Low/No Fuel from half a tank?

[IceDigger]

Was driving my new Z06 yesterday and all of a sudden it says Low/No fuel on the readout when it was at a little less then half a tank last I looked, 5min previous.

So I pull into the gas station and it fills up with 10gal.

Any ideas what this could be?

Taking it in to the dealer on monday since its under warranty.

[Bill Burkholder]

Common problem with pre 2003. It's the sending unit. What kind of gas do you use and did you top the tank off on the last fillup??? Try some Techron full injector cleaner in your next tank of gas.

[IceDigger]

I always use 94 octane at Sunoco for all my cars and never top the tank off.

I'll try some of that, thanks for the heads up.

[Bill Burkholder]

Also, Steve the tech from Bryner's said that Sunoco has a high sulfur count and to avoid it. Try BP/Amoco...

[Glennm27]

Originally posted by Bill Burkholder
Also, Steve the tech from Bryner's said that Sunoco has a high sulfur count and to avoid it. Try BP/Amoco... ;iws

Check this out too
http://www.ccdv.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3256

[Al Betz]

My experience is that if I use Sunoco 94 which I usually do there is a good chance that when the fuel dropps below 1/4 tank it will show empty until the engine is restarted then it will show correctly for a while and drop to empty again. If I use Amoco or Exxon/Mobile I do not have the problem.

[92RAGTOP]

1997-2000: Service Bulletin: Inaccurate/Erratic Fuel Level Gauge Readings
Source: Chevrolet Dealer Service Bulletin
Number: 01-06-04-022
Subject: Inaccurate/Erratic Fuel Level Gauge Readings (Install New Sensor, Strainer and/or RH Fuel Sender Assembly)
Model Year: 1997-2000 Chevrolet Corvette
Condition
Some owners may comment about inaccurate/erratic fuel level gauge reading conditions such as those indicated below:
Fuel gage suddenly drops to E (empty) and CHECK GAGES message illuminates (DTC P1431 or P0461 set).
Fuel gage does not go to F (full) after filling fuel tank.
Vehicle runs out of fuel while the gage still indicates fuel is available.
Cause
The conditions indicated above may be the result of one or a combination of more than one of the causes indicated below:
Stuck or intermittent sticking of the sensor float arm.
Clogged/restricted R.H. fuel sender assembly jet pump.
R.H. jet pump unable to transfer fuel due to fuel vaporization resulting in bubble accumulation in the fuel strainer.
Correction
Inspect the Julian date codes located on the bar code labels attached to the R.H. and L.H. fuel level sender assembly cover plates as shown in the figure. If the R.H. sender date code is less/smaller than "01301", replace the complete assembly with a new fuel sender kit indicated below by model year. If the L.H. sender date code is less/smaller than "32791", replace the existing fuel sender sensor and strainer with those components contained in the applicable sensor and strainer kits shown below by model year.
To insure correct installation, follow the service procedure contained in the applicable Service Manual and the instructions contained in the service kits.
Parts Information
Part Number
Description
88896043
R.H. Fuel Sender Kit (1997-1999 M.Y.)
88895126
R.H. Fuel Sender Kit (2000 M.Y.)
88899034
Fuel Sensor Kit (1997-2000 M.Y.)
12458245
Fuel Strainer Kit (1997-1999 M.Y.)
12459862
Fuel Strainer Kit (2000 M.Y.)
GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, NOT a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform these technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See your GM dealer for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.

© Copyright General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

[YO-EL]

Before you run to the dealer for a sending unit replaement or pcm re-program, run a bottle of Techron in your gas tank, & switch to Shell V Power, Amoco or Mobil gasoline...

[hcvone]

Don't change your gas brand, that is total bull about Sunoco gas causing problems, the problem is poor design by GM since 97'. I had 5 C5's that ran nothing but Sunoco, never a fuel problem, many of my close frinds that have C5 Corvette's use 94 Sunoco only, they have not had any problems either. :confused: :confused:

[YO-EL]

Au contrair my friend as they say in Montreal..

The fuel sending unit issues have now been DIRECTLY related to the amount of "sulfur" content in gasoline brands..

People using Chevron fuel, with Techron, have NOT experienced any problems.. This is well documented....

In 2001, a pcm GM dealer update desensitized sending units, but even with the new design, they were prone to fail..

Using a bottle of Techron every 3000 miles, or changing to a Top Tier fuel, has virtually eliminated the problems..

[hcvone]

Originally posted by YO-EL
Au contrair my friend as they say in Montreal..

The fuel sending unit issues have now been DIRECTLY related to the amount of "sulfur" content in gasoline brands..

