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ok ...

I thought i read it some where .. i have skimmed the book and may have missed it ...

before i pull the tank out.. i want to test the gauge
when i turn the key on the gauge does jump up a bit and reads a bit above the empty line..

Thanks
David

Here is a bit from the 37-38 shop manual which might help. From the way the symptoms for troubleshooting read you should be able to disconnect the wire from the sender and have the gauge read full; grounding the wire should make the gauge read empty.

Gauge works with two electromagnets. One always wants to make the gauge read full and when the sender lowers its resistance that increases the strength of the second electromagnet which will overpower the first and make the needle move toward empty.

From your symptom of always being on empty, assuming the gauge was not removed from the dash and no longer has a ground I would suggest looking for a ground in the wire to the tank or a bad sender or maybe just a deteriorated cork float.

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Stupid question, but I have to ask. Could the tank be almost empty?

Hi HH56 and Joe ..

HH56
well i cut the wire and the gauge reads more than full..

I now know its a good gauge ..

This is why i asked .. i was changing the diff oil last week and the wire when i touched it fell apart so i striped it back and reconnected it .. but never thought to get out from under the car and turn the key to see if the gauge moved ..

The gauge never has read more that just that bit. Even when i put a $20 in the tank ..

JOE ..
not a stupid ? I often do the same thing to my friends when they tell me about a problem.. I tend to be the " I believe you but i have to see for myself " kinda of guy and that sometime make people mad ..

The car is a daily driver and driving around with out a working gas gauge is getting old

Thank you both