Fuel Sending Units for 1984 diesel pick-ups

[dancrowley]

Hi All, What are owners of 1984 Ford diesel pick-ups doing for replacement fuel senders. I can't seam to find them. Is there any help out there? Thank you. Dan

 

[chillman88]

It looks like the 85-86 senders are very similar, anyone know the difference?

 

[franklin2]

The 84 may have the small hole tank. Somewhere around 84 or 85 they changed all fuel tanks, all truck types, to large hole tanks and they take a larger diameter sending unit.

If this is the case, and your tank is old and rusty anyway, you can get a later model tank and the newer style sending unit. Just don't go beyond 1986.

 

[Knuckledragger]

I believe the senders for 84-86 were the same, using the large hole tanks. Maybe as late as 1987 models, when the 7.3 was introduced mid-year. After 87, the senders looked the same, but the ohm range was reversed for empty to full and I have no idea why. I have a later sending unit on my front tank and it reads E until I am near half tank. By the time it reads half tank, it is time to fill up.

 

[dancrowley]

My problem is I had replaced the rear tank with a new 84 tank and my side tank is like new.

 

[Knuckledragger]

Jeff's Bronco Graveyard, Pure Diesel Power, Partsgeek and Ebay have them new for 85-86, but I have not seen one for 84 diesel.

Still waiting for a response about hole size in the tank.

My problem is I had replaced the rear tank with a new 84 tank and my side tank is like new.

it is only a problem if you cannot find a sending unit for those tanks and do not want to spend any money to get later tanks that have sending units available.

Looked at Rockauto, it shows only sending units for carbureted engines, no fuel return line. Unicorn farts are easier to come by.

 

[franklin2]

They reversed the ohms of the 87-up tanks because they changed the type of gauges they used in the gauge cluster.

Ever since the very late 50's, Ford has used gauges that work on heat with a bi-metal piece and the pulsing gauge regulator in the cluster. You will noticed each time you turn the key off, the gauges swing to the left.'

In 87 they changed to the type Gm has used for years; the needle is between to coils of wire and the coils magnetic fields pull on the needle to make it read. You will notice when you turn the key off on these type gauges, the needle sits where it is, or sort of floats around until the power is turned back on.

If I were desperate, I think I would see if I could find a sending unit for a 460 equipped truck that had fuel pumps in the tanks. Hopefully you could buy these without the fuel pumps, or if they were not too expensive just get them with the fuel pumps, and then take the fuel pumps out and bridge the gap with a piece of hard fuel line. The 460 style sending units with in tank pumps did have a return fitting in the sending unit. One problem with this method though; the 460 having in tank fuel pumps was one of the reasons they went to the large hole tanks, so there was room for the fuel pump to go through the hole in the tank.

You may have to get under there and measure the size of the holes in the tanks. I see a reference below to a 2 1/2" hole, and then a 4 inch hole.

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[1mouse3]

If is the hold tank that is a bit of a pickle, only seeing carb senders for that year with out a return. If yours is the small hole, I see another ootion that comes with a pump that dose have return.

SUFD36 w/ ILO03 Outlet 5/16" Flare Side Mount 16 Gallons(43"Long)
SUFD37 w/ ILO03 Outlet 5/16" Flare Side Mount 19 Gallons(59"Long)
SUFD38 w/ ILO03 Outlet 5/16" Flare Rear Mount 19 Gallons


https://shop.broncograveyard.com/19...-Assembly-19-Gal-Rear-Tank/productinfo/30353/
https://shop.broncograveyard.com/19...nder-Assembly-Center-Tank/productinfo/30353A/

 

[dancrowley]

Thanks 1Mouse3, My 84 tanks do have the small hole for the sending unit. I emailed Bronco Graveyard and asked them if I could use the sending units with the fuel pumps for the 460 engine in my truck with the 6.9 diesel engine and I am waiting to hear back from them.
PS Thank you guys for all the help. Dan

 

[franklin2]

Thanks 1Mouse3, My 84 tanks do have the small hole for the sending unit. I emailed Bronco Graveyard and asked them if I could use the sending units with the fuel pumps for the 460 engine in my truck with the 6.9 diesel engine and I am waiting to hear back from them.
PS Thank you guys for all the help. Dan

I am sure they will say no. They are not going to sell them to you because they will not bolt in without modifications. I doubt they will even fit, like I said the holes were made larger for the fuel pump equipped sending units.

 

[1mouse3]

I am sure they will say no. They are not going to sell them to you because they will not bolt in without modifications. I doubt they will even fit, like I said the holes were made larger for the fuel pump equipped sending units.

That one from the graveyard is a custom job to add a fuel pump to the small hole tanks

 

[dancrowley]

Thank you for the info, I will e-mail the graveyard and ask about the units? Dan