I have a 2001 LeSabre Limited with a gas gauge that goes haywire when the tank is less than half full. I am guessing the sending unit is going out and was wondering if this can be done by a person with limited skills as a mechanic or do I need to take it in to the shop. What am I looking a cost wise? Thanks for the help.
If your car has lots of miles, it might be cost effective to replace the pump and the sender if you have to pay an independent mechanic. Use a Delphi or AC Delco pump is my opinion. If the car has been run low on gas often, the pumps may be nearer the end of life. You'll have to decide.
If you can do the work yourself and can work around fuel in the trunk--no sparks, use brass drifts to tap loose the lockring for example, have a low fuel in the tank, there are some repairs and videos to help.
A replacement float and electrical contact sender unit are $135 on RockAuto.com. A short cut replaces only the wiper arm where the contact prongs have worn by using a $35 harness piece for the sender for a Tahoe or Aurora repair. They disassembly the piece to get the wiper and tap it into your old gauge. Voila! New contacts. Working gauge--assuming that's is what's wrong with yours.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7cY_IPCVfI[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FST1whbcOk8[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N16YmV9xcw[/ame]
This is a popular guide. The part he's using is the one I have sitting in the post office for me to pick up Monday from RockAuto now to repair my 2003 leSabre at 120K which just started the same bad readings.
