I use my Fluke 77 for many things. Fluke is just North of me in Everett, WA and I know people that work there. Local company and a good one.

Analog meters are sure handy for some things. Trying to measure the output of an analog ICVR with a digital meter all you see is a number that is constantly changing and it becomes a bit of a blur. With the analog meter it shows the peaks and valleys and you get sort of an averaged value since the needle on the analog meter takes some time to respond. Oscilloscope works good for that, too, since it can capture and display it as a waveform. The digital ICVRs get away from the constant fluctuations of the analog ICVR and deliver a steady voltage instead of an analog signal that is supposed to average to what the gauges need.

 

The Fluke 77 does not have a min/max button that will capture the oscillation for high and low output voltage like my 87 or 115. Maybe tap one of those folks for an upgrade.

 

Heck yes I need an upgrade. I've had mine since at least 1986, probably a little longer. It's old but still works great so I'll have to hold on an upgrade unless one of them can slip one out the back door for me...just kidding.

 

How will measuring Ohms work to measure voltage though? The voltage regulator on these is simply a bimetallic strip that heats up when passing current, and breaks contact momentarily. Probably about 20 or 30 times every minute something like that. Can hear it "pop" on the AM band lol. The gauge itself is very sluggish, so it all sort of works. Most people aren't going to buy a Fluke.

Hell, a lot of people ordinarily think owning a voltmeter in the first place is pretty exotic stuff. Usually the same folks who want to try and fix their charging system.

 

Because the sender is a resistance thing, 10-90 ohms. Can't do that with a voltmeter or a test light.
https://www.fordification.com/tech/f...ding-units.htm

 

I still use my Simpson 260 analog meter that I bought in 1972.

 

Well ... if we were talking about the sender, you might have a point.

The factory ICVR can't really be measured with a digital voltmeter, it will display gibberish. I'm not persuaded they actually need much measuring, they tend to either work, or they don't, but they are expensive little buggers for what they are and they are very often replaced unnecessarily by peeps who don't understand how they work and believe they are defective when they are working perfectly.

 

For the ICVR, as said they're often bad right out of the box. You will need to determine if it's an original pulsing type, or a modern electronic steady state type. Looks like an original to me though. Also looks as if it's been sitting on a shelf for a long time, judging by the "patina" on the contacts.
With a volt-meter you can measure the output. Since you say it's not pulsing now, measure the actual voltage. If it's steady at 5v to 6v or so, you've got an electronic one and it's set correctly. If it reads steady but a higher or lower value, look for an adjuster.
If the reading is never steady however, then it's probably a standard electro-mechanical type.

For this pulsing though, you have to leave it connected to the system so that there is a load on it. Without a load your meter might give you a false reading.

I've tweak-adjusted many stock sending units. My original '71 senders (both tanks) read no more than 3/4 full when I filled my tanks and way below the E when empty. Bought new ones right from Ford dealer (this was about '79-ish maybe?) and they read the exact same!
So I bent the float arms in multiple places on the originals to allow the float to go lower and the float still in roughly the same location and they read perfectly after that.

Paul

 

I found non adjustable float unit in my tank. It never read over 3/4 even when I KNEW tank was sloshing full.

I tested the gauge first as was described here. Then pulled the float assembly out and made a couple tiny bends in the float arm until I could get the full reading. Works perfectly now E to F

 

Way to go girl! Be smarter than what your problem is.