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Have a 1982 suburban diesel. The fuel gauge is slowly dropping down to empty, even though the tank is full. My question is, if it gets all the way down to empty, will this create a problem? I am wondering if the truck will think the tank is empty even though there is fuel, and not run. I'm ok if it just doesn't work, but I'm afraid it will shut my truck down. Please help as this is my daily driver and I can't really take it apart to figure out the fuel gauge at this time. Thanks in advance!
An ’82 would be fully mechanical, so fuel gauge reading is in no way tied to operation. Someone wiser than me would have to tell you if a computer controlled vehicle would even be that tied into things.
Simply, your truck doesn't "think". 1982 trucks aren't "smart", but even the newer rolling supercomputers will operate normally with a failed gage or tank sender. On your truck, there's no "computer" interface between the tank and the engine/fuel systems, and the ignition switch controlled solenoid in the injection pump is the only physical device that will stop fuel flow to the pump. Once running, only that solenoid will stop it, until the fuel supply is actually interrupted (actual empty tank, leak, blockage, etc.).