Aftermarket fuel gauges and console top cluster

[Diesel JD]

Well, I'm tired of Ford's crappy gauges and especially tired of not having a fuel gauge so I decided to get some aftermasrket Cyberdyne ones from egauges that actually count down the amount of gallons in the tank. Well, I'm petty confident I know how to wire them in, but I also got a dash top/console mount 3 gauge pod. I was hoping to clean up my wiring medusa's nest. I was hoping for some tips on how to run the wiring behind the dash and make it look neat, preferably without tearing everything apart. Also I was going to cut an access port in the bed to get to my rear tank. I do not want to drop that thing and would like to reserve the ability to mess with the sender if need be. I remember some members have done it...any tips? Also I'm interested in replacing the selector valve with a couple of manual valves like Midnight Rider did..if you read this Midinight, or anybody else who knows, what are good manual valves to use and where can I get them. What I'm planning on is a removable aux. in bed tank 55 or 60 gallons for the long trips and just to run the 19 gallon rear tank for around here like I'm doing now. I plan to leave the wiring for that sender and use quick disconnect type fittings for the supply and return lines. Any reason why I can't do that or it might not work? Thanks guys.

 

[Diesel JD]

^bump...any help?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Weather-Head are the best brand of manual selector valve I have found so far.

https://www.flowline.net/default.as...Direction=&SearchKey=SK115343PM&CurrentPage=6

I use the 6747 four-way, meaning three tank positions plus an OFF.

It takes TWO of them, one is for DRAW and the other is RETURN.



I highly recommend you familiarize yourself with JIC fittings (AN are the exact same fitting, just air-craft rated) and use them on all changes to the fuel-lines.

http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/SAE_37_Flare_JIC_Hydraulic_Tube_Fittings_s/24.htm

I have bought a lot of stuff from ^^^ these guys and they have the best prices/quality I have found thus far.



So far as the fuel gauge(s) are concerned, the dash portion of the Ford factory system is capable of extreme accuracy; the problem lies within the el-cheapo senders within the tanks that Ford used, plus poor electrical connections at both the selector-valve and at the tanks.

Far better and much more accurate are the universal-fit senders from J.C.Whitney.

A member here, fellro86, has an excellent pictorial tech-article explaining how to retrofit the J.C.Whitney gauge-senders into the Ford tanks; you can find the article in his gallery here :

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/index.php


The article also includes the correct part-number for the Whitney sender.

I followed his article to the letter, taking extreme measures when shaping/setting the float-arm, and now my gauge reads very accurately from FULL all the way down to the last drop.

 

[Diesel JD]

Wow! Thanks for all that hard work you did. I have the universal senders from JC Whitney and I'll probably go ahead and add them instead of the cheap Ford stuff. My new gauges would really gain nothing at that. I've got no signal from the sender to the dash and already have and want to use the cyberdyne gauges. I just need to figure out how to mount that cluster on the dash. Also I'm only using at most 2 fuel tanks so I'm going to guess to copy your system I would need two 3 way valves with 2 pos. plus an off position, one for draw and one for return. I have a 3 gauge pod I was going to mount the cyberdyne fuel gauges there plus the oil pressure gauge and fill the empty spot in the a-pillar pod with my coolant temp gauge. Thanks again,
JD

 

[dave1shere]

fuel tank sending unit

I too am having problems with my sending unit. In my front tank. I did a search and read all of the articles on the JC Whitney universal sending unit. My question is is this the right sending unit for a 1993. Ford F-250. There seemed to be some question as to the ohms resistance on the 90s models. I like the idea of using the existing sending unit and just replacing the electrical parts. I have taken it out and tried cleaning it, but like others have said. Once the little electrical circuit board is wore out. No amount of cleaning seems to help I would like to keep my original pick up because I removed the plastic piece and welded on a small piece of tubing to reach the bottom of the tank. Thanks for any info that anyone can provide. I am get tired of just guessing at how much fuel is in my tank or trying to keep it topped up all the time or use the rear tank.

 

[Agnem]

Just be sure to check your service info. I know that the 80's senders work backwards from the ones in a 94. Not sure if that includes 92 and up. With the 80's, a high resistance equals a full tank, where the 94 it equals empty.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Also I'm only using at most 2 fuel tanks so I'm going to guess to copy your system I would need two 3 way valves with 2 pos. plus an off position, one for draw and one for return.

I highly recommend you go ahead and get the FOUR-WAY valves, as they cost very little more; and, you can simply plug-off one leg and always have it for future use.

I know that the 80's senders work backwards from the ones in a 94. Not sure if that includes 92 and up. With the 80's, a high resistance equals a full tank, where the 94 it equals empty.

Just musing here; could not one flip the unit upside-down and then it read correctly ??; or for that matter, what about reversing the wires ??



Also, whatever gauge-sender is used, BEFORE working hours getting the thing retrofitted onto the Ford tank unit, use some lengths of wire and temporarily connect it to the wiring that feeds the dash gauge; work the float-arm up and down slowly, while watching the gauge; if it don't work during this test, it ain't gonna work in the tank.

 

[FordGuy100]

This is on my list of things to do as well. I will follow this thread, thanks guys

 

[Diesel JD]

One more question...where do you mount those manual valves and how do you switch them, it seems like a stupid question I know, but obviously its not with that electric switch that the electric selector valve switches with. You say weatherhead stuff, that probably means I can get it from NAPA right?

 

[Diesel JD]

Also...any help on the gauge pod on the dash?

 

[FordGuy100]

Also...any help on the gauge pod on the dash?

I got my dash pods from Egauges.com I believe. They are the generic one size fits all type of deal, do some trimming and they would fit nice

 

[Diesel JD]

Yeah that's where I got mine from too I'm just wondering about a neat way to route all the wires and tubing to the gauges and pod. Also curious about a good source to splice in the hot wire for back lighting.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

One more question...where do you mount those manual valves and how do you switch them, it seems like a stupid question I know, but obviously its not with that electric switch that the electric selector valve switches with. You say weatherhead stuff, that probably means I can get it from NAPA right?

The local NAPA gets about $79 for that same $twenty-some-odd valve in the link I posted; they have drawers full of them.


My valves, along with the MICO brake-lock, vernier-adjustable throttle, and numerous other goodies, are installed through the floor in that area between driver-seat and door sill, easily operated from the driver seat without taking my eyes/mind from the road.

The main business end of the valve is underneath the floor, outside the cab, with only the "stem" sticking through the floor with it's handle inside.

These valves used to be very common back in the day when the factory fuel-tank resided inside the cab, behind the seat, and only held about twelve gallons, making the addition of auxilliary tanks a definite requirement.

 

[Diesel JD]

I figured as much. What BS. I haven't really been able to visualize how you might operate this thing I guess because that site didn't have pictures. I guess you drill a hole in the floor to make it happen?

 

[FordGuy100]

Yeah that's where I got mine from too I'm just wondering about a neat way to route all the wires and tubing to the gauges and pod. Also curious about a good source to splice in the hot wire for back lighting.

I figured out where I wanted my pods, and drew a line around them. I pulled the dash out, and took a 1" bit and went to town, a 1 1/2" hole saw bit would probably work better. Leave some room to the border cause it does eat up the dash pretty good. Then run your wiring through the whole and mount it all up