Single wire 6 port fuel selector valve

[masterlock]

So I am changing my tanks on my K10 and figure I should change everything out while I have the bed off. I have a 6 port single wire fuel tank selector valve. Figured I would just go grab one at Oriley.....Nope, scoured the interwebs and it seems like it is the holy grail of parts. Anyone know where I can find one???? LMC doesn't even h\stock one!!!

[K25alive]

try Dans auto parts 406-357-2615. I just got one last week. Not cheap.

[masterlock]

ok so I did a bit of research and found the following picture. From the looks of it I can just wire up the 6 wire valve to the existing wires. Question is am I going to need a different switch on the dash. the one I Currently have has five wires coming off it if I remember correctly.

[bmchevy1979]

You use an 80's switch but then you would have to add a few wires I'm not sure If that valve defaults to one side like your original but if it does you could use original switch just leave fuel sender wires unused

[rich weyand]

The single-wire valve setup runs one wire back to the solenoid of the valve; the other side of the solenoid is grounded to the frame. Both tank sender wires go forward to the switch on the dash, which selects between them. So there are three wires from the valve to the dash.

The double-wire motorized valve setup needs two wires back to the valve. +12 and ground on those wires drives the motor in one direction; reverse the polarity on those two wires and it drives the valve in the other direction. The two tank sender wires go to the connector on the valve and are switched by the valve, so only one sender wire goes forward to the gauge. So there are three wires from the valve to the dash.

That's the key to doing the conversion easily. You can repurpose one of the tank sender wires in your current setup to be the needed second wire to the valve motor.

The five wires on your current switch are +12v plus a wire to the solenoid -- that's the two-wire side of the switch. The three-wire side of the switch is L Tank Sender, Fuel Gauge, and R Tank Sender. When you throw the switch to power the valve, the switch changes the sender the gauge is looking at.

OK, SO, what you do is (all with battery disconnected!):

Replace the five-position switch with a DPDT (6-position) switch. Wire an X across the corners to reverse the polarity when the switch is thrown. Wire the center two terminals to +12V (already at your existing switch) and ground (from the ground buss bar on the parking brake bracket).

Take the three wires off the three-wire side of the switch. Connect the center wire to one of the other two, and note the color -- I'll call this wire A. Take the third wire (wire B) and connect it to one of the outside terminals of the DPDT switch. Connect the other terminal on that end of the DPDT switch to the current wire to the solenoid (the wire on the two-wire side of the switch that is not +12V).

At the valve, cut the two tank sender wires and connect the ends from the tanks to the two tank sender inputs on the valve connector. Make sure to leave enough length to hook the other ends of the cuts to the connector too! These are wires A and B from above.

Connect the wire that currently hooks to the solenoid valve to one of the motor inputs. Connect wire B to the other motor wire. Connect wire A to the fuel gauge output of the valve connector.

That's it. Now all you need to do is check that the correct sender is hooked to the gauge to match which tank is being used. Just fill both tanks and drive a hundred miles or so. If the gauge drops to half a tank or whatever (depends on your mileage), you're good. If the gauge doesn't drop, but you throw the switch to the unused tank and it shows half a tank or whatever, you're backwards. If it is the wrong way around, swap the motor wires on the switch, or at the valve connector, or swap the sender wires at the valve connector.

[hatzie]

Polarity reversing 4 terminal toggle and rocker switches are available with terminals laid out in the same pattern as the OEM 75-80 switch. The OP can re-use the OEM plug housing on them by simply re-pinning the plug.

Rocker from northern tool.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...0518_200520518
Toggle from northern tool.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...0520_200520520

Cole Hersee makes these switches too as well as many other manufacturers.

[wilkin250r]

The two types of valves are fundamentally different, and that complicates things.

The single-wire valve is a solenoid. Meaning: You apply power, it switches. You take power away (like turning the key off), it switches back. This is why you can use just a single wire, it provides power, and ground is supplied by the frame.

The six-wire valve is MOTOR driven. Meaning: You apply power, it switches. You take power away, and it stays the same, it doesn't switch back. To get it to switch back, it's not enough to just take away power, you actually have to REVERSE power. You have to apply power in the opposite direction. This means you CANNOT just use the frame as ground, because it has to switch back and forth. The frame can't supply power.

You can convert, but at a minimum you're running another wire to the valve. It you want it to look real nice with a wrapped wire loom, it get's more complex.

And yes, the single-wire 6-port valve is very difficult to acquire new.

[rich weyand]

Nope, don't need to run an extra wire. You can repurpose the extra sender wire. See my post above.