Q: I recently borrowed my friends 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier. The problem is that I ran out of gas, even though the fuel gauge indicated the tank was full. I called my friend and he said that he forgot to tell me that the gauge didn’t work and he knew he was low on fuel. I want to try and fix this for my friend. I know how to use a multimeter. Do you know if there’s a quick way to test the gauge to see whether it’s a faulty gauge or the sending unit? -- R.F., Chicago

A: R.F., yes, you can disconnect the electrical connector back by the fuel tank to test out the gauge. The connector has about seven wires in it and there should be a purple wire in cavity “A2.” With the key on, you should have about 10-volts on that purple wire. That’s the wire that connects to the fuel gauge. If you don’t have any voltage, check the “Gages” fuse and associated wiring. If you do have about 10-volts back at the tank on that purple wire, connect a jumper wire between the purple wire and ground. When you do this, the fuel gauge needle should swing to “Empty.” If it moves to “Empty” the gauge and wiring are okay. That means the sending unit will need to be replaced. If the sending unit is bad, the fuel tank will need to be removed to gain access.

Q: My 2000 Mitsubishi Galant with the 3.0-liter V6 wouldn’t start. I replaced the battery and the starter motor and it still will not crank the engine. Is there a relay for the starter? What else could it be? -- G.W., Bolingbrook

A: G.W., yes, there is a starter relay. It’s located in the underhood relay center towards the front of the vehicle on the driver’s side. Try swapping the starter relay with one of the other relays. If it still won’t start after swapping relays, it could be a faulty ignition switch or Park/Neutral switch.

Q: What is considered to be too much oil consumption? I have a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado with the V6 engine and it uses about a quart of oil every 2,500 miles. I have been told that this is normal, but I have friends with the same truck and their trucks don’t use any oil between oil changes. Can you please explain? -- P.C., Des Plaines

A: P.C., according to TSB # 01-06-01-011D, your truck’s oil consumption is not excessive. The TSB states that one quart per 2,000 miles is acceptable. Nonetheless, are you sure that your engine is consuming the oil? First, I’d make sure that there are no external oil leaks causing a loss of oil. Why does your truck use more oil than your friends’ trucks? There could be several reasons. Does your truck have about the same number of miles on the odometer? If your truck has more miles on it, it likely has more wear and tear on it and the engine is more likely to burn a little oil. If your truck has lower miles, keep in mind that short trips and excessive idling are hard on an engine, too. Are you using the same type of oil as them? If you were using a lower viscosity than they use, that would explain part of it. I would still recommend that you use only oil that meets the manufacturer’s API and SAE classifications.

AutoAdviser: Ira Siegel is an Automotive Instructor and ASE Certified Master Auto Technician. If you have auto-related questions for Ira Siegel you can call and leave your questions at the Auto Adviser Hotline at 708-633-6839 or e-mail a question to Autoadvisr@aol.com.