About to loose my S$%^, Fuel Sending Unit

[Ol'Blue]

Original Post



Hey everyone,

It is not often I come around but I check in from time to time to catch up and see what is going on. Latley I have been working so much I have not hard time for much of anything at all let alone 4Runner Issues. So lets start this off so we are all on the same page. I have a 99 Limited with the 3.4 in it. Not long ago I starting having fuel gauge tracking issues and I was lucky and caught it quick this time around and didn't get stuck on I-70 at 2:30 in the morning at first. So I ordered up parts from Toyota in Topeka and had the parts sent to a reputable shop that did good work for me in the past. First Repair- New OE Sending Unit and Fuel pump. I was hopeful this would fix the issue. Tech said things seemed to be tracking normal on gauge and let them know if anything else comes up. Well same issue gauge not tracking correct. It would get to half and stay there mean while I have put about 225 miles on a full tank of fuel so I know it is not half full. I keep driving it for a bit and the gauge starts acting all Fed up. I would fill it up, 5 miles down the road it would drop to E and start blinking the fuel light. So I did some looking around and was going to send it out and have the cluster rebuilt. Good thing I did my home work. Toyota sells the fuel gauge seprate so I ordered one and called around and found a Master Tech that would take it one and had no issues doing so. It was 4x4 Land in Topeka KS. He tested the gauge and side it was working when he did a Ohm Test. The gauge swing Full to Empty as it should, but I'm still having the same issue's. I will fill the tank up, a few miles down the road it drops to E again and flashes out of fuel light. Also this last time around that left me on the side of the road the guage tracked to 3/4 but it's like it hung up there. I was at 218 mile on the tank and it ran out of fuel and left me on the side of the road. When I turned off the truck and hit the ignition it went right to what I would call the normal E reading on the gauge and the light came on right away so I knew I was out of fuel (because I have ran a 3rd ten dry before). So now that you have an idea of what is going on lets have a meeting of the minds and see if I can get an idea of the fuel system wiring etc.

Also note- The Tech that did the first repair said something about doing the TSB update because it is a new part from Toyota. Can some one fill me in on this. He said the sending unit is shorter now??? Also, other than this issue the truck run great. Just rebuilt the Engine less than 25,000 miles ago and it Tits. Other recent repairs, new cats and tires. Not that it should matter but its my daily driver.

Can someone post the schematic so I can see it also.
Parts Replaced-

OE Sending Unit
OE Fuel Pump
OE Fuel Gauge

Brian



Update:

This is after shop number three's temp to fix it all!

Thanks for posting the TSB.

https://www.toyotaparts.metro-toyota.com/FUEL_GAUGE_INACCURACY_T-EL010-00.pdf

So shop number one stated they did the update but in the end the first unit that I got from Toyota was bad. There has since been a second sending unit put in this truck and it's still not tracking correct. It was at half full when I filled up and thank God I did because it took 15.6 gallons of fuel when I filled her. So its still not correct.

Again the parts listed and replace are

OE Sending Unit with TSB update
Fuel Pump
OE Fuel Gauge

I'm really starting to get angry at this point. The shop load testes the electrical system and states it was working correct and tracking as it should. Well guess what it's not again! This is the first time that I have read about the Circuit Plate Number 3 before. I'm going to have Toyota run the Vin and see if the recall's were done on this 4Runner or not Monday. I'm also going to give the shop this TSB and let them read it. Either way they if they have to I'm making them pull the tank again and check this ˟˟˟˟. I have about had it with this stupid issue that has costed me WAY to much already.

Thanks again


I thought I would post this up in hear and see if any of you guys have actually beat this common issue. I'n all honesty I'm behond frustrated at this point. I'm normally pretty good on most things but this is just stupid. Everything at makes sense and tests bad has been replaced and re-replaced and me paying the labor every time.

I'm going to look into this Circuit Plate thing and see if it has been done.

The thing that boggles me is some times it will track and other time like today I went 100 miles and it was at just under an 1/8 of a tank. We all know damn good and well a 3rd Gen never gets full milage lime that ever unless its going down I-70 in neutral heading to Denver. So again, what in the hell can I everyone be missing.

Grounds all test correct. OHM Test come back correct to the gauge. I'm just out of ideas.

Can someone get [MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION]in on this. I know he is an Electrical wizard.

Blue

 

[DED&DED]

I have the same experience except sometimes my gauge reads half-scale. I have read on a previous post that the problem may be a crack on plate #3. I have been refueling by the odometer for so long I probably would not look at the gauge if it was fixed. I will be looking for a helpful response and I wish you good luck---I think I have about $250.00 sunk cost in mine. If I can find a sure thing fix I will do it but I am tired of guessing about it.

 

[Ol'Blue]

I have the same experience except sometimes my gauge reads half-scale. I have read on a previous post that the problem may be a crack on plate #3. I have been refueling by the odometer for so long I probably would not look at the gauge if it was fixed. I will be looking for a helpful response and I wish you good luck---I think I have about $250.00 sunk cost in mine. If I can find a sure thing fix I will do it but I am tired of guessing about it.

