Whats up, Im new to accords but familer with honda's I just got a 1995 accord lx but gas hand doesnt work. I've tested my fuel sending unit and picked up a spare still nothing. Soooo pretty sure its the wiring or gauge itself. At the moment I really dont have the money to swap clusters and waste $$ and it not even work still. My question is ill just fill it up and set my trip meter but whats a safe mileage to go to until filling up again? I know what the specs say but im looking for a more real world answer from someone who has done it. Its a auto and im not out racing so im pretty conservative on the pedal. Thanks in advance.

 

I usually fill up around 400 miles. I put in about 13 gallons. You should be very safe between 300 - 350.

 

Welcome JustaDD - have the '97 AT (same car), so went out and looked.
320 miles since fill-up; gauge showing exactly 1/4 tank left.
Edit: 17 gallon tank, btw.

 

The gas mileage on your car can vary. When my 95 accord was in its prime, my car would get around 500 miles to a tank when I would drive to visit my parents on the highway. In town was around 350.

As the car got over 220K miles, I would get around 400-450 on the highway. I would get around 250 in town. I could never figure out why I had such a drastic drop in gas mileage.

My one suggestion would be to check the low fuel light. If you unplug the three-pin connector to the sending unit and short the light green/red wire to the black wire using a piece of wire or a paperclip, the low fuel light should turn on. If it does, then you will at least have an idea that you should fill up soon.

Removing the cluster and replacing the fuel gauge isn't too bad of a DIY. If you have a U-Pull-It junkyard, you may be able to pick up a cluster for pretty cheap and just swap the fuel gauge. Ebay may be another place to find one at a reasonable price. We can give you some details on how to do this.

You could try redoing any solder joints on the fuel gauge circuit board if you know how to do that kind of stuff.

 

Did you perform the short circuit test of the fuel gauge described in manuals?

Remove fuel level /fuel pump connector in trunk and short the sending wire (yel/blu) to ground (blk). This will drive the gauge towards full (if working) and confirm a working gauge.

Note, you must be careful to only ground momentarily to avoid damaging the gauge movement by driving forcefully against the end stop.

good luck

 

Thanks for the quick reply guys, for now ill shoot for 325 cause I've made it there so far. But I was looking for info on jumping the sending unit, thanks for that. But my gauge is currently on full so jumping those wires wont reveal any results will it. Also that's another great tip checking the low fuel light.

I do have a good junkyard with about 7 accords on the yard. I really just hate cold weather that's really the main reason I didn't go pick one up. But I do like a working gauge. I know some 96-97 cluster intenals are different so just play it safe and go with the 94-95?

By opinion is it better to swap a whole cluster or just the bad gauge. I have some successful soldering experience with fixing my da integra heating controls

 

To keep the mileage and that, if the fuel gauge is bad, I would only replace that. If you can get the whole cluster for not much I would but only use the pieces parts as needed....never know when the PCB for the speedo is going to go but no way of knowing if the one you get is good?

 

a good way for you to find out how many miles you can go on a take would be to get a small portable container and fill it up strap it up right in the trunk and do you normal driveing then when you either run out or your car starts sputtering alot you know your almost out of gas. write down the milage and then go fill back up now you know your cars specific travel distance and know how far you can push before your SOL The small can is for a good back up to get you to a gas station in case you run completly out so you can get some where and get more gas. Key things to do during the week you try it is to alwas leave for somewhere with enough time to have the gas run out and fill back up. With your gas gauge not working its not a bad idea to have a small amout of gas stored in the trunk Just in case!!!! better to have and need then need and not have

 

Easier to just use 300 or 325, than after a couple trips to the gas station you'll know how much fuel you pump to fill it. Compare to the fuel tank capacity (listed in owners manual) then adjust if you think you're cutting it too close.

 

IMO, Jim is right, just use 300 - 350 miles as a gauge and you should be good to go. You have the same size tank as I do 17 gallons. I use approximately 13 gallon's to go 400 miles.