Possible Repro Fuel Sender Good Candidate? We shall see...

[mrmolding]

I know this has been a sore subject for many who buy repro sending units and they don't work. When I bought my car it had (and still does) an aftermarket 5/16 sending unit with a 3/8 metal fuel line to the pump -- who did this??? I put in a barb adapter a few years ago until I get around to fixing this. Someone had shoved a 5/16 fuel hose down really far the 3/8 hard line and put on two clamps. Oh well, it worked for a while. Anyway, I'm finally ready to tackle this!

I replaced my OEM fuel gauge with a new OER fuel gauge when I redid my dash. The original one and OER repro both would only read almost full and then about 1/2 tank and no lower. So I really have no idea when I'm going to run out, so I just keep filling it up when I get to 1/2 tank. Sometimes I get 8 gallons, sometimes I get 4, sometimes I get 10 gallons. So, I'm ready to fix this!

A few years ago I decided that I'd like to put a return line in for summer driving and I purchased a 3/8 sender with a 1/4 return line and put it on the shelf. However, the past two summers I've not had an issue with fuel boil or vapor lock since I put a heat insulator gasket in place.

Because the fuel gauge issue is my last real annoying problem with the car, I decided to test the replacement 3/8 fuel sender I bought a few years ago with my multimeter to see if was in the 10 -73 ohm range. Nope! More like 14-90 ohms. Ouch! I started reading every post I could find on here and everyone said to bend the arm. So I tried to bend the arm and I got about 12 to 80 ohms and then the float would hit the bottom part of the sender near the sock. Wonderful!

So I went back to looking at the replacement sender I got. There is no way to move the tangs on the unit to get the arm in range based on how they are on the side of the unit (just like OEM) -- you need to bend the arm. Maybe if I welded a piece on I could get it better in range since I got it closer. I found a picture of an OEM one for sale and it had the same tangs on the side of the unit, so I assume that it's just the internals of the repros that are not calibrated correctly. I got it off eBay for 50 bucks so you get what you pay for I guess.

Anyway, yesterday I got a wild hair, and decided to drive to Classic Industries which is 2.5 hours away. More like 3-4 hours having to pass through LA traffic. I got there with about 15 minutes to spare, waited in line, ordered both a 3/8 with 1/4 return and a 5/16 units and asked the guy if I could test them before I bought them. When they called my name I took out my cheapo multimeter and damn it if it was not exactly 73 empty and 10 ohms full! Then I then tested the 5/16 and the same thing! What???? So I bought both at about 60 bucks each until I make up my mind. The other thing that I noticed is that the range tangs are on the OER sender are not stock. They are on the side of the unit where you can actually bend them to change the range???? Is this stock? Nope. Maybe? But can you adjust it? Yup! Wow! Why do I feel like I should get reimbursed by OER for this???? Anyway, I wanted to share since I'm not sure if I got a repro that just happened to have the correct readings and side tangs, then next shipment will be different? Who knows! But a correct range fuel sender with adjustable range tangs without bending the arm. Hurray!!!

Anyway, YMMV but I'm really happy about this and I wanted to share! I've put a few pics of the one I got a few years ago that actually has the sock that is too long compared to the pic of the NOS unit. The OER seems closer to stock (except for the tangs on the side of the unit) is the correct length to the sock.

Here are pics of a NOS 5/16 sender with the tangs on the side, and a comparison of the 3/8 eBay and OER fuel senders. OER is on the top and the eBay one is on the bottom in the pics

 

[ruffcut]

All I can say, is, it's better than none at all!

 

[Jerry Hall]

What car and year?

 

[mrmolding]

70 road runner with 383 that is pretty much bone stock. It should have come with the 5/16 sender from the factory.

 

[Jerry Hall]

70 road runner with 383 that is pretty much bone stock. It should have come with the 5/16 sender from the factory.

I was hoping someone would have a decent sending unit for a 66-67. Meter Match seems to be the only thing that makes them more accurate. I have been able to re-bend some and get accurate F & E readings, but nothing accurate in-between.

 

[gtx6970]

I was hoping someone would have a decent sending unit for a 66-67. Meter Match seems to be the only thing that makes them more accurate. I have been able to re-bend some and get accurate F & E readings, but nothing accurate in-between.

Interesting as the one in my 66 is a repop from Mitchel Motor parts about 20 years ago.
And I have to say its dead nuts accurate full and empty.

I ran it down to dang near dead empty. Right on the E And to fill it took just over 17 gallons. Gauge was right over top of the F

Supposed to be a 19 gallon tank I believe ?

 

[Jerry Hall]

Interesting as the one in my 66 is a repop from Mitchel Motor parts about 20 years ago.
And I have to say its dead nuts accurate full and empty.

I ran it down to dang near dead empty. Right on the E And to fill it took just over 17 gallons. Gauge was right over top of the F

Supposed to be a 19 gallon tank I believe ?

Mitchel motor parts, 20 years ago, that sending unit could have been NOS as I think that's what they mostly sold then, or excellent used. Maybe there were good reproductions, but 20 years ago most of my 66-67's didn't need a replacement.

 

[hunt2elk]

I never have a problem getting the 10 - 73 ohm readings to coincide with empty and full on the gauge, after some manipulating, of course. It is between empty and full that is out of whack on all the reproduction senders made today. Linear vs nonlinear sweep.

 

[gtx6970]

Mitchel motor parts, 20 years ago, that sending unit could have been NOS as I think that's what they mostly sold then, or excellent used. Maybe there were good reproductions, but 20 years ago most of my 66-67's didn't need a replacement.

I dont think its NOS . There are no numbers on it like Oe would have

 

[Bird 426]

So, to the OP, does the one you just bought work properly? My stock gauge and sender was never very fast at reading when the ignition was turned on. Then I found out that it was my new IVR that might be the culprit, I had replaced a circuit board and it had a new solid state IVR, so I put my old one back in, works just like old days. Have been chastised for doing this by a few here.

 

[mrmolding]

So, to the OP, does the one you just bought work properly? My stock gauge and sender was never very fast at reading when the ignition was turned on. Then I found out that it was my new IVR that might be the culprit, I had replaced a circuit board and it had a new solid state IVR, so I put my old one back in, works just like old days. Have been chastised for doing this by a few here.

So I started last night but realized I need to get a few more gallons out of the tank. I actually do have the solid state IVR. I’ll update when I’m done but it might be a while. I used my scope to try to see the tank level and I’m baffled by what type of sending unit is in there. The PO included a receipt I found today for a right stuff detailing sender. But the wires look really bizarre (over insulated) and do not look like a stock photo of the right stuff sender. The pic is lousy but I figured I’d share if anyone might know what type of insulation is on the wires or knows who makes the sender. I’ll take it out soon regardless.