Forum:
My fuel gauge on my 94 Fourtrak seems to have taken on a life of it's own, when ever I drive off it will drop sometimes up to a quarter tank before climbing back up to show more fuel than I originally started with.
Is this a common problem or do I have a gifted car that gives me free fuel.
It sounds more like a wiring,
It sounds more like a wiring, or corroded wire, or sender problem which is not uncommon with older vehicles.
The sender is basically a variable resistor which works by the float moving an arm along a resisted track inside the tank.
Check the wiring and connections first, years of dirt and off roading can corrode these and alter their resistance. Clean, then lubricate them with Waxoyl to protect them.
If the wiring is fine then check the earth lead from the tank to body, if this is corroded or snapped, no circuit. This will then be relying on the connections of the bolts which will be corroded, to make the circuit.
If this is fine, then its the sender unit out, connect this to a multimeter and move the float to check the resistance varies. The most problematic issue is the wiper or track worn.