Fuel Sending Unit

[birdbrain1]

The fuel sending unit does not seem to function correctly on my 55 Speedster. I ran out of gas twice because I believed E still had some gas left in the tank.

I took the sending unit out of the tank and moved the float from one extreme to the other. In one case, it read about E and the other extreme it read somewhat higher than 3/4 of F. Since there are tab stops on either extreme, there are really no adjustments to be made for it to read F.

I want to replace it but--no vendor has them and they are on back order till ???.

Here is my plan. Completely fill the gas tank ($72+ ouch!) to see if the gage reads 3/4 F as does my test. Then if the gage reads E, there still is 1/4 tank left and I better fill up.

Does that make sense? Are there any other thoughts/ideas out there.

Does anyone know of a source or have a 6 volt sending unit?

Thanks

Henry

[Chucks Stude]

Check your grounds. Both on the tank and the gauge. Add extra grounds to the gas tank and the gauge. Clean all of your connectors. Make sure there are no shorts in the wireing to the gas tank.
Is the float made of cork? If so it is fuel soaked. If not, make sure it dry, and not filling with fuel.
Hope some of this help.

[Tom Bredehoft]

Don't assume anything. Figure what your minimum mileage would be (15) what your tank should hold (18) Subtract 2 gallons for safety and don't drive over 240 miles without refilling the tank.

If you average better than that, figure it in, but establish a minimum distance and carry a gallon of gas.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction) 358 hrs.
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[41 Frank]

I do have some 6v 47-55 sending units left Henry. $99.00 to your front door if you find you need one. I know they are expensive but there are very few left and it does not look like they are going to be reproduced any time soon.
Contact me off forum if interested in purchasing one.

Frank van Doorn
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1963 Daytona Conv
1941 Champion R-2 Rod

[41 Frank]

Reply to your e-mail inquiry sent birdbrain 1.

[Dads Baby]

Floats are a funny thing. If you think that at "E" you still have 1/4 tank, you will be walking!!! Mine reads 3/4 when full also. When I put my electric pump on at the tank, the gauge was reading "E." Guess how much fuel came out when I drained the tank! Only 1 gallon! This is next on my list...

http://www.gudim.com/ReplacingCorkFloats.html

Carey
Packard Hawk

[bams50]

I think with cars this old, you'll have a really tough time getting a gas gauge accurate. You may end up with a lot of time, energy, and expense invested for little or no gain. Same with old car speedometers.

Such is the reality of old cars



Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"With your Lark you're on your own, free as a bird, alive as a Lark. You've suddenly discovered that happiness is a thing called Larking!"

[GTtim]

What's wrong with thinking that 'E' means empty? As in, there is no gas in the tank. I was just wondering.

Tim K.
'64 R2 GT Hawk

[StudeRich]

Sounds perfect to me, normal is about a quart or two!

All you need is a better float (Brass on a previous post) to get the reading to Full!

quote:Originally posted by Dads Baby

When I put my electric pump on at the tank, the gauge was reading "E." Guess how much fuel came out when I drained the tank! Only 1 gallon!

StudeRich- Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA

[mdelapp]

I sent me fuel gage and the sending unit to a company in Virginia. the installed a resistor on the guage, (I have converted from 6V to 12 V) and they calbrated the sending unit and guage. With a little tweaking of the sending unit arm to get a "full" reading when the take is full, it all works fine now. I think the cost was about $40 for the resistor and calabration.

[barnlark]

There was a discussion recently on gas gauges and the consensus was that every Stude has a different level of correct reading. I fill mine up after every two hours of driving. The price doesn't feel as bad and I know it always has gas. My gauge and tank are grounded well, but the nos sender and gauge are still not talking to each other. I have heard that NAPA has a replacement sending unit and wondered if anyone knows that NAPA part number... IF a new wire from the gauge to the sending unit doesn't do the trick next, I'm going to try that. Maybe someone sold me a 6 volt sender by accident.

[41 Frank]

I have some of those NAPA senders but I can't get to them right now to get a part# Just go to NAPA and ask for their universal Borg Warner tank sending unit. It will come with a set of instructions and is pretty straight forward to install.

quote:Originally posted by barnlark

There was a discussion recently on gas gauges and the consensus was that every Stude has a different level of correct reading. I fill mine up after every two hours of driving. The price doesn't feel as bad and I know it always has gas. My gauge and tank are grounded well, but the nos sender and gauge are still not talking to each other. I have heard that NAPA has a replacement sending unit and wondered if anyone knows that NAPA part number... IF a new wire from the gauge to the sending unit doesn't do the trick next, I'm going to try that. Maybe someone sold me a 6 volt sender by accident.

Frank van Doorn
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1963 Daytona Conv
1941 Champion R-2 Rod

[barnlark]

Thanks Frank. Do they work and how do they fit?

[gordr]

The short answer is, that assuming the grounds are good, that sending units simply wear out. I've posted here before on the means I've successfully used to patch them up. Here's a link: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...ng,unit,repair

Fussy, detail work, but if you have the necessary tools on hand, it's not particularly difficult to make it work, IF the resistance element is intact.

Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

[barnlark]

I've read that Gord, good stuff and easy to do, but my sender is NOS last summer, as is the tank and gauge, all in great shape. Maybe the sender needs oiled or adjusted, but it usually doesn't show signs of life unless I interrupt power. That seems to reset the gauge for a few minutes and it climbs to full and drops quickly every time at about 3/4 of a tank to the full mark and never returns unless I drop the power and give it 12v again. I would love to figure this one out soon.