Sending unit float?

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1974stepside

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So finally pulled the sending unit from the tank and tested it. whlile manually moving the float up and down the guage works. I put the float in a bucket of water and it floats, when i reinstalled everything it is still showing empty.

I presume the problem is i need a new float, my question is can I put replace float with a cork? or is that bad? none of the local autoparts stores carry it. Has anyone tried that, I think it will work, let me konw your thoughts.
 
It would be foolish to go to all the hassle of pulling the sender and then do a halfassed "fix" that likely won't last more than a couple weeks before your cork dissolves at best. Especially when it costs so little to get a replacement float. No, you can't get it from a Chrysler dealer any more, and yes, the resto parts places overcharge for it, but none of that should stop you getting it from a Ford dealer or teamfordparts.com .

Float: Ford P/N COAZ-9202-B
Strainer "sock": GM P/N 5651 705 (put a new one of these on.)
Gasket: Chrysler P/N 6031 475 (and a new one of these.)
Sender grounding clip: Chrysler P/N 2258 862
 
1974stepside said:
So finally pulled the sending unit from the tank and tested it. whlile manually moving the float up and down the guage works. I put the float in a bucket of water and it floats, when i reinstalled everything it is still showing empty.

I presume the problem is i need a new float, my question is can I put replace float with a cork? or is that bad? none of the local autoparts stores carry it. Has anyone tried that, I think it will work, let me konw your thoughts.
Click to expand...

If your float wasn't heavy or obviously filled with gas and you stated it floats in water, you probably don't have a problem with it.

Not knowing any other details I would suspect a bad ground, you probably gave it a good ground when you tested it but you need to make sure your ground strap is working properly. If your fuel line has been spliced with a rubber line you wouldn't have a good ground in that case. Try running a ground wire from the sending unit to the chassis first and proceed from there, always start from the source and work it thru.

As for cork, cars used them for decades but that doesn't sound like your problem at this point.

Good luck!
 
Float had a pin hole in it replaced with plastic wine cork, works fine. I hope it doesnt dissolve or fall off.
 
I consider myself frugal (even cheap) but the fuel sending unit is the kind of thing that I went ahead and just replaced. I paid $45 for the whole thing (came with sock and gasket), you can get it for $35 but I went with stainless steel. I'd rather do it once and be done, it should last another 40 years without a problem instead of having to redo it every once in a while to refix a cheap fix.

That said, IF your float operates correctly then the problem isn't the float- it could be the grounding strap. A very easy fix, get a piece of wire and some hose clamps and attach at the tube coming out of the sending unit and the metal fuel line on the car.
 
You can get a stainless sendin unit on Ebay with a 3/8" outlet for under 50 bucks SHIPPED. It's stainless and has a 3/8" outlet in case you ever decide to upgrade the fuel system. I have one on the shelf for my Scamp. Plastic not made for exposure to gasoline will NOT hold up. Good luck with that.
 
You are going to need to pull that back out and get the float Dan pointed to.

No need to replace your original well-built sending unit with a cheap, new "shiny" unit that'll go bad in a few years.

If there is one thing I've learned working on these cars, it's always fix the original parts and only replace when you absolutely have to. Otherwise you just start a long line or replacing the same parts over and over.
 
New sender and new seal yes. Larger tube and/or stainless steal no.
Even if it turns out that your only problem was lack of chassis ground, you need a new seal for the sender. A reused seal will leak.
 
What is the function of the Strainer sock? it doesnt currently have one of these. I am going to order the float and gasket.

Thanks for the info/part numbers.
 
1974stepside said:
What is the function of the Strainer sock? it doesnt currently have one of these. I am going to order the float and gasket.

Thanks for the info/part numbers.
Click to expand...

The strainer sock is exactly that - a strainer or pre-filter. It keeps whatever chunky bad stuff you may have in your fuel tank from clogging up/damaging the fuel line, fuel pump, or the actual fuel filter.
 
ESP47 said:
You are going to need to pull that back out and get the float Dan pointed to.

No need to replace your original well-built sending unit with a cheap, new "shiny" unit that'll go bad in a few years.

If there is one thing I've learned working on these cars, it's always fix the original parts and only replace when you absolutely have to. Otherwise you just start a long line or replacing the same parts over and over.
Click to expand...

The sender I was speaking of comes from the same company that supplies Year One with theirs. It's the same piece, made in U.S.A. out of high quality stainless steel with good electronics. I wouldn't be on here recommending anyone buy junk.

To the OP: as you can see, opinions vary widely about anything around here. So just make up your own mind. But understasnd that there's nothing wrong with upgrading to a larger diameter supply line sender now. In case you think you might ever need it in the future, it will already be there. The senders all cost about the same regardless of outlet size, so why not upgrade? It's your call.
 
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