I just got this truck a few weeks ago and still getting to know it. So far I've only made short trips in it but now it's adding up to quite a few. I noticed on the last couple of trips the gas gauge stopped going down around just above the halfway mark. It would go below half if I made a turn, etc sometimes but would still work its way back up. I knew this truck wasn't getting mpg in the 20s so got worried about a stuck gauge.

Tonight I started it up and the gauge went down to between 1/4 and half.

Going by my calculations that was about right, which also indicate the truck is getting from 11-13 mpg. Is that about right for a 98 with 237,000 miles and being bone stock?

I think this truck sat for some time before I bought it. Do you think maybe it just needs to be used more and get things flowing again? Or do I need a new sending unit?

If so should I just get a new fuel pump and everything as they are mainly sold together? Any brands to stay away from? Motorcraft is out of the question expensive!

 

That mileage isn't unusual.

 

Thanks for the input. Only thing I had to go by was internet research which I did before buying it. I didn't mention it but this is the second time this exact thing has happened. It first happened when I first bought the truck and the gauge said 3/4 full. When it got down to half it stayed forever at half until I cranked it up one night and boom it was at just above 1/4. That's when I put $20 worth in it ($2/gallon here) so was able to go by my calculations of miles driven vs gallons used, roughly.

At least I have some mile measurements to go by now as I drive it for a while to see how things go, so I don't run out of gas.

I have no problem dropping the tank and changing the unit (after all else I've been through with it so far), the concern is with getting a new pump. I don't know if this is the original pump and might be something bulletproof that's going to go for 200,000 more miles or was it changed at some point? Putting a new one in might screw that up.

 

Well I've done a lot of research and got a lot further than I thought I would within a few hours. I've decided on a Delphi pump/sender assembly that's a reasonable price from Rockauto.

Thanks for what info you gave me glc. I appreciate your responses.

 

Does anyone know what kind and size (if any) fuel line disconnects there are so I can buy the tools for them?