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  1. #1

    Default Fuel tank sending unit

    I was told they don't make one specific to the fairmonts, and other foxbody ones of the era don't actually work? Is this true?

    Also hear a 65 Mustang is an ok one to try out? Curious what else anyone might know to help me distinguish between fact or fiction.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Str8sixfan View Post
    I was told they don't make one specific to the fairmonts, and other foxbody ones of the era don't actually work? Is this true?

    Also hear a 65 Mustang is an ok one to try out? Curious what else anyone might know to help me distinguish between fact or fiction.
    I think spectra makes a o ring and lock ring for one.
    Mine I think the brass float must have a hole in it and sitting on the bottom of the tank. Will repair someday... a 1st gen mustang one could probably make something work..

  3. #3
    FEP Senior Member
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    Keep an eye on ebay. They show up from time to time. This one is from a Turbo 2.3 so I don't know if it will fit your car and its price is probably out of your budget, but it might give you a part number to start working with. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1980-FO...wAAOSwYNxaUXLb
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
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  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by KevinVarnes View Post
    Keep an eye on ebay. They show up from time to time. This one is from a Turbo 2.3 so I don't know if it will fit your car and its price is probably out of your budget, but it might give you a part number to start working with. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1980-FO...wAAOSwYNxaUXLb
    Notice the brass float? Buy the lock ring and o ring. Remove and repair float. Install plastic float and reinstall. Save 300usd

    No one will buy that. I could make 4 for that price.

  5. #5

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    So if I'm hearing you right 78futura, basically this is something that's got such few moving parts that it should be repairable?

  6. #6

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    You can buy the oring and lock ring. The brass floats gets a hole and sink thus the zero reading. Thats what happened to my futura. Need to repair someday. Other than that it has a rheostat. Remove test with an ohm meter on all positions looking for a dead spot. If ok you can reinstall with a plastic float. Check you gauge and wiring on the car by pinning the wiring together at the sender plug and turn your key on should read full.

  7. #7

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    Thanks. My goal is to drop it this weekend and examine it some. I'm pretty sure it's stuck, because it moves from buried to 1/8ish position when I turn battery on. But it never moves past that mark. And I ran it out last weekend (so obviously it went below that 1/8 mark).

    https://youtu.be/X0w8ng1O2aU
    Last edited by Str8sixfan; 05-10-2019 at 08:52 AM.

  8. #8

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    Ok, curious to see what you guys think. If you want to get straight to the fuel sending unit it's somewhere around the 11-12 minute mark -

    https://youtu.be/SnbDyris1XQ

  9. #9

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    Cool videos I would like to suggest something incredibly important for your safety though. Make yourself a punch out of copper tubing or something else that is not steel, to be rotating the sending unit lock ring to get it off or back on, because using any kind of steel tool (the gas tanks are steel as well... grab a magnet and you'll see...), like a steel pry bar or screw driver, can cause a spark, and that can be very bad. Gas and spark is great in the engine's combustion chambers, but not good in the vicinity of your person. I went to high school with a guy that learned this the hard way, that was burned and blown through a wall at his father's shop. So, please play safe.
    Mike
    1986 Mustang convertible ---> BUILD THREAD
    Past Fox-chassis "four eyes":
    1983 Mercury Cougar LS
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    1980 Capri RS Turbo

    Work in progress website ---> http://carb-rebuilds-plus.boards.net/

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Walking-Tall View Post
    Cool videos I would like to suggest something incredibly important for your safety though. Make yourself a punch out of copper tubing or something else that is not steel, to be rotating the sending unit lock ring to get it off or back on, because using any kind of steel tool (the gas tanks are steel as well... grab a magnet and you'll see...), like a steel pry bar or screw driver, can cause a spark, and that can be very bad. Gas and spark is great in the engine's combustion chambers, but not good in the vicinity of your person. I went to high school with a guy that learned this the hard way, that was burned and blown through a wall at his father's shop. So, please play safe.
    Fantastic pointer. I really appreciate it, because obviously I wasn't thinking about this. In fact I may go over to YT and pin a comment right now saying the same thing. At least at this point I was close to my fire extinguisher. But I truly appreciate the input.

    What were your thoughts on the sending unit itself?

  11. #11
    FEP Senior Member
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    A brass rod or drift works well and won't produce a spark.
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by KevinVarnes View Post
    A brass rod or drift works well and won't produce a spark.
    this seems to be suggested most so far.

  13. #13
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    Even gas tanks that have been empty for a while can have enough vapor inside to be explosive.

    I work in an industry (offshore oil & gas) where sometimes we have to weld on tanks that have contained explosive hydrocarbon mixtures. If we can't get it below the lower explosive limit, we generally fill the thing with water and make sure it's well vented at the top (working below the water level on the tank exterior).

    One of the welders told me that if they can't fill it with water (because of the tank size, location, or the water would cause problems with the weld), they sometimes use CO2 at a low pressure to displace any fumes and ensure there's not enough gas to ignite. We haven't done that on my ship (that I'm aware of).

    Either way, I prefer just to avoid sparks near stuff that can blow up.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Str8sixfan View Post
    Thanks. My goal is to drop it this weekend and examine it some. I'm pretty sure it's stuck, because it moves from buried to 1/8ish position when I turn battery on. But it never moves past that mark. And I ran it out last weekend (so obviously it went below that 1/8 mark).

    https://youtu.be/X0w8ng1O2aU
    My 85 does the exact same thing. Fill it up and it moves to a hair above the E, never goes higher. So I'm pretty sure I'll have to replace the sending unit.

    Brant

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by RazorbackGT View Post
    My 85 does the exact same thing. Fill it up and it moves to a hair above the E, never goes higher. So I'm pretty sure I'll have to replace the sending unit.

    Brant
    I bought a multimeter this week in hopes to have tested it already by now, and just haven't had the time. Hopefully for sure by Sunday though. I am hopeful I can just rebuild the thing. Looks pretty straight forward - new float and address the corrosion.

  16. #16

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    New brass float is in. I slipped it in the hook tonight, and there was the tinniest bit of play, that I just worry as soon as I get everything reinstalled, it will work its way out some time. So was wondering, because it's brass could I solder it to that hook for an extra layer of security?

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Str8sixfan View Post
    New brass float is in. I slipped it in the hook tonight, and there was the tinniest bit of play, that I just worry as soon as I get everything reinstalled, it will work its way out some time. So was wondering, because it's brass could I solder it to that hook for an extra layer of security?
    Does the sending unit put out ohms resistance all thru the range? Probably braze it.

  18. #18

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    Yes it does. Tested it when I took it out...but the old float clearly had a crack in it, so 99.9999999% sure it was the brass float anyway.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Str8sixfan View Post
    Yes it does. Tested it when I took it out...but the old float clearly had a crack in it, so 99.9999999% sure it was the brass float anyway.
    Cool guess I had eh? Mine is the same ..

  20. #20

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    Got the tank back in today (YouTube video goes up at 8:30pm central tonight on my channel), it's so awesome having one of the simplest things working again!

  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Str8sixfan View Post
    Got the tank back in today (YouTube video goes up at 8:30pm central tonight on my channel), it's so awesome having one of the simplest things working again!
    Know this is an older thread But how do I find the video on YouTube ?

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