Can I save this fuel tank sending unit?

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Hilderbrand1983

Hilderbrand1983

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Attached, you'll find pictures of the old fuel tank sending unit from my 1967 Dodge Dart 270 (3.7L 225cc slant-6 1bbl carb). It has a 5/16" opening for the fuel line. I pulled it and put in a new one which, of course, isn't properly calibrated.

Seeing what you see, is this fuel tank sending unit something that can be salvaged? Or is the rust too prevalent (and too penetrating) for it to be saved? Must it go to the abattoir?

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Dunk it in some Evapo-Rust overnight and see what it looks like then..... Take the brass off first.
 
magnummopar said:
If thats what the sender looked like, whats the tank look like?
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The tank has already been sent away to the Daisy Hill Fuel Tank Farm. There was about five to ten pounds of dry, loose matter inside of it. It was like the biggest, stinkiest maraca known to humanity. I replaced it with the one on the right. The fuel system in the Dart has been entirely replaced from the tank up to the carb.

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If you want to send it off someplace to have it fixed, I've had excellent luck with these guys Home
 
This right here makes it junk unless you have it rebuilt, and when you do it will also probably be off just like the new one.
Oh, and just so you know that is from only putting a few bucks at a time in it most of the time and it wears that one area of the resistor wire out.

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any chance you can use the old sending unit as a template to bend/adjust the new sending units float to the same range of motion?
 
We got tired of playing the sending unit game a long time ago and now everything gets a new Tanks Inc tank with the pick up/pump and sending unit that mounts from the top....and their senders actually work and read correctly. Probably too late for OP to go that route but I have heard there is some success with one brand of factory style sender on here, just didnt pay attention to brand. Should be easy to find thread it was listed in.
 
Get a new sending unit and round rubber gasket...

Save the old lock ring, the new ones are junk and won't seal... The old one will...
 
diymirage said:
any chance you can use the old sending unit as a template to bend/adjust the new sending units float to the same range of motion?
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The problem is the new ones pivot at a different point, with a shorter arm, and a different resistor wire coil -- there is no way to make it match the old version all across the range. The best you can do is play with resistors so it reads E and F correctly, after a lot of fussing.
 
magnummopar said:
We got tired of playing the sending unit game a long time ago and now everything gets a new Tanks Inc tank with the pick up/pump and sending unit that mounts from the top....and their senders actually work and read correctly. Probably too late for OP to go that route but I have heard there is some success with one brand of factory style sender on here, just didnt pay attention to brand. Should be easy to find thread it was listed in.
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Isn't it incredibly inconvenient to have the pickup in the top of the tank? How do you route the fuel line?
 
50 years old is what it is without the rusty patina.
The resistor wire in that sender develops slack and lifts away from the board. The sliding contact wears to a 'C' like shape and hangs to the wire like a fish hook. Send it out to be restored or send it wherever the tank went.
 
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Hilderbrand1983 said:
The tank has already been sent away to the Daisy Hill Fuel Tank Farm. There was about five to ten pounds of dry, loose matter inside of it. It was like the biggest, stinkiest maraca known to humanity. I replaced it with the one on the right. The fuel system in the Dart has been entirely replaced from the tank up to the carb.

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umm... all new everything and you want to reuse that sending unit...?? why?
 
mvh said:
Isn't it incredibly inconvenient to have the pickup in the top of the tank? How do you route the fuel line?
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jdsduster said:
wondered that myself,unless its a race car
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They arent race cars, one is a 65 4 door Dart, 64 Dart 2 dr and the other is a 67 Dart GT Vert. All three are injected Magnum swaps and the outlets are only about 6" from leaky factory sending unit. We replace lines anyway so not any inconvenience at all . We use regulated filter assy at frame rail or above diff depending on year. The senders work flawlessly too, no need for resistors, leaking gaskets or chinese lock ring issues
First pic shows set up, second is 67 with tank on trans jack and you can see old hard line which got scrapped. Third is filter on 67 and last is filter on early A tied into hard line. Doesnt get any easier than that. OP hope I didnt hijack thread too bad.:D

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Everyone, Costco and other stores, have a two gallon pack of white vinegar for $3.99. Many times I have put a rusty/corroded 8 3/4 housing in the vinegar over night. It works great! Use it at 50% with tap water or full strength.
Place your part in a plastic bucket, fill fluid over the part, go in and empty the beer fridge. Come out the next day. Viola!
 
X2 on the meter match, installed it on my Demon about 2 weeks ago. Now from what I can see my gauge is reading pretty darn accurate so far!!
 
Thanks, everyone, for your input!

ScampMike said:
umm... all new everything and you want to reuse that sending unit...?? why?
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Because it's calibrated to work with the car. If it were a question of being perfectly good but just needing some basic restoration, I'd want to restore it. It sounds like it's fit only for "the fuel tank in the sky."

I'll be looking into that MeterMatch. Thanks for the recommendation!
 
Have you tested the old unit ?? If it tests good I would clean it and reinstall it . The float looks a little suspect though. TB may also be right. My luck with a new sending unit was not good , but the others mentioned above may work better.
Yote
 
Whether you realize it or not, all gauges are an approximation. Even the factory stuff. Find a happy medium with the new stuff and use it. Get used to where full and empty is and every point in between. Calibrate yourself.
 
I probably have a good used one, our stock tank pile is getting taller by the day. Was thinking I should at least pull the factory rings prior to turning into new Prius fenders. PM me and I will check on Monday. I know a few have newer ones but I think the 65 more door had a factory one. The pre china ones made in Israel worked better too. I will trade ya fer a 6 pack n shippin :rolleyes: if I have one.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Whether you realize it or not, all gauges are an approximation. Even the factory stuff. Find a happy medium with the new stuff and use it. Get used to where full and empty is and every point in between. Calibrate yourself.
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This is going to be the easiest thing. All of the reproductions have linear resistance values, but they are new, consistent, and not too much money.
 
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