Fuel guage malfunction

[Huffa]

1995 Accord EX wagon ...............133,000 miles

 

To start off with, so you all know, I set my trip every time I fill up, so I know I really did have 5/8 of a tank of gas. Here is what happened ................

 

I left on my 18 mile jorney (damp & dreary, 55degrees) to work this morning with 5/8 of a tank and pulled in to a Turkey Hill and shut car off to get some java. This was only one mile from my work so I traveled about 17 miles.

 

Got back in, started her up and the guage only read 1/8 of a tank and only went up to 3/8 by the time I got to work.

 

I shut off and restarted it in parking lot (level ground) and sat there a few minutes and guage would still only go to 3/8.

 

Four hours later when done with work (had a short day) I got in and started it up and it still read only 3/8 BUT gradually fixed itself in about 5 miles and went back to 5/8 again.

 

I'm wondering if it was possible dampness in a electrical connection somewhere? If it was the actual float you would think it would not fix itself and stay down by 1/8.

 

Anything I should check that you know of that would cause this condition?

[Jeffro]

A mechanic will probably tell you to replace your pump, but you may want to test your electrical connections on your pump first if you feel comfortable enough to do it yourself. I'm not really familiar with 5th generations, but my 6th gen and my old 3rd gen (I thought, anyway) stayed at the level it was at when the car was turned off... Anyway, in my 6th gen, all the relays etc. are a part of the pump, so the mechanics I went to said "New pump. $xxx to fix it" when my gas light quit working. I could do it myself for $75, but I figure I can live without my low-gas light. Anyway, there's another relay or something on the pump that is for the guage, so I'd check that first...