People using Chevron fuel, with Techron, have NOT experienced any problems.. This is well documented....

In 2001, a pcm GM dealer update desensitized sending units, but even with the new design, they were prone to fail..

Using a bottle of Techron every 3000 miles, or changing to a Top Tier fuel, has virtually eliminated the problems..


And as they say in Phila, total BS.

[YO-EL]

Originally posted by Al Betz
My experience is that if I use Sunoco 94 which I usually do there is a good chance that when the fuel dropps below 1/4 tank it will show empty until the engine is restarted then it will show correctly for a while and drop to empty again. If I use Amoco or Exxon/Mobile I do not have the problem.

What about Al's comments....BS too??

I quoted Steve Spencer in my post about sulfur content & using Techron & a Top Tier fuel.. Is he bs-ing us????

C'mon Carl... You can't fool us...
We all know you got about 5 million shares of Sun Oil..... ;)

[YO-EL]

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Retailers

Gasoline retailers must meet the high TOP TIER standards with all grades of gasoline to be approved by the automakers as providing TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.

In addition, all gasoline outlets carrying the brand of the approved retailer must meet the TOP TIER standards.

Additional gasoline retailers are added to the TOP TIER list as they meet the standards. The retailers known to be on the TOP TIER list are shown below.

TOP TIER Gasoline Retailers:

QuikTrip
Chevron
Conoco
Phillips
76
Shell
Entec Stations

Hummmm I don't see Sunoco on that list...I wonder why?

http://www.toptiergas.com/index.html
http://www.toptiergas.com/why.html
http://www.chevrontexaco.com/news/press/2004/2004-12-17_1.asp
http://www.aiada.org/article.asp?id=29866
http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/columnists/chi-0412190322dec19,0,823307.column

Even the BIG 3 Car mfgr's use a TOP Tier fuel w/ TECHRON
http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/fuels/techrongas/successbig3.shtml

[hcvone]

Originally posted by YO-EL


What about Al's comments....BS too??

I quoted Steve Spencer in my post about sulfur content & using Techron & a Top Tier fuel.. Is he bs-ing us????

C'mon Carl... You can't fool us...
We all know you got about 5 million shares of Sun Oil..... ;)



No not Al's comments, but Steve's Spencer comments I do and have disagreed with from when he first stated them, he is wrong, and has been proved wrong over and over again, and for the record I only own Exxon/Mobil. :)

[hcvone]

Originally posted by YO-EL
Hummmm I don't see Sunoco on that list...I wonder why?

[/B]


If you would bother to read your link you would see that Top Tier is a VOLUNTARY standard, Exxon/Mobil, BP Amoco, Sunoco and Valero have not made a decision about being in the program.

[Glennm27]

;hw ;bm

[hcvone]

Originally posted by Glennm27
;hw ;bm

;hw ;hw

[YO-EL]

Originally posted by hcvone



If you would bother to read your link you would see that Top Tier is a VOLUNTARY standard, Exxon/Mobil, BP Amoco, Sunoco and Valero have not made a decision about being in the program.

Maybe thats because they VOLUNTEER NOT to spend the money on the additives & additional processing to MAKE their fuel Top Tier compliant....

...

[hcvone]

It's like Amsoil, Red Line and Royal Purple synthetic oils, they are far superior to other synthetic oils, but these do not carry the GM seal of approval because they did not want to waste money having their product approved by GM, because I guess they feel it would not help their bottom line. The same is probably true for the Top Tier, if it does not help your bottom line, then why spend the money. It would be like Cool Aid joining every AC and Heating org. out there, and there are more than you can count, would that help your bottom line? Probably not. ;)

[YO-EL]

Those lubricants may not have a GM stamp of approval, but they DO EXCEED the specifications for GM approved lubricants, so in esscence, they ARE superior...

If a brand of gas is not on the Top Tier list, it is not because they didn't pay, its because their gas did not meet the requirements/specifications that is required to be a Top Tier fuel...
By INDEPENDENT testing & analysis....


Question:
Why do you discount what Steve & GM says about sulfur content?

Is it because you have not experienced it personally?

You know many many guys have said they have issues w/ Sunoco.
You are the only person I know who uses it & never had an issue with the sending units, and at the same time does not use Techron.

I think if GM recognizes that sulfur content can & does promote the sending unit issue, then it is valid..

As you know, I have had many sending units replaced, UNTIL I switched gas brands..

I have just for the first time poured in a bottle of Techron, and will do so once a year for sending unit, intake valves & injector cleaning, as recommended by Steve..

