1990 Civic Si Gas Gauge Stuck but limits amount of gas into tank??
08-25-2011, 04:50 AM
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1990 Civic Si Gas Gauge Stuck but limits amount of gas into tank??
Hey Guys,
I have a question that has my mechanic stumped.
I took my car in for a new catalytic convertor with 1/2 tank of gas in the car. After an hour or so the job was done.
As I pulled out I said, "Hope not to see you for a while!"
Pulled the car out of the bay and then the idle got too low and it died.
My mechanic laughed we pushed it into the bay and after checking all things he disconnected a hose to the air filter? and then sprayed something in it and the car started but died a second later. He told me it looked like I was out of gas. My gas gauge still said 1/2 tank. I went to the gas station and put one gallon of gas into the tank and tried starting it up again. No go. Then we changed the spark plugs and that did the trick. Started up.
I drove it around 20 miles or so and forgot to fill up the tank. I stopped at the store and lo and behold it wouldn't start. I remembered that I forgot to fill up the gas and I must have used the one gallon put in. I then went to the station to properly fill up the tank. The gas shut off after 6 gallons no matter what I tried.
The gauge read full.
Now I have driven 20 miles and the gas gauge seems stuck on full.
Does the gas gauge have anything to do with what makes the gas nozzle stop when it believes your car is filled with gas? I have a 11.9 gallon gas tank so if the car was filled with 1/2 tank of gas why is it stopping? Any ideas?
I have a question that has my mechanic stumped.
I took my car in for a new catalytic convertor with 1/2 tank of gas in the car. After an hour or so the job was done.
As I pulled out I said, "Hope not to see you for a while!"
Pulled the car out of the bay and then the idle got too low and it died.
My mechanic laughed we pushed it into the bay and after checking all things he disconnected a hose to the air filter? and then sprayed something in it and the car started but died a second later. He told me it looked like I was out of gas. My gas gauge still said 1/2 tank. I went to the gas station and put one gallon of gas into the tank and tried starting it up again. No go. Then we changed the spark plugs and that did the trick. Started up.
I drove it around 20 miles or so and forgot to fill up the tank. I stopped at the store and lo and behold it wouldn't start. I remembered that I forgot to fill up the gas and I must have used the one gallon put in. I then went to the station to properly fill up the tank. The gas shut off after 6 gallons no matter what I tried.
The gauge read full.
Now I have driven 20 miles and the gas gauge seems stuck on full.
Does the gas gauge have anything to do with what makes the gas nozzle stop when it believes your car is filled with gas? I have a 11.9 gallon gas tank so if the car was filled with 1/2 tank of gas why is it stopping? Any ideas?
08-25-2011, 08:41 AM
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Re: 1990 Civic Si Gas Gauge Stuck but limits amount of gas into tank??
I am interested in this... I feel like my sender unit is effing with stuff too. It dies like it is out of gas then if I wait it starts up... Almost like it is flooded. But go to put gas in and it overflows...
interested in a real answer.....
interested in a real answer.....
08-25-2011, 09:45 AM
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Re: 1990 Civic Si Gas Gauge Stuck but limits amount of gas into tank??
No, the gauge does not keep the pump from pumping gas into your tank. That is the job of the vapor recovery system on the pump. It's operated by eather an rubber boot over the pump nossle, or the holes in the metal part of the nossle.
Your tank is now full and it was only half-full when you left the mechanic. Your gas gauge is working correctly. You were never out of gas. You've got something else wrong with your car. Otherwise messing with the spark plugs wouldn't have made it start. Of the top of my head I would say it's either the main fuel pump relay is bad, or the igniter inside the distributor is going out (probably the first one).
Try swapping out the main relay from another EF or try taking the cover off and resoldering all the points. If that fixes the problem your good. Otherwise a new relay is $48. Usually when these start to go bad, the car will still start after a while. Some people go as far as bringing them inside with them when they go places, to keep them cool before the next drive.
A new OEM ignitor is $85. You could also try swapping out a known good Distributor to see if that fixes it. Usually when this goes bad, the car dies while your driving and it won't start again no matter what.
Your tank is now full and it was only half-full when you left the mechanic. Your gas gauge is working correctly. You were never out of gas. You've got something else wrong with your car. Otherwise messing with the spark plugs wouldn't have made it start. Of the top of my head I would say it's either the main fuel pump relay is bad, or the igniter inside the distributor is going out (probably the first one).
Try swapping out the main relay from another EF or try taking the cover off and resoldering all the points. If that fixes the problem your good. Otherwise a new relay is $48. Usually when these start to go bad, the car will still start after a while. Some people go as far as bringing them inside with them when they go places, to keep them cool before the next drive.
A new OEM ignitor is $85. You could also try swapping out a known good Distributor to see if that fixes it. Usually when this goes bad, the car dies while your driving and it won't start again no matter what.
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