I need a fuel tank sending unit

[NTOLERANCE]

No one seems to list a diesel one for my E-350

Can I pull the sending unit off the gasser and use it on the diesel pick up assy?

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

http://tristarrradiator.com/

 

[OLDBULL8]

OEM sending units are not available any more. The above link don't list anything for Ford, might call and ask. To use a gasser sending unit, the resistance of the sending unit has to match your gauge, most gasser units are reverse resistance, in other words empty is full and full is empty.

 

[madpogue]

Have you confirmed that it's the sending unit and not the float?

What year van?

 

[nj_m715]

I used a sender from the same year gas truck. It was an efi set up with a pump in the tank. It fit and sealed in the tank, the gauge works fine but I had to extend the pick up tube since I'm not using an in-tank pump. The gas senders are pretty cheap and available almost everywhere so it was worth the extra work to me.

 

[jayro88]

I used gas senders to repair both the senders on my e250. From my testing the ohms for the gas sender matched the van gauge. On one tanks I removed the pump power wire and pin, extended the fuel pick-up and massaged the plastic around the plug. This was the plan on the other tanks, but I messed something up. So on that tank I removed the gas sending unit and attached it to the diesel pick-up assembly. I had to solder and heat-shrink the wires that I cut.

That was 3 years ago and both gauges are still working. Though I have found that at a certain fuel level (just before they start dropping after a fill up) they will ground out momentarily and peg the gauge full, then settle back to the correct reading.

 

[madpogue]

Though I have found that at a certain fuel level (just before they start dropping after a fill up) they will ground out momentarily and peg the gauge full, then settle back to the correct reading.

If it were grounding out, it would read EMPTY. ******* the gauge past full means the circuit is opening. Quite possibly a bad spot on the sender.

 

[jayro88]

If it were grounding out, it would read EMPTY. ******* the gauge past full means the circuit is opening. Quite possibly a bad spot on the sender.

Interesting. I know the van senders/gauge is different in my IDI Van than the ohm values I found for the IDI trucks of the same year. So the truck senders don't work in the van. I verified the range with a gauge tester. If I open my circuit it drops past EMPTY. If I jump the plug it reads past FULL.

Or maybe I am remembering wrong since it was 3+ years ago that I replaced them.

 

[nj_m715]

massaged the plastic around the plug.

Oh Yeah, I forgot about the 2 pin to 4 pin plug issue. I had to shave some of the plastic to make it work but it wasn't a big deal.

 

[franklin2]

Interesting. I know the van senders/gauge is different in my IDI Van than the ohm values I found for the IDI trucks of the same year. So the truck senders don't work in the van. I verified the range with a gauge tester. If I open my circuit it drops past EMPTY. If I jump the plug it reads past FULL.

Or maybe I am remembering wrong since it was 3+ years ago that I replaced them.

You know that may be true. I wonder if you can look at the type of gauges you have in the cluster and tell what you need on a van. I know the truck's resistance value changed and went to reading backwards in 1987 or 88. But the vans do seem to lag behind the trucks in changes. If there is a year van where the gauge cluster changed radically like it did in the trucks that might be the year division for the vans.

Ford actually went to a type of gauge that GM used for years. Ford always used the bi-metallic gauges, the more current going through the gauge, the more it heated the gauge mechanism and moved the needle. With this system they always had to use a gauge voltage regulator to keep everything reading the same as the voltage in the car or truck varied up and down. You can tell these type right away because when you turn the key off, all the gauges will slowly go to the left of the scale as they cool off.

In 87 or 88 in the trucks, they changed to the system GM used, they have two coils on either side of the needle, and the coils fight for control of the needle. The sending unit creates a inbalance in the coils and this moves the needle one direction or the other. You can tell these types of gauges, when you turn the key off the needle goes wherever it wants to.

 

[typ4]

87 was the change year for F series

 

[madpogue]

Easiest way to tell is to disconnect the sending unit (or selector valve, if so equipped), and turn the key to RUN. If the gauge stays at E, it's the "old-school" (E=high resistance, F=low) design. If it pegs past F, then it's the "new" (E=low, F=high) design.

 

[snicklas]

92 Was the major change on the vans.

73-91 Was one body/dash

92-2015 Was the other body/dash

 

[NTOLERANCE]

I've disconnected mine. It stayed at E. Either the float is dead or the sender is dead.


Challenges are what makes life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

 

[jayro88]

I've disconnected mine. It stayed at E. Either the float is dead or the sender is dead.


Challenges are what makes life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Did you jump the plug the 2 prongs on the plug to see if the gauge moved? I may have to get out my gauge tester and see whats what on mine.