Sending Unit Question

[blown240]

I need to get a new fuel sender in my 61 Panel because the float crumbled. The sender and the gauge are not stock. When I check the resistance on the sender I get 30-800 ohms. That seems odd to me. Shouldn't it be 30-240?

I need to get a reading to see exactly how much resistance it takes to get the gauge to read full and empty.

[slepysal]

stock should be 0-30 ohms
yours will be what the after market gauge is set up for. What brand is it ?

[blown240]

The gauge is Equus brand.

Here are some pics of what Im working with...

[slepysal]

there should be a stamp on the sender that tells you the ohms.
IIRC the euqus should be a 0-90
you miight be able to get the float seprately

[blown240]

There are no markings on the sender. But my multi meter reads it as 30-800 ohms.

[slepysal]

try this

http://www.equus.com/Support/Gauges

[blown240]

Thanks for the link. My gauge isn't listed, but ill hook up a potentiometer to it and see what readings I get.

[slepysal]

one more thought, O'rielys ,and Autozone sell Equus. You could buy a sending unit from them and just use the float, that is if your sender still works. You will have to trim it but you could use your old one as a guide.
How long is your float arm, and were are you in Cali ?

[blown240]

Im in Fountain Valley, right next to Huntington Beach. I was thinking of just going to home depot and making a float from some copper pipe. I bet that a 3/4 pipe, thats capped on both ends would work.

The arm is about 6 1/2 inches long from the pivot to the 90 degree bend.


Ive got an O'rielys close by. Ill see what they have.

[slepysal]

was the float just a little black plastic float or brass?

[blown240]

no idea. Ive only had the truck for 2 weeks and the fuel sender was in a box of random parts.

[blown240]

I just found this picture from a text the PO sent me. Looks like the fuel pickup is part of it too. and the pickup tube looks pretty bad.

[blown240]

I just went out with the sender and the multi meter.

Looks like empty is about 32 ohms, and full around 90.

[slepysal]

Yup he used the oe pick up and and the Equus sender.

[blown240]

I think I may need to make a new pickup tube.

[Captainfab]

If you can't determine what sender the gauge needs, you may have to buy a new gauge and sender. Then rebuild the original pickup tube with the new sender. If that is something you don't want to deal with, contact member Vin63 here on the forum. He builds custom fuel sending units.

[blown240]

Thanks Captainfab. I'm 90% sure a 0-90 ohm sender will work. Im going to start there.

[slepysal]

so any updates on it ?

[blown240]

I couldn't get the correct sender locally, so I went and got a sender that I will steal the float off of. And I got some brake hard line that I will use as a pickup tube. I just need to get time to hook it all up. Im having some carb issues too, but thats another thread.

[blown240]

Looks like I got this working.

I ended up getting a sender locally even though I knew that the OHM rating wasnt correct. I used the mechanical part of the old sender, with the new float and the new top plate. I had to weld the holes in the top plate closed and drill new ones so that there was room for the pickup tube. I used a piece of brake hard line for the pickup tube. Once I know that it all is solid, and my gas tank doesn't leak, I will JB weld the top of the brake line to the top plate.

I got it all hooked up and it appears to be working.

Here are some pics:

[slepysal]

Right on man looks like a good fix!

[blown240]

Thanks sal