Fuel gauge sticking

[jacobt4]

Ok, here is my latest problem. After asking this forum for help with the carb on my 2005 sportsman 500 this past summer (and by the way,the help was dead on on solving our carb issue) and while doing other maitenance work, my son and I took the fuel tank off of the machine. We turned it upside down to drain all the gas out of it and set it aside for about a week while we did the work on the carb.
Since we have put everything back together, the fuel gauge always reads full. Does not matter how much gas is in the tank. I have tried taking the body parts off to make sure all electrical connections are connected and I can find no wires that are not connected or loose.
Did we do something to the tank by turning it upside down? Or is there maybe a wire that I am just missing? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do not like letting my 15 year old son take the atv on rides and him not knowing the gas level.

[bgirard420]

Just guessing, but it sounds like you got the float stuck somehow. Especially if it was working fine and then after reassembly it's giving you a problem. I would see if you can't free it up somehow.

To test the sender you take the tank off and hook an ohm meter up to the plug that comes off the tank on the middle and far right prongs. It should read 5 ohms when empty and 90 ohms when full (+/- 5%). If it's not between this range or erratic than you could have a faulty sender.

[jacobt4]

Thanks for the info. I will try playing around with the float tonight and if that does not work, my son and I will take the tank off this weekend. If I need to replace the sending unit, where would be the best place to buy one? I don't have anyone local that I trust in getting a decent price. I know that if I have to replace the whole tank, that it will be expensive but I don't like the people who run the local Polaris dealer in Altoona, Pa

[bgirard420]

I read this post a while back, maybe it will help you? Smart dude repaired his "unserviceable" sender with parts from a local store.

fuel tank removal help

Hopefully it's just a stuck float though and you won't need to do any replacing. If you have to go the route of changing the tank I found this at hit the gas:

Hit-The-Gas New and Used OEM Parts for Polaris, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, ATV, Jet Ski, Motorcycle, Ranger, and Dirt Bike

It kills me that you can't just buy thee sender but thankfully your tank assembly is a little cheaper than the 2010s.