Oh I'm way deeper than that on this issue. I have both the TSB number. Look at your vin and see if the #3 plate needs to be replaced.

I have looked at all the part numbers and I'm thinking something is still being missed some place honestly but I'm thinking it may not be in the wiring but can't rule it out yet because the gauge dose work. SO???????



EL010-99
EL010-00

 

[gamefreakgc]

Do you have access to the wiring diagram? There cannot be much wiring involved, and a resistance test of the wiring itself will be the next step. If it's not the sending unit, and not the gauge itself, that leaves either the cluster or the wiring.

 

[nissanh]

Hi Ol! Long time no see!

I don't know whether my experience is related to this issue, but here it is.
This was on a landcruiser 100 series. Had no fuel gauge issues before. One day I had the ignition switch on (without engine running) to close the sunroof and play with it for say 40 seconds. All went goo until I went to start the truck. The gas gauge shows E and reserve is displayed. I drove it like that while checking the miles to do the regular fillups. In a day or two the gauge came back to normal. Once in a while I see the gauge is acting crazy but it comes back to normal in few minutes. Same issue was reported for a 01 Montero exceed truck my cousin owns.

 

[PatrickStapler]

Fuel Gauge

I'll bite. I'm new to 4Runner's in general. Read a few threads here regarding this. One day my step-son's Pathfinder died on the interstate...alternator. I left work came home got my car hauler and went to fetch the truck. While charging the Pathy on the side of the rode enough to get it started and on the trailer, my 4Runner ran really low on fuel...like to the point of dying at one point, but I got it fired back up enough to get to a station for fuel. Since then my gauge reads full or close the it all the time until low enough to trigger the low fuel light. Then it might read half tank, 1/8 tank, empty...wherever it wants.

Any ideas?

 

[repo]

Been there done that. You have to replace the circuit board in the guage cluster with the updated version. Oh yeah and if I remember right the mileage has to be programmed in to it because it has the chip that stores the odo numbers. I got a whole new cluster off ebay for $60 to use, its a pain in the ass because different years have different boards and connectors. The dealer wanted something like $500 to order a programmed board, and I would have to leave the 4runner there the whole time so the mileage would match up!

I ended up not even using it because it turned out a burned up resistor on the existing board was the problem so i just soldered on a new one. Out $60 but saved $500 and didnt have to find someone to program it. I did actually use the backer panels out of it because mine had developed ugly bubbles.

Then you have to recalibrate the fuel guage on level ground.

 

[swelleriffic]

Been there done that. You have to replace the circuit board in the guage cluster with the updated version. Oh yeah and if I remember right the mileage has to be programmed in to it because it has the chip that stores the odo numbers. I got a whole new cluster off ebay for $60 to use, its a pain in the ass because different years have different boards and connectors. The dealer wanted something like $500 to order a programmed board, and I would have to leave the 4runner there the whole time so the mileage would match up!

I ended up not even using it because it turned out a burned up resistor on the existing board was the problem so i just soldered on a new one. Out $60 but saved $500 and didnt have to find someone to program it. I did actually use the backer panels out of it because mine had developed ugly bubbles.

Then you have to recalibrate the fuel guage on level ground.

Any chance you remember which resistor? I wouldn't mind attempting the same repair. I did pull the ODO circuit board and re-soldered all of the contacts, but still no worky. Everything looked ok on visual inspection but I didn't dig any further. I haven't replaced the sender, but if I could fix it by replacing a resistor that would be awesome.

 

[repo]

Any chance you remember which resistor? I wouldn't mind attempting the same repair. I did pull the ODO circuit board and re-soldered all of the contacts, but still no worky. Everything looked ok on visual inspection but I didn't dig any further. I haven't replaced the sender, but if I could fix it by replacing a resistor that would be awesome.

When I went to swap in the new board to test if it would work I noticed a component was melted on the old one. Then I remembered that electrical smoke had came out of the steering column a few years earlier but I could never find what had broken because everything still worked. The fuel guage still kind of worked but did the same kind of thing you described so I never connected it with the smoke. I'll see if I have a pic.

 

[repo]

Here's the pic of the problem on mine (bottom middle area). http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...ou-do-your-3rd-gen-today-638.html#post1915349

There is an eeprom chip that holds the mileage on that board so you can't simply swap them unless you get it programmed or whatever other legal way to record it allowed where you're at.

 

[PatrickStapler]

I guess I will just live with it and use the trip odometer to watch mileage. Oh well. I did try the recalibration process twice. Didn’t work.

 

[Ol'Blue]

Been there done that. You have to replace the circuit board in the guage cluster with the updated version. Oh yeah and if I remember right the mileage has to be programmed in to it because it has the chip that stores the odo numbers. I got a whole new cluster off ebay for $60 to use, its a pain in the ass because different years have different boards and connectors. The dealer wanted something like $500 to order a programmed board, and I would have to leave the 4runner there the whole time so the mileage would match up!

