Fuel Gauge = A Big Headache

[fellro86]

It isn't that bad. I need to do yet another, so when I do it, I'll try to get better pics, instead of my drawings (can you tell I'm no artist??? Maybe a good project for my CAD class..)
Anyway, some of it will be more clear once you pull the sender. The little hole that I have labeled drill this hole is the only one you need to drill, the lower square hole is where the other bolt goes through. The sender from Whitney has the go on backward to how they normally mount it, meaning the plastic housing has to go toward the rectangular mounting plate on the factory sump. To do that, and keep the float arm moving, it has to be spacered away from the plate, you can either do like I did, and use several nuts, or as Midnight Rider, and make spacers, doesn't matter. Just get is spaced away enough for the arm to swing freely.

 

[Pino2234]

YES, I used the JC-Whitney sending-unit and kept the factory gauge; everything works perfect, actually much better than the factory set-up, as I did some very careful measuring and positioned/bent the float-rod, such that I get a much more accurate range of fuel-depth, i.e. E is much closer to actual EMPTY and F is much closer to actual FULL, no driving a hundred miles before the gauge quits reading FULL.

I am not sure what you did but you sure as hell didnt use the factory gauge with this sunpro universal sender you recommended. I ordered two and spend 2 hours trying to figure out why it wouldn't work with my gauge then called sunpro and they said that the ohms were like 33 full and 240 empty. The ford gauges are 10 full and 70 empty they are way off. Now I am stuck with $50 worth of fuel senders.

 

[Optikalillushun]

subscribing!

will these work for the gas-o-line powered trucks as well?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The price is a few dollars more than I paid, but I am almost 87% sure this is the one.

I am not sure what you did but you sure as hell didnt use the factory gauge with this sunpro universal sender you recommended. I ordered two and spend 2 hours trying to figure out why it wouldn't work with my gauge then called sunpro and they said that the ohms were like 33 full and 240 empty. The ford gauges are 10 full and 70 empty they are way off. Now I am stuck with $50 worth of fuel senders.

I apolligize for your bad luck; like I already said, I was only almost 87% sure that was the one.

 

[Diesel JD]

Well whatever sender MNR linked to has the right resistance values only in reverse. The universal sender says its a 78-10 resistance value. I don't know what part number yours is, you might have gotten the wrong ones, I might have too. The Sunpro number is CP7853 for what I have in my hands. Also the resistance values are different for an 87 and later truck, not 10-78 anymore.

 

[Ottoparts]

What is the resistance for an 89 ?

 

[fellro86]

subscribing!

will these work for the gas-o-line powered trucks as well?

Yes, but as was noted, there is a difference on the later trucks on the resistance the factory gauges use. Also, the reason for having to switch the mounting around was noted in the reversal of the resistance readings. The Whitney P/N for the older trucks, 78-10 resistance, is 100437. I don't know or recall the resistance readings for the newer ones. I do know 92 uses a higher resistance board, can't say whether 87-91 do or not. I will find out, as it is an 88 I need to do, and if it is wrong, then I have a sender that will wait for another time, I'm sure with 2 84's, one will surely need a sender eventually, although they use the older style wiper and resistance wire, much more reliable, but not interchangeable easily into the 85-6 trucks.

 

[fellro86]

Just found something of interest for 90 and newer trucks,(how it is listed anyway) you can get the wiper board and float arm separate from the sump...
http://www2.partstrain.com/store/?D...=mode+matchallpartial&N=1616+4294966986&Nty=1

 

[fellro86]

I was going through my old emails, and found the online invoice for Whitney. Do a search for "fuel level floats" and you will find the universal units with the ohm readings. Doesn't appear they have any for the 90's trucks... http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...1/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=fuel+level+float

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

These threads should be merged :

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22573

 

[fellro86]

Just found out about these, not sure how they mount up, but look real similar to the factory issue pieces... You need to go into the catalog, chose all the way into fuel systems, then do a search for the part number once you are in the fuel system section.

try Auto Parts Fast at RockAuto

MOTORCRAFT Part # PS20 w/19 Gal. Steel Tank Midship for $29.79
MOTORCRAFT Part # PS19 w/17 Gal. Tank Midship for $30.79