I am also going to use Shell V Power instead of Amoco, until I see that Amoco is back on the Top Tier fuel list..

I have a question for you..
When or IF (haha) your sending unit does fail... What would you do?
a) get it changed?
b) switch gas brands?
c) use a bottle of Techron & keep the same gas brand?
d) use a bottle of Techron & switch gas brands?

PS... good discussion going on here......;bt
but do you think anyone else besides, you , me, Glenn, Bill & Al are reading this? haha...

[hcvone]

If a brand of gas is not on the Top Tier list, it is not because they didn't pay, its because their gas did not meet the requirements/specifications that is required to be a Top Tier fuel...
By INDEPENDENT testing & analysis....


Again I do not think you are reading the info correctly. This if from Top Tier web site:


Some companies appear to be hesitant about participating. ExxonMobil Corp. said Monday that it had not made a decision about Top Tier, although it is certain its gasoline would meet the standard. BP Amoco did not return a telephone call seeking comment, although earlier in the year it said it had not made any decision about Top Tier. Valero Corp., a large independent refiner that also markets gasoline under the Valero and Diamond Shamrock brands, said it was evaluating the program.

I see more Vette owners a month than most people, and many ask me what fuel I use, and they tell me what they use, and I hear the name Sunoco more than all other brands put together, most of my customers have NOT had their car back to the dealer for warranty work of any kind, but there were some owners that did have fuel sending problems, at that time I never asked them about their fuel choice, I started asking about a year ago when I heard that SS from Bryner was talking trash about Sunoco, I started charting customers and problems. From my findings I can tell you that more people has fuel sender problems with Amoco 93, and that is rated one of the cleanest fuels on the market, I am sure if Exxon/Mobil, Sunoco and Amoco what to be in this program, all their gas will pass these tests. I do not use Techron additive, and if I ever had my sending unit replaced, I would still use Sunoco 94, and will use Sunoco in my new Z06, and only Sunoco 94. Just a side note, I have a customer that owns (2) C5 Z06's, and (2) Sunoco gas stations, I think he purchased one from Bryner, and he is less than pleased with the comments coming from them about Sunoco fuel (more to come I am sure. Your last question, I don't think anyone else is reading this crap. ;)

[YO-EL]

You're probably right on there bro...

I used to use exclusively Amoco, and man did I go thru my share of sending units..

Once I switched to Texaco, no more porblems..

I will now use Shell V Power since Texaco converted to Shell..

Most guys from the forum who had issues solved them by using Chevron gas, (which contains Techron)....

No Chevrons around here, so its a bottle of Techron a year for me & Shell V Power..

Lost of guys have problems with the Sunoco gas...
1 tank for me & blam, down to zero..
Al, Mike Campbell, plenty of others report the same thing with Sunoco.. Oh well......

Steve see's more C5's than ANY of us, (even you!), so if he feels Sunoco gas, for whatever reason is a contributing factor in sending unit failure, I'll believe him..

As they say in Huntingdon Valley, "the facts are the facts"...
Right?

[hcvone]

I do not believe him, that's my story and I am sticking with it. ;)

[Mike Campbell]

I think the key is that if you switch gas brands alot, you won't have any trouble. Or if you stick with and pay the premium for Sunoco, you won't have any trouble. But, if you use a non high sulfur gasoline, exclusively for several years, and then switch, especially with 2001 and older cars...you will have a potential problem. Nancy & I even had a problem with a vette we rented in Scottsdale, AZ two years ago...;yn GM has noted the problem and the new sending units have been modified. ;yn And that's the truth....PPLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLFFTTT !!! :D

[Glennm27]

A late comer, Mike Campbell jumps into the ring to throw a few punches.

This is a fun thread.

I've gotten some enjoyment for about 3 days now......


;ht ;bm

[hcvone]

Will putting beer in the tank cause any sending unit problems?

[YO-EL]

Originally posted by hcvone
Will putting beer in the tank cause any sending unit problems?

Nope....

Why not try some sugar... Let me know how that goes... ;)

[hcvone]

I am sugar free. ;) I still like the beer thing. :)

[Mike Campbell]

Hey Carl...haven't you and I been known to fill up our tanks with beer on occasion?? :D :D

[hcvone]

Originally posted by Mike Campbell
Hey Carl...haven't you and I been known to fill up our tanks with beer on occasion?? :D :D

I am planning on filling mine at your house real soon. ;)

[IceDigger]

heh

Maybe Ill just buy my gas from wawa now, thats the next closest gas station.

BTW, just purchased a 4 year Platinum AAA warranty for the car. Can never be too safe.