that turns the fuel light on when the fuel level uncovers the sensor. It came on at two gallons left like clockwork.

 

Something to consider.

Test them by measuring thier resistance as you move the floats up and down.

0-50 ohms I think.Check the specs.

 

I have had good luck cleaning the resistance coils on senders carefully w/an eraser.

some folks, me included, have some luck adding ''techron'' fuel system cleaner to the fuel tank.

if will not make it ''like new'',

but is may improve the sending unit some.

 

my 95 lego sat for almost a year

and the fuel gauge did not work at all.

techron brought it back to working,

but showing empty around 200 miles

and filling up take 10 - 12 gals.

 

an idea about replacement sending units.

if you install a resistor on the driver side of the tank,

the gauge will be solely dependent on the passenger side, fuel pump side.

if you install a new sender on that side,

depending on the size of the resistor on the other side,

you could end up using only half of the gauge,

the top half, the middle half or maybe the bottom half of the gauge.

the gauge would be ''smaller'', only covering half the range,

but more accurate.

 

i think i would opt for the bottom half of the gauge,

so E would mean EMPTY,

not ''unknown'' gallons left.

Edited February 5, 201511 yr by johnceggleston