2000 Silhouette fuel guage problem

When my fuel guage gets below 1/4, it will spike up to full for long periods of time, only return to empty on the guage when the low fuel light comes on. Any ideas which component to replace? Help please?

Sounds like the fuel gage sending unit needs to be replaced. On most autos, its located within the gas tank. What's involved is dropping the gas tank from under the vehicle and replacing the sending unit. You must be careful or a fire episode could occur, i.e. don't attempt this if your not an experienced mechanic. If the auto has high mileage on it, you might as well replace the fuel pump as well and get kill two birds with one stone (or cost of labor).

Good Luck.

I have the same problem with my 2001 Silhouette. Any luck with a repair?

Most likely the sending unit. It's actually not too difficult to replace and despite what Milo said, there isn't a huge risk of a fire. Work in a well ventalated area and you'll be fine. The hardest part is just getting it out, and as long as the tank is nearly empty, that isn't that hard.

Amazing how these cars have the same issues across years/models. I have the exact problem with my 99 silo's fuel gauge. I agree with cdru, its not that big a deal to change out, all the effort is removing the tank and putting it back. The fuel pump should be changed while you are in there; my 93 s10 fuel pump went out at 115,000 and my 92 transport failed around 120,000. In both cases, it was getting the tank down and accessable that was the issue to get around.
You want to clean the area around the tank opening before you take the seal ring off--don't want any crud getting down into the tank.

Amazing how these cars have the same issues across years/models. I have the exact problem with my 99 silo's fuel gauge.You can thank Eli Whitney and the interchangable part for that. Many many many parts on vehicles get reused across sibling vehicles such as the Venture/Montana/Silhouette. Quite often it's even broader then that such as the intake gasket. It fits any 3400 engine. Car manufacturers want to reduce the price of the vehicle as much as they can, so they reuse the same parts across different makes, models, as well as years. The actual part may not cost much to make, but the designing and testing of that part can be a major cost. Plus if every make, model, and year had every part unique, the warehouse space requirements would be enormous.

You can thank Eli Whitney and the interchangable part for that. Many many many parts on vehicles get reused across sibling vehicles such as the Venture/Montana/Silhouette. Quite often it's even broader then that such as the intake gasket. It fits any 3400 engine. Car manufacturers want to reduce the price of the vehicle as much as they can, so they reuse the same parts across different makes, models, as well as years. The actual part may not cost much to make, but the designing and testing of that part can be a major cost. Plus if every make, model, and year had every part unique, the warehouse space requirements would be enormous.

That was sarcasm above. What I should have said was that I'm constantly amazed at GM for allowing known problems to continue across model years/and product lines when they know full well there is a design flaw in a part. As is the case for instance in the 4t65e transmission with valve scoring , or as you mention with the plastic gasket on the head, or with the wiper delay circuit, or any number of other problems. I own 5 GM cars, and I love them--wouldn't own anything else, but it sure would be great if, when GM becomes aware of a major design flaw they change it for the next model year instead of sticking with a part that causes problems in every car that uses it.

:eek7:

That was sarcasm above. What I should have said was that I'm constantly amazed at GM for allowing known problems to continue across model years/and product lines when they know full well there is a design flaw in a part.Sarcasm always isn't apparent in a text message. :)

The problem though is that a part with a design flaw sometimes isn't discovered until years after they are first put in service. Hopefully major problems are caught at the design or testing stages, but that doesn't always happen as things may break down after years of use.

As is the case for instance in the 4t65e transmission with valve scoring , or as you mention with the plastic gasket on the head, or with the wiper delay circuit, or any number of other problems.The intake gaskets many times don't fail until 75,000+ miles. With typical driving of 15-20k a year, it could be 3-5 years before chronic problems are discovered. At that time, what are the automanufacturers suppose to do? Stop using a gasket on a vehicle that had been made several years prior? As they discover a problem, they update the part and start using that part from then on. The intake gasket when through several revisions, finally getting it "right" around 2002. This was 5 year after they really started using the gasket and when the problem probably was starting to be at it's worst.

Similarly, the problem with the 4T65e valve scoring is a wear-related failure. It takes thousands and thousands of shifts for that grove to appear. It's one of the problems that get discovered with age unfortunately. I beleive that this problem too has been "fixed" in recent transmissions and the valve no longer is made from the softer steel.