Topic: Fuel gauge/sending unit not working?

[Sine Deviance]

Hi all, it's been a while since I've posted here. Been super busy with work and stuff, no time or money for Jeeping these days :(

Anyways, I have a '95 YJ Rio Grande edition that has a fuel gauge stuck on 'E.' This just started yesterday, it's always seemed to work fine until now. I thought someone had siphoned my gas until I put half a tank in it yesterday and the fuel gauge still ready 'Empty.' After having a minor heart attack I immediately searched Google and the forum but I kept getting stuff about the gauge being inaccurate, nothing useful about it not working at all.

I can't seem to find my Haynes manual. Before I start ripping apart the dash and/or thinking about the horror of draining and dropping my half-full fuel tank, I figured I would ask you guys first. Is this common? Probably just a stuck float? Will tapping the tank with a hammer help? Is there a fuse I should check? Or am I going to be dropping the tank and replacing a sending unit or fuel pump (god, please no?)

Any advice you guys can give would be extremely helpful. I'm very low on cash right now so the cheaper the fix, the better.

[sharpxmen]

you could unplug the connector and measure the voltage there, also measure the ohm value of the sending unit, i think it is 90ohm but should give you a different indication depending on how full/empty the tank is (i can't remember if it goes forward or backwards but if it varies between full and empty and your gauge still doesn't move then it's the gauge or wiring, otherwise the sender if the voltage checks out). having it stuck is not that common, worn out maybe or cracked float (which is not that common either since i think is some sort of plastic).