So frustrated with this sending unit

[FLcustom10]

I have 8 gallons of gas in the tank. That really should be enough for the gauge to register. It works perfectly when I take the sending unit out of the tank and lift the float with my hand. As soon as I put it back in the tank it goes to empty and stays there. It is the same result whether I have the unit grounded to the tank or if I use a separate grounding wire. I have proved to myself that the float will in fact float in a bucket of water. I'm about to decide that it just won't float in gas. Could it be hitting the side of the tank somehow and binding? I can tie a wire around the float and lift it and the gauge will register, but when I release it the gauge goes back to empty. Shining a flashlight down there it looks like the gas level is at least up to the first indentation in the tank.

[1972RedNeck]

I had to bend the new one to go in our '60 Chevy. It was a ways out of wack.

[BLACK AND BLUE 67-72]

When testing it did you put the lock ring on it? If not it may be a ground problem. Also if you reciently had your cab painted your tank may not be getting a good ground.

[FLcustom10]

I think I've convinced myself it's not a ground problem. As soon as I lose contact with ground the gauge swings to past full. I'm going to go ahead and add 5 more gallons of gas and see what that does.

[FLcustom10]

OK. After adding 5 more gallons it is registering 1/4 full. I think I have about 13 gallons in there. I hate to screw this up, but I guess it already is screwed up. I guess I'll try bending it to where it registers just under 3/4 ??

[domeier]

Originally Posted by FLcustom10

:After adding 5 more gallons it is registering 1/4 full.

Dude: Your gas station is cheating you!

[FLcustom10]

LOL domeier! I think it's LMC that's cheating me. I paid $49.95 for this sending unit. Perhaps I'm expecting restoration to be too easy, but I still think people should make parts that work right. I've bent the unit to where it's registering halfway between 1/2 and 2/3 with 13 gallons of gas. Now I guess I'm going to have to siphon out 5 gallons at a time to check it and make sure the bend is in the right place.

[FLcustom10]

Well I should have left well enough alone when I had it registering between 1/2 and 3/4 with 13 gallons in there. After siphoning gas and bending more and more I never got it any better than registering 1/8 tank with 5 gallons in there. I wish I had saved the old one to compare against, but I think it's OK now. I think I'll have a few gallons reserve when it registers empty, but at least I won't run out of gas.

[dmack91]

I learned a while back to bend mine so that I always had 3-5 gallons left when it reads empty. That way, when the wife leaves it on E, I can still get to the gas station.