Pretty much every time I go around a corner, slow down, speed up, go up hill or down hill the gas guage goes crazy. It only really levels out when you're at a steady speed on a constant angle.

 

What's gone wrong here?

 

If it matters, it's a 90 subaru legacy AWD wagon 5spd

Gauge sender contacts are rusted. Only way to fix them is to replace them, and even that's a temporary solution. Best solution is to ignore the gauge and go by the low fuel light and average mileage. The low fuel light is on a separate circuit that almost never breaks.

theres a way to beat it! i worked at a wrecking yard and seen some neat stuff. find a tank with a float that will mount to yours, heres the thing this type of float has a seprate housing the gas goes in a plastic housing and theres a float inside of that (it helps regulate). instead of the stock float flopin around in ur open tank.

I have a good set of senders and a pump, your's for $40+shipping from CO. Lmdew@hotmail.com

Pretty much every time I go around a corner, slow down, speed up, go up hill or down hill the gas guage goes crazy. It only really levels out when you're at a steady speed on a constant angle.

 

What's gone wrong here?

 

If it matters, it's a 90 subaru legacy AWD wagon 5spd

 

odd no one has suggested the 10.00 techron fuel additive that cleans fuel gauges. ALso check the wires at the gauge and the voltage, to make sure you dont have some other electrical problem. WHen my alt went bad, it first showed up in a weird fuel gauge reading.

 

nipper

Hey nip,

 

How many miles did you car have when the alternator carved? I have been wondering what to expect out of mine.

Hey nip,

 

How many miles did you car have when the alternator carved? I have been wondering what to expect out of mine.

 

Mine got soaked with oil when the engine blew. But in retrospect, it was giving out signs it was going. My aftermarket self diming mirror was flaking out. I couldnt figure out why. Once the alt was replaced it stoped doing it. At the dealer they said there was a lot of noise in the altenator (which they said drive it and the oil will burn off). That noise was the brushes being shot.

So i am convinced it was just time at 198,000 miles. Thats a respectable number

 

nipper

I remember when we were lucky to get about 60,000 miles out of a generator so it's great. The first alternators boosted that to 100,000 but these are really good electronics.

Makes me think I'll look at changing mine next year but right now my rear wheel bearings are just starting to sound a bit loose and you know how Foresters are famous for that.

odd no one has suggested the 10.00 techron fuel additive that cleans fuel gauges. ALso check the wires at the gauge and the voltage, to make sure you dont have some other electrical problem. WHen my alt went bad, it first showed up in a weird fuel gauge reading.

 

nipper

Techron works in the newer cars, but not in the older cars. Trust me, on the BBS we've tried everything.

Techron will remove a bit of corrosion. If you have an older car with a lot of corrosion it may be too much for anything but sandpaper. Some of these older cars did not recieve much care from the first owners. my car got gas, tires, and the occasional oil change from the folks who bought it new.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't really planning on fixing it right away, if at all. I was just curious to know what was causing it in case I decide to fix it in the future.

 

I don't drive that car at all. It's not insured and I plan to sell it but it's got tranny noise and I paid 800+150 for licensing so in order to get what I paid(bought it to sell it for more, now I just want my money back)for it, I'll probably have to throw a new tranny in it. It's in very nice condition(the exterior/interior/engine is clean).

 

Right now my focus is intalling my brand new heater core from Lithia Subaru of Oregon City. I can't wait to drive my car again...and have defrost(winter is coming!).

Techron works in the newer cars, but not in the older cars. Trust me, on the BBS we've tried everything.

define older car, 90 - 94 ? or what? 90 to 99?

define older car, 90 - 94 ? or what? 90 to 99?[/q

 

let me rephrase that, anycar with an odd behaving gas gauge that may have been exposed to high sulfur gas

 

nipper

define older car, 90 - 94 ? or what? 90 to 99?

90-94 Legacys are known for having crazy gas gauges. We've tried everything to make them not, and nothing works.

As discovered with my 60's cars,just buy some gas in Missoula,Mt.The fuels they use in the winter will clean anything,make sure you have a couple of spare fuel filters when you do this cause it strips your fuel tank clean also,supposed to be environmentally friendy fuel which it may be as far as emissions go,but think of all those clogged filters going into the land fill,I sent 5 myself and now buy my winter fuel in the non restricted zones.

John