Alright guys after the issue with the puke-it tranny going on my 89' and planning a swap of assorted other components. I started thinking I'd be better off getting a donor Xj instead of getting piece by piece. So I took a short trip to the front range to see what I could find. Well 2 days of looking and kicking' tires I walked ( more like drove, but ) with a 98' xj limited ( I really dislike the " limited " term, but whatcha Gunna do ) 4.0 4x4
3" RE, cooper disco's, banks power torque tube, np242 , C 8.25, ax-15 ( I think ), fancy gauge cluster, and a good leak free motor. Pocket full of cash ( well got the thing for $1700, right )and a agreeable Sargent major wife and I have

Now to the little gas gauge issue. It doesn't work, well when I did the gauge check thingy it worked. So if it works doing the gauge check what else would stop it from working between the tank and gauge? I really don't want to go inside the tank. Any thoughts? Oh yeah the full time and part time is on all the time also

 

Opp's forgot to say I've gone threw all the fuses on passenger side and under the hood

 

Should make sure the wiring that goes from the tank to the jeep is in good shape and using a multimeter check if its all working...

It could always be a ground... and the Renixs are known for that...

 

Are we now talking about the gas gauge on your '89 or the 98?

 

98 - the 89' has to go. No donor for now. Just a better building plate form. In the end it was a wire going to the fuel pump. Looks like previous owner must have recently replaced. Looks new
Anyway problem solved. Thanks to those that replied

 

I have some unfortunate news for you--you are most likely going to have to drop the tank to resolve this issue. The first things to check are the wiring harness to the fuel pump, which you can do without dropping the tank. Unplug it, clean it up if necessary, re-plug and put dielectric grease around it. Still no gauge, pull your instrument cluster and check grounds/connections and wiring back there--the connections on these '98s are known to come loose and cause whacky gauges. But, more often than not, the problem is with the sending unit which is part of the pump module in the tank. My gauge is intermittent, and never really read correctly unless I have a full tank. I have a new pump module ready to go in to correct this on my '98.

While it's running, try hitting the bottom of the tank with a hammer and see if the gauge jumps at all.

 

Said screw it,called my buddy to see if he had a open bay to drop the tank and fix this thing once and for all. Tested all electrical connection and they all worked. So into the tank I go. Pulled the pump out re connected and tested, guess what it worked?... I desided to put it back in the tank for safe keeping whilel I was going to go bug my boy with a " what the heck " , but I couldn't get the pump in. I looked down in the tank and there a 4" Lag bolt sticking up in it?????? Well the floater thingy was hung up on the deep thread of the Lag bolt. Seems it got a hole in the tank and that's how it was fixed??
I bored out the hole and cleaned up the edges, used a old drain plug with a washer and so sort of adhesive he had that wouldn't get jacked up from the gas. Left the xj for the night as it cures. Wish I had a picture for y'all but I'm sure you can imagine it.
Some people's Jerry riggin' ?? A 4" Lag bolt oh and it was screwed in at a angle JSYK

 

I take it you didn't have a camera available when discovering all this? Did the bolt come through the bottom or the top?