possible messed up fuel gauge

[avengeffaf]

i just got through installing those el/br reverse glow gauges (took sooo sooo sooo long) anyhoo, in the process of sliding the gauges on over the old ones, i had to move the fuel gauge needle to full so that it wouldn't break. when finished, i moved the needle back to approximately what i thought it was originally. i didn't think much of it at the time. after putting everything back together and driving the car around for a while, i noticed the needle for the fuel seemed to move up just slightly and then it stopped all together. i drove around more, and i definitely used up what i thought would be enough gas to get the needle to drop to at least 1/2 tank, but the needle still stayed at just about full. all the other needles in the cluster seem to be working fine. (for example, the temperature needle right next to it is working fine, so i assume all the wire connectors are snug & in place.) is there something else i should check out, or just go ahead and pick up a new cluster off eBay? thanks for any help.

[DrewsCam]

u broke the spring in the needle, mine is a little off cause mine got messed up when i did it

go fill up and a see what happens then u gotta remember where full is and adjust from there

[avengeffaf]

thanks for the response.

yeah, needle did nothing on fill-up
guess i am sol.
better find one on ebay now...

[DrewsCam]

yea u need a new one just the spring off a othercluster dont change out everything

[avengeffaf]

i'm not sure where i'd be able to get the spring alone.
i feel dumb having broken this...

[leasaunce]

damn...thats sux! yeah i think you broke the spring. i did that too last week when i coloured my needles. But in my case all the gauge did not work. so i checked the fuse box and it was the fuse.

[DrewsCam]

u gotta get a whole cluster get one off ebay

alot cheaper then a dealer i got a quote of 300 or so from toyota and i went on ebay and got a cluster for like 50 bucks shipped

[ToyotaGuy50]

I don't think there's a spring in the fuel gauge or it would bounce to E when the power is off.

I just installed indiglos myself on my 99 Camry and I did and thought the same as you.
I thought it I screwed it up!
I filled my tank up and ran it for a week to see if it was just my fear and imagination... my fuel gauge turned out o be just fine.

Advice fill your tank up and see if the nnedle reads full-(like mine did) and drive 3-400 miles and watch the gauge go down.

Remember how slow your fuel gauge reacts very...very ...very slowly and that it is a tell tale gauge. It stops where it is when the power is shut down.

I later recalled siphoning 5 gals for a gas can from my car once and remebering that the Fuel gauge stayed right where it was and didn't move down until I had been running the car
for almost 20 minutes.

[avengeffaf]

interesting.
i have so little patience though, i already snagged one off ebay :-P

oh well, i will see what happens, maybe i can resell it.

[DrewsCam]

Originally Posted by ToyotaGuy50

I don't think there's a spring in the fuel gauge or it would bounce to E when the power is off.

I just installed indiglos myself on my 99 Camry and I did and thought the same as you.
I thought it I screwed it up!
I filled my tank up and ran it for a week to see if it was just my fear and imagination... my fuel gauge turned out o be just fine.

Advice fill your tank up and see if the nnedle reads full-(like mine did) and drive 3-400 miles and watch the gauge go down.

Remember how slow your fuel gauge reacts very...very ...very slowly and that it is a tell tale gauge. It stops where it is when the power is shut down.

I later recalled siphoning 5 gals for a gas can from my car once and remebering that the Fuel gauge stayed right where it was and didn't move down until I had been running the car
for almost 20 minutes.

trust me there is a spring i had it replaced, its not a big deal, the spring keeps the needle at level it doesnt bounce it back in forth