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Fuel pick-up upgrade

machelis

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Howdy,

I need to upgrade my fuel lines from 5/16 to 3/8 to feed my new big block. Since I've read nothing but troubles with newer units, is it possible to modify my old unit that still reads levels correctly with a 3/8 pick up tube? Or just run a 3/8 line from the 5/16 outlet? Or is it less trouble just adjusting a spectra pick up to work decently?

Thanks
 
Maybe put a 3/8" line in with the 5/16" line and plug 5/16" line. Might be tough though.
 
I think the easiest thing to do would be buy a new 3/8 pickup and transfer your electronic sending unit portion to the new unit.
 
On my 67 D100 I took the original pick up and removed the 5/16" line and drilled out the sending unit and bent a 3/8" line like the 5/16" and added the filter sock and soldered it to the sending unit. A 3/8 pick up was not available for that application
 
Thanks for the ideas fellas. I'll order the spectra unit and see what I can do.
 
FYI I have cheap one from Van's on my Charger that I drilled and soldered in a 5/16" for a return line.
Seems to work fine.
 
Why not order the spectra 3/8” and just see if the gauge works before making changes and modifying. Maybe you’ll get lucky...?
 
I'll probably do that. Why do more work for nothing. Should I set up a return line too?
 
Just buy a new 3/8th pick up and calibrate the sending unit arm to the gauge before you install it in the tank. Run jumper ground and hot wires to the new sending unit. Put the pick up unit to the side of the tank and get the mounting angle and height as close as you can to the tank angles and move the arm from full to empty and then half way and bend the arm until the dash gauge reads correct. Then install the unit in the tank. I've had good luck with these replacement units.
 
As I understand it the resistance curve of the sender needs to be non-linear to match the non-linear volume vs/level of the stock tank.

From what I've read, no aftermarket sender accomplishes this.

So, it would seem no matter what you do vs using an original is a compromise.
 
I did a lot of forum and google searching and realized that. I guess as long as the near empty level is accurate, that's the most important part. I'd like to reserve my CAA card for my crappy cars.
 
I did a lot of forum and google searching and realized that. I guess as long as the near empty level is accurate, that's the most important part. I'd like to reserve my CAA card for my crappy cars.
Nobody has crappy mopars, only unfinished projects.:D
 
My crappy cars aren't mopar! They're horizontally opposed and notorious for head gaskets leaking :rofl:
 
I've looked into one of these. Finally just bit the bullet and pulled the sender out of the tank and bent the float arm until I had a good empty reading.
My sender reads full and empty fine but in between is a guess. First half of tank goes real fast, last half no so much.

https://technoversions.com/MeterMatchHome.html
 
I redrilled the unit for 1/2 inch pickup and use the 5/16 as a return line seems to work okay
 
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