Fuel Tank Sending Unit Problems

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Shawn Ross

Shawn Ross

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Timberlea, Nova Scotia, Canada
Hey All. I've changed the spectra fuel tank sending unit in my '73 Dart 4-door slant six three times now, and none of them read right. Can anyone please tell me where I can to find a reliable one? Thanks.
Shawn
 
Have you tested the fuel gauge? It may not be reading the sending unit signal right.

I think @halifaxhops knows how to test the gauge itself.
 
Mine has never worked correctly! The prior owner Put in a new tank and sending unit.

I just gave up and track miles, lol.
 
Mine never read right but both the gauge and sending unit seemed to test fine. Turned out it was the electrical connections between the two. Once I cleaned them up, it is about 95% accurate now across the range.
 
I put a double size gas tank in my 75 Ford truck a while back. There is no sender that works for it and they send a chinsey "kit" to modify the old one. I didn't like it. I used a Bronco sending unit. Their tanks are 6 gallons less than the 39 gallon I have and I knew it would be close. When it reads "E" it's empty. When it's half way or more full, the gauge is pegged. That's fine with me. All I care about is when it gets close to E that it's accurate and it is. At least it won't leave me walkin. There's really "not much" to do except "get it close" and live with it.

You "could" send the old one out to get it rebuilt. There are several companies that do it. Some of them even want the gauge with it so they can calibrate the two together. Course "that costs".
 
What is the most accurate, after-market sending unit available?
 
I have a Spectra. It read “E” most of the time. It’s only use was to plug the hole in the tank while my original was sent out to be rebuilt. $200 later, I have an overhauled unit that reads correctly.
 
I prefer to keep everything in the same family. To me, a stock Mopar fuel gauge goes best with a Mopar (or Mopar replica) fuel tank and a Mopar (or replica) sending unit. I have heard of too many problems mixing a Mopar gauge with a different sending unit. The sending unit may not be delivering the resistance the gauge is looking for. Notice I did not say that the sending unit may not be SENDING the resistance the gauge is looking for. Since the sending unit does not actually send anything.
 
There is a device called "meter match" which helps and there is a member on here selling a different version of the metermatch. I'll have to find it. Well known that repop senders are inaccurate.
 
Shawn Ross said:
Hey All. I've changed the spectra fuel tank sending unit in my '73 Dart 4-door slant six three times now, and none of them read right. Can anyone please tell me where I can to find a reliable one? Thanks.
Shawn
Click to expand...

I had to bend the float arm on my aftermarket sending unit to get the gauge to read accurately. Before I mounted the sending unit, I hooked up a ground wire with alligator clips to complete the ground circuit, I had a buddy read the gauge while I moved the float from empty to full. As I remember, I had to bend the float rod pretty significantly to get the correct readings. It' worked like a charm, and my gauge has been very accurate ever since.

The after market rubber gaskets are not as good as the factory ones, so I ordered a good repopped on from Detroit Gaskets. I forget what their shop is called, but they advertise on here. It works great. No leaks.
 
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