Fuel Gauge Sender

The fuel gauge did not work when I bought the car, but it was a project on the previous owner’s list. He had a replacement sending unit in the trunk of the car. It’s a little tricky to know when to tackle the replacement—the gas tank has to be less than half full, otherwise gas will spill out when the old unit is removed. But, how to know what’s in there if the gauge is not working? If you can figure that out, the rest is pretty simple.

Fuel Gauge Sender
Here’s the original unit in place.
Fuel Gauge Sender
I removed the electrical connector and fuel line first.
Fuel Gauge Sender
The retaining ring can be loosened with a screwdriver and hammer.
Fuel Gauge Sender
It took me a few twists and turns to get the old unit out. I was glad to not see fuel pouring out on me at this point.
Fuel Gauge Sender
Here’s the old unit next to the new. The new one has a filter, which is a nice touch. The old float was brass and full of gas—probably the reason it stopped working. The float can be replaced separately, but I went with the whole new unit.
Fuel Gauge Sender
The original gasket stayed in place with the old unit out. I pried it out with a screwdriver and used a little sealant to hold the new one in place for reinstallation.
Fuel Gauge Sender
Here’s the new unit in place. The retaining ring tightened up pretty good when it was half way on. It took a few good, swift strokes of the hammer to get it fully seated.
Fuel Gauge Sender
All connected and ready to go.

5 thoughts on “Fuel Gauge Sender”

  1. Good simple and easy to see pictures. Love your bird. Just recently acquired a black 64. If you can please tell me what size wheels and tires you have on it. Mine has skirts on it like yours. Thanks, Mike

    1. HI Michael,

      The wheels are 15″ x 7″ with a -5mm offset. Going from memory here, but the tires I believe are 215-70R 15. With the skirts on, they rub a bit, and of course, the speedometer is off by a lot with the extra diameter.

  2. Thanks for the excellent pics. My 66 is not working now so I’ll probably check the wiring. Be nice with access through the trunk.

    1. Yeah, sorry. The good people at Photobucket lost them and I haven’t gotten around to taking the page down.

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