My fuel guage reads but moves VERY slowly and only moves 1/8th of an inch to just under the letter E.

I know the tank is not empty but the reading on the guage is not correct.

Have to route midship tank vent hose to filler neck, PO put a bolt in it to block it off.

I tested the orange wire with a test light and it blinks, is it supposed to blink?

Tested the sender with meter and it read 0.08 ohms does this mean i need a new sender?

How do i remove the sender? does it have bolts that i can't see?

Thanks

<a href="http://s485.photobucket.com/albums/rr219/GQR912/1978%20FORD%20F350%20CUSTOM%20CREW%20CAB/?action=view&current=P1010030.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr219/GQR912/1978%20FORD%20F350%20CUSTOM%20CREW%20CAB/P1010030.jpg" border="0" alt="Filler neck underneath at bed fender"></a>

<a href="http://s485.photobucket.com/albums/rr219/GQR912/1978%20FORD%20F350%20CUSTOM%20CREW%20CAB/?action=view&current=P1010035.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr219/GQR912/1978%20FORD%20F350%20CUSTOM%20CREW%20CAB/P1010035.jpg" border="0" alt="Midship fuel tank sender next to drive shaft"></a>

 

The second picture is the sender. The four tabs are on the ring that unscrews. Take a brass bunch and tap on the tabs to unscrew it and release the sender. Be careful not to lose or damage to rubber seal underneath the ring, you may have to reuse it.

 

If you only get .08 ohm's across the sending unit, it sounds like it is shorted out. If I'm not mistaken, it should me around 10 ohms full and 73 ohms empty. What scale do you have the ohm meter set?

In order to remove the sender, you need a brass drift (solid brass round stock). Don't use steel as it can cause a spark when hit and ignite vapors around the tank. Use the brass drift and a hammer to drive those little ears (tangs) sticking up in a counter clockwise rotation. Once that's loose, you will be able to remove the sending unit.

 

Yes i put both pics up so it's more clear how the driveshaft is so close to the sender.

I'll get a brass drift and follow your advice. thanks

 

I put the setting on the middle which is 20K should i have set the meter at 200 instead and taken another reading?

Also when i tested for current to the sender my light tester ( not meter ) was blinking, is it supposed to be blinking or should it have stayed on all the time to show current going to the sender?

Thank you for the advice i sincerely appreciate it!

 

Sorry I can't help you out with info but props to jade for some great information on the ohm readings.

 

Drop your ohm meter to the lower scale (0-100 or 0-200) will give a more accurate reading, then let us know what you get.
The wire coming from the gauge to the sending unit should be fluctuating around 5 volts. That would explain the blinking test light.

 

Don't worry you helped out so much on my other thread with the bed that i'm grateful to you and this site for all the help.

I'm making progress in fixing this fuel guage problem, then i can move a lot faster to getting everything else done, without knowing how much fuel is in the tank i can't move around to get things done fast enough worrying that i'll get stranded.

I'll be taking the old bed off this week once i fix the fuel reading problem and start the body work.

 

I'll do as you suggest and take another resistance reading.

I took a voltage reading with the meter and the readings did fluctuate.

Just wanted to make sure it WAS supposed to be blinking and not just my eyes or brain playing tricks on me.

Thank you for the help !!

 

Doesn't the ohm reading change depending on the position of the float.

 

If jades post is correct I would assume that it would.

 

I believe the tank is a 17 or 19 gallon unit, i can't have more than 10 gallons if that much in the tank due to a problem filling the tank because of the blocked vent hose.

So i would have thought that my readings would show over 10 ohms but way less than 70 ohms in this respect instead it showed 0.08 steadily and the gas guage reads E when the ignition switch is on, and below E when the ignition is off.

I'll check it tomorrow when it stops raining here and post the results.

Thanks

 

Ok i set my multi meter to the 200 scale and the reading showed 85 ohms steadily.

Fuel guage reads E

Is my fuel sender bad?

Thanks

 

And it has fuel in the tank right? Going by jades post of 73 ohms for empty I would suspect a non operative float.

 

You're reading 85 ohms at the sending unit and the gauge reads empty. That's kind of a close call given production tolerances etc. How much fuel do think is in the tank? At this point I would speculate the float on the sending unit may have taken on fuel, like a sinking boat. The brass floats can develop pin holes and the foam / plastic type can absorb fuel after a while. If it were mine, I'd pull the sending unit out and check out the float.