Recently, someone posted that the truck IDI guys can buy replacement fuel pickups and senders on ebay. Here's the link:

87 88 89 F250 Diesel Ford Truck Sending Unit 1987 1988 1989 Rear Tank NEW | eBay

I contacted the seller, and asked it will work for the van's tanks. He said no.

I'm wondering why not? Is it the electrical wiring, or the mounting diameter, or the depth of the pickup, or the rotation of the float?

If it's the depth of the pickup, can't I just bust off the strainer and put in a section of hose? If it's the rotation of the float, can't I just bend the metal wire to whatever length I need? If it's the wiring, can someone go over how to rewire it? Maybe it's the mounting plate diameter that doesn't fit on the vans.

Regardless, I'd like to figure this out because I'm very much sick of my fuel gauge giving me spotty and negligible results.

 

The tanks are 2 different sizes the van is 22 the truck is 19. Both list 2 different lock rings (same part #) . If those are the only difference the one for the truck would more th a new likely read full longer till the extra 3 gallons burned off. I would measure your lock ring and compare it to his if the same I would go for it. Ford is not in the business of building unique parts if they can help it. They are in the business to make money that calls for common parys

We are told a lot of things don't work or fit on our truck/vans but we prove that to be false. Of course a parts guy will say no if it is not an exact match

 

When I was replacing the senders on my van I did some oh testing. The van ohms are different than the trucks. They were the same as the gasser ohms for the van. I ended up using 2 gasser units. On one tank I just replaced the sender board, on the other one I used the entire gas sender. I used diesel fuel line with a brass T at the bottom as pick ups. If you do it this way you will want to put an inline filter between each tank and the tank selector valve. If you don't you can suck up junk and destroy your valve.....I know from experience.

 

That was one thing I thought about but thought they may be the same.

 

Thanks for this information. I kinda forgot that jayro had already resolved this. Did you have any part numbers for the gasser items you used?

 

I dont have a part number, but i know i ordered them from RockAuto. They had a couple of different brands listed for each tank.

 

I just checked. They have 2 listed for the rear 22 gallon tank and 2 for the middle 16 gallon tank. Each one is about $50.
Ohms sar 80-10

IIRC, i just removed the extra wiring for the fuel pump and modified the plastic around the sender plug so the diesel 2 pin plug would fit on it.

 

Jayro, Are you sure it is 80-10? I've been looking at my ford manual and I can't get any confirmation from their wiring sections.

 

After reading a lot on the web and in my manual, I'm just going to give it a shot. I've read that our diesel vans could have 73-10 ohms or 80-10 ohms, so I can't tell for sure. I'm hoping this sender off of Amazon will work. It's designed for the 22 gallon gasser tank in the 80's econolines, so I'm hoping the o-ring will match.


Dorman 692-115 Fuel Sending Unit

Even if it doesn't work, I'll just eat the cost. I'm just so fed up with running the tank dry by guessing my fuel usage based on mileage.

 

Jayro, did you use the gasser float in your diesel tank? If not, how did you rig up the brass float from the old sender?

 

I replaces both of my tank senders and did it 2 ways.

On one tank I removed the old sender assembly from the diesel pick up, including the float arm, and replaced it with the gasser one that i pulled off the new unit. Only issue with this is that it required me to cut/solder/crimp and heat shrink the wires to it i side the tank. I worried about the durability of the connection, bit it's been 100k miles and still working. This way requires a shorter extension to replace the shower head.

On the second tank i used the entire gasser pickup assembly. To do this, I had to remove/cut out the pin in the gasser plug that was for the in tank fuel pump. This was because it got in the way of the diesel plug. I believe i filled the hole with rtv. I then had to cut some of the plastic gaurd away from the gasser plug so the diesel plug would slide on to it. This way eliminates the in take crimp/solder connection, but requires a longer extension for the pick up since it.is designed for an in tank fuel pump.

If i had it to do over agian i would have done them both th 2nd way and used a piece of rigid copper pipe to extendthe pickup. I used fuel line with a brass t at the end.

Both the gass senders had the correct size cap. As far as the ohms, i dont remember the exact numbers....but I did verify the gasser ones were correct with a guage tester i borrowed. The tester had ***** where i could adjust the resistance it was causing and then check the reading on the fuel gauge. I did this because my research prior too only turned up the truck fanges and they were said to be different between gas vs diesel.

 

The sender you linked looks correct......but i cant say 100%.

 

Thanks for the link genscripter! May be the decoder ring I'm looking for in finding what I believe to be a failed sending unit in a cutaway 87 ambulance with any luck.
Subscribed!

 

I'm back again, I just measured up my tank today and it came to 40 gallons, being I don't remember seeing a 40 gallon tank anywhere I thought I might try and catch a height measurement from a sending unit assembly going into someones tank?

Or maybe a measurement off the tank they are putting it into?
My tank looks to be about 13 inches tall maybe a shade more with the interior circular depression for the fuel pickup.

I took a peek on top of the tank again today and really can't see much of anything out of sorts, no electrical splices......

 

How did you calculate 40 gallons? Did you get that by filling the tank, or by measuring the length, width, and height?

As far as I remember, the only ford tanks that even came even close to 40 gallons were the Bronco tanks in the 30-some gallon range. Maybe some industrious PO installed a Bronco tank, but I doubt it. The rear tanks on these vans were 22-gallons and 16 in the front. But I could be wrong about yours.