Help! Changed fuel pump, Now my fuel gauge is stuck on full!

[jimbo1490]

Hey guys, new to the forum and relatively new to Saturn ownership. Bought My '95 SL as a cheap 'beater' after selling my more valuable car to pay down bills

My fuel pump died on Wednesday and I just got around to changing it today. Took 4 hours, about an hour of which was to figure out how to do it without jacking the car way up (yes it can be done)

So I get it together, pump runs fine, engine starts right up but I notice the fuel gauge is now stuck on 'F'. What did I do wrong? Is it possible to put the sender in backwards so that the float impinges the tank? Or do I just need to re-install the pump ass'y being sure that the float is 'dangling' free?

Any help appreciated!

Jimbo

[OldNuc]

Back at the electrical connector you measure the resistance of the sensor in the tank. measure between B and C, blk/wht and purple. Full tank is 18 ohms, 3/4 is 68 ohms, 1/2 is 113 ohms, 1/4 is 163 ohms, 1/8 is 195 ohms, and fumes is 677 ohms. You could insert a 120 ohm resistor in the connector towards the gauge and then the gauge should read just below 1/2. This would tell you the gauge was working. The resistance reading of the sensor will tell you if the float is hung up. You might have pinched a wire also.

Did you change just the pump or the entire unit? Was it new or a J/Y special?

[jimbo1490]

The pump was new, so I had to assemble it into the plastic 'cage'. But everything seemed to only go together 'one way', and I was very careful with alignment, wire routing etc. The sensor wires were not disturbed, AFAIK.

Thanks for the checking info, I'll use it tomorrow before I dive in again.

Jimbo

[OldNuc]

Thats the plan, find out where its broke. there are some words in the FSM about installation so as to not screw up the float. i will dig them out in the AM as thy might be critical. The resistance will tell you what is going on though.

[jimbo1490]

Originally Posted by OldNuc

Thats the plan, find out where its broke. there are some words in the FSM about installation so as to not screw up the float. i will dig them out in the AM as thy might be critical. The resistance will tell you what is going on though.

I've had enough car work for one weekend; decided to put it off till next weekend. Now I just have to keep from running out of gas this week

Jimbo

[OldNuc]

I can relate to that....