Author Topic: Fuel sending unit  (Read 9888 times)

Offline shadango

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #30 on: March 08, 2010 - 09:21:50 PM »
Well, an update.

I had installed the new sending unit from Roseville a while back but just got to adding fuel this weekend.

Added 8 1/4 gallons...should be half a tank according to the manual (16.5 gal tank).

The fuel gauge just barely rises off of empty, like it did before, when I ended up tweaking the arm quite a bit before to make it read right..........guess I will have to do that again?

Any ideas here?   I cant see what could be causing this....when I ground the gauge wire it reads full just fine...the ground strap is on and secure....have tried running a wire straight from the ground on the sending unit to the battery and no change.

is my car posessed?
« Last Edit: March 13, 2010 - 03:50:27 PM by shadango »




Offline tommyg29

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #31 on: March 08, 2010 - 10:46:26 PM »
are you sure the float hasnt filled with fuel (pinhole leak). That happened to mine which was brand new, so I had to swap the float out for the one in my old sender.
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Offline shadango

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #32 on: March 09, 2010 - 04:54:23 AM »
I dont know...have to pull it....again.

That wasnt the case with the last few new ones but I can hope I guess....LOL

I was thinking maybe I have the "wrong" tank in mine or something?   But it sure fits and hooks up like it is the right one....looks original to me.

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #33 on: March 09, 2010 - 10:17:20 AM »
even when I fixed my float it would never register more than 5/8 full. I replaced my tank recently with one that doesnt have the box thingamajigy on the inside of the top of the tank, and now the gauge seems to read properly
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #34 on: March 09, 2010 - 10:24:43 AM »
heres a picture of the old tank through the sender hole. Maybe it you dont have the right sender the float hits the separator?
That is, if your tank has one, but I think from 71 on they all had them.
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline dodj

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #35 on: March 09, 2010 - 03:30:35 PM »
Wow... I thought they just rusted from the outside.
Scott
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Offline MEK-Dangerfield

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #36 on: March 09, 2010 - 04:04:36 PM »
Wow... I thought they just rusted from the outside.

If you don't keep your tank full when you are storing the car, condensation can build up in there if the car isn't in a dry climate controlled environment. I agree, that's an ugly sight.    :22yikes:

Mike

1970 Challenger - SOLD
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Offline shadango

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #37 on: March 09, 2010 - 04:30:59 PM »
I dont know if I have one of those.....I looked in the tank briefly thru the filler hole when it was off the car...

I have the 4 (?) lines running into the tank from the outside right side of the car.......

I thought the same sender was used on all the bodies though.  ??

Wonder if I can see ino the tank thru the hole for the sender....I really dont want to drop the tank all over again.

In any regard, this tank, even if it has the inner chamber you picture, had a sender when it came from the factory and SOMETHING should work right IMHO.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2010 - 04:33:06 PM by shadango »

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #38 on: March 09, 2010 - 04:49:51 PM »
the in side of the tank didnt really start rusting until I pulled it and left it in the side yard a few weeks ago.
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline shadango

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #39 on: March 13, 2010 - 03:48:24 PM »
So any further thoughts as to why I am having such louy luck with sending units?

I guess I will have to pull it (for the 100th time) and rebend the float arm...but sure seems like I shouldnt be having this much trouble,....

Anyone?


Offline wally426ci

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #40 on: March 13, 2010 - 04:39:33 PM »
I wish I knew, mine has never worked right!  :banghead:
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Offline shadango

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #41 on: March 14, 2010 - 10:03:15 PM »
Well, spent an hour today dorking with the newest one....

bent the arm to reflect a half tank.

What a pain.

WOnt know if it reads OK full or if there are dead spots now till i get her on the road.

Offline DocMel

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #42 on: March 16, 2010 - 11:14:36 PM »
Gents   Ive been readin this post for awhile now.  Ive restored many classic  GM and Plymouth cars, and even a couple of military jeeps.   They all one thing in common.   Fuel senders were shot, didnt work right , etc.

You guys have it pretty much worked out:  Typical ground probs, shot senders, leaky floats, etc.   But the ONLY way you can see if your sender is actually THE prob, even if they are new, is to bypass all the ralted wiring and see if the prob still exists.    You would be VERY surprised that somewhere in the wiring from the gauge to the sender is actually causing the prob, not the sender or the gauge itself.

First of all, lets agree that the senders and gauges worked properly when the cars  were sold from the showroom floor.  As the years go by, and as issues arose, everyone either changed the gauge out or the fuel sender unit or the ground strap   Thats because these are the easiest parts to replace.   But no one replaces the entire wiring (its just one wire) from the gauge back to the sender

If you have changed out the fuel sender, checked the gauge, and changed out  the ground strap, take the time to disconnect the main fuel sender wire from the back of the dash.  Then take a jumper wire from the guage directly to the fuel sender (remove the fuel sender wire at the fuel sender first). All you are doing here is bypassing the main wiring that has prob been there for 40 years.   If that clears up the prob, you know its the original wiring somewhere causing the prob.  I have found this to be the actual prob on numerous older cars

Offline shadango

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #43 on: March 17, 2010 - 05:34:31 AM »
Thanks for the advice....

I didnt test as you suggest, but I did ground the sending wire itself back at the tank and the gauge works fine....goes all the way to full.  That, I would think, should rule out the wire being bad.....wouldnt it?  :clueless:

Offline mopardave

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Re: Fuel sending unit
« Reply #44 on: March 17, 2010 - 07:34:54 AM »
Thanks for the advice....

I didnt test as you suggest, but I did ground the sending wire itself back at the tank and the gauge works fine....goes all the way to full.  That, I would think, should rule out the wire being bad.....wouldnt it?  :clueless:

not necessarily. even with less voltage, that path of least resistance to ground the gauge will still peg. The replacement sender was checked before it was sent out. IS the boot connector tight? or the wire cracked at the boot.
Mopar Dave
Rosevillemoparts.com

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