FUEL GAUGE PLAYING UP ONLY WORKS SOMETIMES ?

I would suspect the ignition switch (electrical) is the problem due to the age of your Jeep. Sometimes when you turn the ignition key if it's really bad, you will feel a bit of roughness indicating the switch is breaking apart inside.

Turn the key from off to on repeatedly and see if you notice if the fuel & volt gauges work each time.

If you find it's not the switch, you'll need to check your wiring ground locations to make sure they are not rusted and are making good electrical contact. Specifically, a ground wire to the dash panel.

If all grounds are in excellent condition then you may need to trace the wiring from the battery to the ign. switch to the gauges to see if you can find any damaged loose or pinched wiring. A good 12 volt test light should help you to isolate and find this issue, start at the battery and work your way through:)

FLEX your wiring a bit and make sure it's still flexible. Sometimes your wiring can become so corroded over time that current barely makes it to the destination.


Good luck.

If your fuel gauge is showing you in accurate readings this is normal to all vehicles that are not used to fill-up gas full regularly but sometimes the cause of the inacuracy is due to faulty float valve in the gas tank you need to replace it

The fuel level indicating system is a magnetic type system, which consists of the sending unit located in the fuel tank, an anti-slosh module located on the back of the instrument cluster, and a fuel gauge located in the instrument cluster. The sending unit changes resistance according to the level of fuel in the fuel tank, which varies the current flow through the gauge.The pointer position varies proportionately to the current flow. In this system, the sending unit resistance is low (22 ohms) when the fuel level is low and high( 145 ohms) when the fuel level is high. The pointer of the magnetic gauge remains in position when the ignition is turned to the Off position. On some models, an anti-slosh module is used to dampen out fluctuating fuel signals from the sender. Some vehicles are equipped with a low fuel warning indicator. The anti-slosh module will also actuate the low fuel indicator when the fuel level in the tank reaches 1/16 to 1/8 full.


Do your other gauges/warning indicators work properly with the ignition on? If not, check for power at the fuse panel/fuses.

If they do then partially remove your cluster with connector still installed and check for voltage at cluster connector and gauge. Check continuity of cluster and gauge for ground.

Sometimes the anti-slosh module (if installed) goes bad in the Grand Marquis but not likely.

Sender troubleshooting:

1. Perform test with resistors as follows:

1. Disconnect wiring connector at sender unit, then connect resistor between gauge lead and a suitable ground.
2. Turn ignition switch to On position.
3. With 145 ohm resistor, the gauge pointer should contact the Full mark.
4. With 22 ohm resistor, the gauge pointer should contact the Empty mark.

1. Perform test with fuel sender of known quality as follows:

1. Turn ignition to Off position.
2. Disconnect wiring connector from sender and connect it to test sender.
3. Move float rod away from fuel filter against Full stop position. Wait approximately 30 seconds, then turn ignition switch to On position. The gauge should read on or above the Full mark.
4. Move float rod toward fuel filter against Empty stop position. Turn ignition switch to Off position. Wait approximately 30 seconds, then turn ignition switch to On position. The gauge should read on or below the Empty mark. If gauge works properly replace sender, which involves dropping fuel tank.
   

if it worked for a short period of time after doing the pump/sending unit the check the connections going to the pump/sending unit they would have been moved around doing the pump

First disconnect the fuel relay and start the engine and let it run until it cuts off.There is a fuel service port that is on the fuel rail.You will need a fuel pressure gauge then connect it to the service port and turn key on and read gauge.After reading gauge you can put the relay back in.

The fuel sending unit is bad. When they go bad they will read at different levels than what is in the tank. It could be grounding out but not likely when you remove the power wires.

It's located in the kick panel called gauge fuses.

When testing a fuel guage you should disconnect the wires to it,guage should read over full,ground the float wire,turn off key then turn back on should read empty.You have to cycle the key for guage to move.If still inop the wire is broken in the harness between the tank and the dash.Voltage on the float wire is low.When tested with a test light it will barely light the light and pulsate.This test indicates the wiring is good.

When gauge is pegged at full, usually means a bad ground. Check wires at fuel tank, wiggle around, maybe one came off. The bad news is it is hard to get to without removing the tank. Sometimes you can reach arm in and get to them. Also check body ground at read of van.

This is a normal concern.
The instrument cluster uses 4 different operating modes to calculate the fuel level:
Anti-slosh (default mode)
Key OFF fueling
Key ON fueling
Recovery
After a fuel fill up, the time for the fuel gauge to move from empty (E) to full (F) ranges from 2 seconds to 55 minutes depending on which operating mode the fuel gauge is in.
The default fuel gauge mode is called the anti-slosh mode. To prevent fuel gauge changes from fuel slosh (gauge instability due to changes in fuel sender readings caused by fuel moving around in the tank), the fuel gauge takes approximately 55 minutes to go from empty (E) to full (F).
The key OFF fueling mode (2 seconds to read empty [E] to full [F]) requires 3 conditions be met:
The key must be in the OFF position throughout the entire refueling of the vehicle.
At least 15% of the vehicle's fuel capacity must be added to the fuel tank.
The instrument cluster must receive a valid key ON fuel sender reading within 1 second of the key being put into the RUN position. The key ON sample readings are considered valid if the fuel sender reading is between 15 ohms ± 2 ohms and 160 ohms ± 4 ohms.
If these conditions are not met, the fuel gauge stays in the anti-slosh mode, which results in a slow to read full (F) event.
The key ON fueling mode (approximately 90 seconds to read empty [E] to full [F]) requires 3 conditions be met:
The transmission is in PARK (P).
The key is in the RUN position.
At least 15% of the vehicle's fuel capacity must be added to the fuel tank.
In key ON fueling mode, a 30-second timer activates after the transmission is put into the PARK (P) position (automatic transmissions). When the 30-second time has elapsed and at least 15% of the vehicle's fuel capacity has been added, the fuel gauge response time is 90 seconds to read from empty (E) to full (F). When the transmission is shifted out of PARK (P), the fuel gauge strategy reverts to the anti-slosh mode. The key on refueling mode prevents slow to read full events from happening if the customer refuels the vehicle with the key in the RUN position.
Recovery mode is incorporated into the instrument cluster strategy to recover from a missing fuel level input during a refueling event. Missing fuel level inputs result from intermittent opens in the fuel sender or its circuits. Recovery mode (empty [E] to full [F] approximately 20 minutes) is initiated when the following 2 conditions are met:
The instrument cluster is in the anti-slosh (default) mode.
The actual fuel level in the tank is greater than what is being displayed by the fuel gauge