Oldsmobile/Buick Repair: starting problem, buick park ave, jumper cables

Question
Hi Van;
I have a 1999 buick park ave ultra supercharged 3800.  The gas gauge malfunctions and I ran out of gas today. I cranked it alot after some guy gave me about half gallon of gas, and it wasnt enough fuel so another guy gave me a gallon and after alot of cranking,  it started . My problem is when i got home after filling up the tank,it would not start, and  all I am getting is like one click (not several )with each turn of the key. I would think that it was a battery or starter  or solenoid, but the battery is less than 4 months old and when I put jumper cables on it, after it wouldnt start immediately but after about 10 minutes it cranked right over, which usually rules out a starter. What do you think? Could it be i shorted the cable that goes from battery to starter?  also what is involved in changing the fuel gauge.? when it is full of fuel, it works, but  when it gets around 1/2 tank it bounces back n forth from full to empty

Answer
Hello Randy,
To change the sender in the tank, the tank needs to be dropped. That is where it sounds like the problem with the gauge is, but I would find a manual, like at the public library refference section, and read the part for testing fuel gauge and sender. it could be the gauge, or the wires.

As for the cranking...you could have damaged the starter with all the cranking. But get the battery charged up, and see if that problem goes away. You may have just pulled the battery too low to crank it.

Van