I ended up not even using it because it turned out a burned up resistor on the existing board was the problem so i just soldered on a new one. Out $60 but saved $500 and didnt have to find someone to program it. I did actually use the backer panels out of it because mine had developed ugly bubbles.

Then you have to recalibrate the fuel guage on level ground.

Funny you say that. So the Diag guy went after that first thing and its working like it should be and also sending single like it should.

Update: So the guys that put the hanger in didn't mount the sending correct I guess. At least when I took them the TSB and handed it to them they had that oh shit we ****ed up look. They are fixing it for again and no cost to me this time around. Also the new updated sender hit the fuel tank at the reserve level so they made a little change to the tank to it would sweep as it should, so we will see this time around.

At the least the shop owned up to it and are making it right which is why I took it to them.

I have done so much reading on this crap and its amazing that there is really not that much to it but it can be a real pain in the ass because there are so many different options depending on what plant made your 4Runner etc is what I found out.

I'll keep you guys posted on things. They are also testing it again to make sure so it will not come back.

 

[DED&DED]

For the record my vin is out of the range for the TSB; visual inspection of the plate 3# showed no damage; the resistance was not in range but no explanation for that; and problem presented itself after after market (U-Haul0 draw bar installation.

Went to REPO's post re: burned out resistor and will probably pull the plate again to see if we missed something. Installing a new plate did not fix the problem so we went back to the original and kept the mileage now at 306,000 miles.

 

[Makitso]

I am curious why you didn't take your truck to Toyota to be repaired and let them provide the parts? They will stand behind the repair parts and labor. They have the knowledge and experience to repair properly and would know about any TSB's that apply. By purchasing your own parts, you may save a few dollars, but if it fails you have to pay the labor all over again. Some times it's worth the extra dollars to use the dealer and may be cheaper in the long run.

 

[Ol'Blue]

I am curious why you didn't take your truck to Toyota to be repaired and let them provide the parts? They will stand behind the repair parts and labor. They have the knowledge and experience to repair properly and would know about any TSB's that apply. By purchasing your own parts, you may save a few dollars, but if it fails you have to pay the labor all over again. Some times it's worth the extra dollars to use the dealer and may be cheaper in the long run.

Because I worked in the Automotive Field I know better than to take anything complicated to my local dealer. They suck, plan and smiple. They send the hard stuff to the final Tech I sent it to anyhow. So it was all the same really.

 

[BrianSD_42]

You still around here in SD? Just curious if it was my local shop. I have found that every shop makes mistakes, can be quite frustrating but then again so can the dealer.

 

[fourfive]

Update: So the guys that put the hanger in didn't mount the sending correct I guess. At least when I took them the TSB and handed it to them they had that oh shit we ****ed up look. They are fixing it for again and no cost to me this time around. Also the new updated sender hit the fuel tank at the reserve level so they made a little change to the tank to it would sweep as it should, so we will see this time around.

At the least the shop owned up to it and are making it right which is why I took it to them.

My initial thought was that the newly replaced parts were somehow incorrectly installed since there weren't any other obvious issues that could have been contributing to the fuel gauge issues. It's cool that they acknowledged their mistake & correcting it. Are things working as it should after they corrected their mistake?

It would suck to do this after everything you've already had to deal with & it's never a pleasant experience having to disconnect all the lines to lower the gas tank but if you're still having the same issues it may be worth it to take a look at the installed parts to make verify that things were properly put back together.

 

[Ol'Blue]

My initial thought was that the newly replaced parts were somehow incorrectly installed since there weren't any other obvious issues that could have been contributing to the fuel gauge issues. It's cool that they acknowledged their mistake & correcting it. Are things working as it should after they corrected their mistake?

It would suck to do this after everything you've already had to deal with & it's never a pleasant experience having to disconnect all the lines to lower the gas tank but if you're still having the same issues it may be worth it to take a look at the installed parts to make verify that things were properly put back together.

Funny you ask,

So today I watched it like hawk because its the first trip back to work and that's over 200 miles. So at that mileage it was reading half full. So I did some quick math and yeah no way a 3rd gen is getting 400 miles to a tank so whipped in real quick to see how many gallons it would take. Well as soon as I stopped to fill up it dipped down to almost 3/4 tank.

So when I filled it up it took 13 gallons of fuel. So if it had 4 gallons in it that would put it right at 17. I guess the fill neck took the extra gallon. I'm still not convinced it is correct and tracking right. I'll be keeping an eye on it to say the least.

 

[the walrus]

Here's how I fixed the issue on my 2000. New OE parts installed correctly by me, and then the calibration procedure. Still works perfect. Both TSB PDFs are attached and I made a video showing an overview of the fix. -Justin

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...-how-fix-your-spastic-3rd-gen-fuel-gauge.html