Should I put this repaired float back in the tank...or buy new one?

[shanker]

This is the ONLY part keeping my fuel gauge from showing something and I found a crack in the float, so I used my mini butane torch and some electrical solder and filled the crack, re-soldered the seams, then tested it in a cup of water by holding it at the bottom and no bubbles.

My repair is ugly and I'm not exactly proud of it, but I am concerned about the longevity of the repair. I've got a new Spectra fuel sending unit that'll be delivered tomorrow and I'm contemplating on whether or not I should use it, rob the float from it, or just send what I've got which is a replacement fuel sending unit I purchased back in the mid 2000's.

I ohm'd out the sending unit and the range is correct per the FSM, even tough I suspect it'll drop from showing full to 1/2 at twice the rate of 1/2 to Empty which I'll deal with I guess.

 

[Runcharger]

I've done that, no regrets.

 

[Don Frelier]

Should be fine

 

[dadsbee]

Wait a day, rob the float from the new one...

 

[VANDAN]

You can buy just the floats, so maybe use the new, and order a float ?

 

[yella71]

use it

 

[chtampa]

Excess solder adds excess weight.

 

[shanker]

as much as I wanted to do some burnouts this afternoon....I ordered a few stewart Warner 836092 floats from Summit (that'll be here tomorrow).

 

[6872n73]

Submerged it in a cup of water overnight and see if it takes on any water. I don't think you have anything to lose at this point.

 

[kiwigtx]

Submerged it in a cup of water overnight and see if it takes on any water. I don't think you have anything to lose at this point.

Water is denser than gasoline.

 

[shanker]

Summit got the Stewart Warner Lifecell's I ordered faster than Amazon gets stuff to me these days, and today I got the tank re-installed using the same sending unit (the new one I ordered from RockAuto is MIA with Fedex). Everything works...kinda....the when I Ohm'd out the sending unit, it had a range of 12-77 which I figured would be close enough, but after filling up the tank I only get 3/4 tank of fuel, which is Ok, at least I have something. But with 7 gallons in it the gauge red E (Photo's blurry due to driving while trying to take it)....

 

[shanker]

when I filled it up, I only had one small leak which was fixed by putting a few more turns on the hose clamp on one of the vent lines.

I'm confused still on the vent lines, as one of them goes to the shallow end of the tank (rear), and the other goes to the deep end (front) but I'm unsure of which goes to which vent line. I put the one on the deep end on the line that goes up into the trunk, does a U on the passenger side wheel well then back down, and the long one on a rubber line I zip tied up to the shock crossmember. The 1970 FSM showed them both, but didn't show which one goes to what.

 

[dadsbee]

Long vent that runs back to beside the filler neck goes to the shock mount tube, the short tube at the front of the tank goes up into the trunk.

 

[shanker]

Long vent that runs back to beside the filler neck goes to the shock mount tube, the short tube at the front of the tank goes up into the trunk.

sweet, that means my guess was correct.