I recently put new spark plugs in my Saturn. It runs better now than it has in a while. Although I am having a strange issue with the gas gauge now. It occasionally ticks upward while I’m driving and without putting gas in. This used to happen very rarely, but now it happens a lot, and the jumps are bigger. I was driving down the highway today and my gauge jumped from 1/4 to 1/2 all of a sudden. What is going on and how do I fix it?
If the gauges twitch that’s usually a sign that the electrical system is failing. Check the voltage output from the alternator (which should have a built-in voltage regulator).
It could be a lose ground wire, which can be a bitch to find, but would be fairly easy to fix. Have you looked for a service bulletin on the problem? I would contact my local Chevy dealer and see if they know anything about it. They should be able to point you in the right direction.
Assuming you used the correct replacement plug of reasonable high quality, then it’s either the sending unit in the gas tank, the actual gauge on your dashboard or something in between. I would try and reset your car’s computers, though I can’t imagine this would fix the problem, but it’s cheap and easy to do. You might get lucky and the computer will throw an error-code and light up your “check engine light”. Then just read the code and replace the part it tells you is broken.
Didn’t work … then it’s the sending unit or gauge … neither are good DIY projects. Does your odometer work?
ETA: That’s if both the above posts don’t pan out …
My odometer does work. It’s only the fuel gauge that’s twitching.
I used official ACDelco/ GM plugs so I don’t think that’s the issue.
Either a bad connector (to the sending unit) or a bad ground. No connection to the spark plugs-just coincidence.
Unless they were rooting around in a jam-packed engine compartment and jostled a wiring harness or connector while struggling to swap a spark plug.
But other than that I agree the plugs themselves certainly aren’t causing the fuel gauge problem.
I had a bad sender in my gas tank. Rather than have the repair done, I just used my odometer to keep track of when I was down to a quarter tank.