ok, so my fuel guage sometimes is accurate, but there have been times that i've had 1/8 tank according to my guage, and i'm dry. what can i do? my mechanic tells me i need to get the whole pump, and everything all together, which he says is $550.00...any other way?

I do believe you can buy the sending unit separate from the pump. still have to drop the tank though.



Desert Tuners

“When you come across a big kettle of crazy, it’s best not to stir it.”

hmmm...would something like this be a gm part, or have you guys seen any aftermarket ones anywhere? anyplace i've looked, i don't see anything that will help me.

It's a good thing you gave some info about your car. Genius.

hmmm...its interesting that if anyone has the slightest problem with your post, they start getting offensive.

its a 00 2.2 auto base coupe in white, my dash has a crack, and its dirty as hell, oh, and my radio doesn't play in my right speakers...nuff info for ya?...now, is it a gm only part?

Thats probably why this site is so dead, they run everyone off. Since no one is here to try to help, and they just like to piss people off.
Try your local auto parts store, the guy at the counter should be able to find out for you.

an 1/8 of a tank isnt much and depending if your parked on a hill or not could give you a wrong reading. honestly you should never let your tank run that low anyway.

thanks, i'll look around here, and see what i can find...i googled if the pump and sending unit are the same, and quite a few results said that it is, and its the fuel pump module...do these things usually go bad?(the guage, not pump)...i want to put in a better pump soon, and don't really want to put in a new stock one to take it out...waste of money, ya know?

thanks for the help!

alot of the gm fuel pumps come as one unit pump and sending unit.

heres a interesting find
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-FUEL-SENDING-UNIT-1999-2000-CHEVY-CAVALIER-MU181_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7 c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem170274217679QQitemZ170274217679QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

thanks! just got it...hopefully it really it was it says...if not, its only $40...

AWD GS wrote:an 1/8 of a tank isnt much and depending if your parked on a hill or not could give you a wrong reading. honestly you should never let your tank run that low anyway.

I agree. I can let mine get that low take a turn hard run low turn the other way get 1/4 them sit still and be at a 1/16th. Its not a mechanical problem just your fuel moving around.

but i've been sitting in my driveway, and it moves around(just started)...once it went from 1/2, down to almost e, to a little less then 1/4, all with in a few seconds...

btw, about what you said, is there anyway to change that? i know newer cars have something in them so even if you're taking fast hard turns, it keeps your fuel going to the pump...anyone know if a cavi can be modded for this?

just go to a wrecker get a new level sensor remove the old one and replace call it a day

theres nothing wrong with the sender its just the level sensor on the side



JBO since July 30, 2001

The rumor is that the problem is caused by sulfur content in the fuel. The newer senders are a printed circuit board type design that has a progressive resistance. Very much like the older senders that were a simple wire wound board. The rumor is that the sulfur content in the fuel causes a film on the board contacts causing corrosion and / or false readings. The older ones had heavier contacts and wire that apparently the sulfur didnt effect. You have to also take in account that the older ones were 0 to 90 ohms and the newer ones are 40 to 240 ohms, That looks to me like more sensitivity, but thats just my opinion. The newer ones are also read by the ecm which who knows what happens to the signal in there before it reaches the cluster. I have never had a 0-90 ohm sender fail to be accurate. Gm should have left it alone. They just had to add it to the function of the check gauges light.

Dave just change the sender , the same as the assembly that was on the ebay listing. That is how I do them at work, Very simple once you get the tank down. I have changed lots of them, mostly all GM. S10 trucks, blazers, trailblazers, Envoy,venture and montana vans, cavs, sunfires, Malibu, Impala....... Pretty much from 2000 up to around 03-04. No full size trucks or the higher end cars like buicks and caddy's though. I dont know if Gm has addressed this issue on the new cars but as cars go out of warranty I may be seeing another year added to my list.

As far as upgrading your stock pump. I dont really see the need to. Many of us on here are running oe pumps with larger than stock engines with no problems. Unless your going to a turbo app or some setup needing Lots of fuel you will be fine. If you need more pump , your going to need more of other items before that, like, injectors, ecm upgrades, and serious engine mods, fuel would be the least of your worries.


01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e

I forgot to tell you about the baffles. There are baffles , like little half walls that keep the fuel from sloshing around in the tank. This keeps the fuel level steadier and the fuel height steadier when getting low. In no way will it restrict fuel flow as It appears that you were thinking. Most cars it will appear as a large C shaped 3-4 inch tall plastic wall surrounding the sender, with the opening of the C shape allowing fuel in to the pump and sender. Some times there is another short wall blocking the direct flow to the C opening. There is no need to remove it or modify it, the only way to remove it would be to cut the tank open.
Our, well, my gauge will fluctuate on long left and right turns, but doesn't seem to change as much on stop and go. Sitting still you should be able to keep a steady reading.


01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e

ya cavis have the baffles already

hmmm...so, since it goes crazy even when i'm not moving, replace the sending unit, level reading sensor, or both?

I think maybe you got confused. The sending unit , the level reading sensor and fuel level sender are the same part. The only 2 ways to buy it is to buy it seperatly or as a part of the fuel pump module assembly. You just need the fuel level sender, not the whole fuel pump assembly(cause your pump is good).



01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e

i'm getting that...40 bucks off of ebay...ok, so i'm good...thanks guys! i was gonna be PISSED if i had to get the whole module, cuz places here want 550 for it, and i want to put in a aftermarket pump this summer, so the pump would be a huge waste.

check the gauges to i know i had the same problem but mine was happing in the gauges

hmmm...i never thought of that...how do i fix the guages?(maybe time for a junkyard visit?)

I had the same trouble, so I swaped out the cluster and it solved the prob. They sell clusters on e-bay pretty cheap. I think i paid 3 bucks for mine pluss 13.00 for shipping

hmmm...now just to find the cluster with the tach...yesterday i looked and there were only the ones with the temp, speed, and fuel...wanna get the same one as i have now, cuz i like having a tach.

thanks a lot! i'll keep lookin in there

ok, well there is one for 102.00...but there is a sunfire cluster for 35.xx with 3 days left on it...i'm assuming i can use it too, right?...or no?

As long as the sunfire cluster is 00-05, yes