40 ford gas sending unit

[lenmissy]

I have bob drakes new sending unit installed it in gas tank of my 40 ford gas gauge goes to half tank is full what is the problem.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by lenmissy

I have bob drakes new sending unit installed it in gas tank of my 40 ford gas gauge goes to half tank is full what is the problem.

The problem? You have a Drake sending unit. That's the problem.

[RKS.PA]

You can test you sending unit if you have a multimeter. Take it out of the tank. Put one lead on the terminal screw at the top of the unit and the other on the ground tab. If it reads 14 to 18 ohms with the arm fully raised and 88 to 94 ohms at the bottom, your sending unit is working properly. If you get readings way outside these ranges.....get another sending unit.

Dick.

[JSeery]

All of the replacement sending units work differently than the original units. Originals are a pulse type of device that works using a set of points. The replacement units are a variable resister type of device. There are claims that the resister type senders can be made to work, but I have no idea how.

[wspiker]

I too installed a Drake sending unit on my '40 Ford with the same results you are experiencing. A friend, who is an electronics guy, showed me what he had done with his gas gauge. The fix was installing a 12 ohm resister. His is installed under the dash at the gas gauge; I elected to install mine at the sending unit. I experimented with an 8 ohm, 10 ohm and finally the 12 ohm resister. The 12 ohm brought the gauge needle up to level that matched the amount of gas in the tank (I would take out the sending unit and measure the gas level with a yard stick, put in two gallons, and measure again. This enabled me to know what the gas gauge should read). I soldered connections on each end of the resister, wrapped it with shrink tubing, and installed it 'in-line' to the sending unit. It works...

Daryl

[wspiker]

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Question for "Kube": what sending unit do you use?

Thanks, Daryl

[Kube]

Originally Posted by wspiker

Question for "Kube": what sending unit do you use?

Thanks, Daryl

I have been fortunate enough to have a supply of NOS units.

I found your method to repair Drakes unit quite interesting and should I find the need to ever use one of them, will keep your method in mind. thanks for the lesson! Still, too bad one must "repair" a brand new product advertised to operate correctly.

[19Fordy]

wspiker, Does your gas guage now give you ACCURATE READINGS from EMPTY to FULL and the markers in between.?
If so, would you please post the website for your gas gauge. Thank you, JIM

[wspiker]

19Forty, Yes, my fuel gauge registers accurately, i.e. Empty to Full and all marks in between.

"If so, would you please post the website for your gas gauge."

I am not sure what you mean by this request? My '40 Ford is ALL stock and, of course, has the stock, original, gauge cluster..... It is also 6-volt (nothing is wrong 6-volt, in my opinion.)

Daryl

[wspiker]

I will elaborate a bit more on the process: I knew I had a half a tank of gas. When I connected the 8 ohm resister, the gas gauge registered 1/4 tank; when I connected the 10 ohm, the gauge registered 1/3 tank full. Than when I connected the 12 ohm, the gas gauge registered 1/2 tank! THAT WAS ACCURATE. So, I know I have 7 gallons of gas in the tank and the gauge is reading 1/2 of a tank. Next, I add 4 gallons of gas to the tank and the gauge goes to 3/4 tank. Every 3 1/2 gallons equals a quarter of a tank. I would than keep track of my mileage and guesstimate how much gas I would use. The gauge would reflect the amount I used. I than would add that amount and the gauge would increase to the level expected. Hey, it works for me.

Regards, Daryl

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by wspiker

19Forty, Yes, my fuel gauge registers accurately, i.e. Empty to Full and all marks in between.

"If so, would you please post the website for your gas gauge."

I am not sure what you mean by this request? My '40 Ford is ALL stock and, of course, has the stock, original, gauge cluster..... It is also 6-volt (nothing is wrong 6-volt, in my opinion.)

Daryl

7/12/15 Thanks so much for your replies. You answered my question. Two more questions.
Where did you buy your resistors and what is the wattage?
Sorry for the questions, but electricity is not my friend.
Thanks again, JIM

[wspiker]

GOOD QUESTION! I bought the resistors at an electronics store here in Sacto. They now will be going out of business at the end of the month. They had a revolving rack that had an incredible selection of resistors! This was all new to me as I am not "an electronics guy"; I asked one of the clerks where can I go in the future and he suggested only "on line". However, as info, Radio Shack also carried resistors. I believe I used 1/2 watt.

Regards, Daryl

[Drbrown]

Here's an on-line supplier of resistors and most things electrical:

http://www.digikey.com/product-searc...istors&stock=1

I have dealt with them many times; resistors, LED's etc. Prompt and fair priced.

[Old Henry]

If were talking about this sender,



I adjusted my Drake sender by just adjusting the length of the rod that the float is on and bending it to adjust it until the gauge read correctly. I believe my sender even came with instructions for doing that. No electronics needed. Radio Shack has drawers full of resistors if you want to go that route.

This is the description of Drake's sender on his site:

"6 or 12 Volt, For use with original Ford gauge only. This high quality sender is adjustable from 6in. to 23in. of measurable depth. The housing mounting plate and float arm are 100% stainless steel for super long life with pinpoint fuel reading accuracy. Universal mounting design; includes flange, gasket, float and mounting screws."

[alan]

I have three of those sending units--all thee have different ohm readings right out of the plastic bag! 19/21 to 110/120 only one comes close to the correct readings even with the float arm set correctly it is still not accurate--I would be glad if it just registered 1/2 tank when half full

[RKS.PA]

Seems like an opportunity here for a guy to come up with a reliable sender made for our cars that works like it's supposed to. Use Kube's NOS as a prototype and make it here in the USA.....or make it better than the NOS!! I'd buy it!!

Dick.

[TonyM]

That is the same sender that would not work on my 1937 Ford (Old Henry Post # 14). Sent the original FoMoCo sender to Morris Gauge and had it rebuilt. I installed the rebuilt Ford Sender and it worked.

[Fred A]

With so many guys installing the cheap replacement tanks, seems that there will be plenty of original sending units available. We're not talking Swiss watches here. The original sending units are not used on the rerpro tanks. For some reason the old tanks are not usually tossed out for a while. Good Luck: Fred A

[19Fordy]

Gee Willilers! Thanks for all the follow up info. Seems like getting a DRAKE sender that even comes close is pure luck. Morris Gauge is looking better and better.

[wspiker]

I wish I would have known about Morris Gauge when I was going through the aggravation! I would Have payed whatever it takes...............I still might send them the old one taken out, just to have.