Fuel gauge/sending unit?

[euroz06]

Hi all, have a 68 charger 383.

Went to palm beach car show (won a prize), but it was super rainy all the way there and while parked there. At the show, i was parked on a bit of an incline.

Anyway, when i got the car 7yrs ago, it was fully restored, but the fuel gauge and 1 other gauge didnt work. So i replaced the capacitor behind the gauge cluster and both gauges started working, but fuel gauge on full tank would show 3/4 full… i took as “normal” and thats how i’ve lived the past few years.

During this trip, i got low on gas. The gauge showed a bit below 0, but i always assumed since it showed 3/4 at full that i still have another 1/4 tank at 0. After the show, i went to a gas station, but the gauge still showed low. I drove an hour back like that and gauge wouldnt budge.

I went under the car today, and the wire on the sending unit is well attached, the ground is well attached (i jiggled it for good measure). Close inspection of the gauge indicates it seems to work, i.e. when the car is off, it is laying flat, but when i turn on ign, it moves slightly up (half way between 0 and all the way down). The sending unit doesnt appear old (the car was restored 7k miles ago).

i assume the float in the sending unit is not working right, is that the correct assumption? Can the sending unit be replaced without dropping the tank?

 

[Triplegreen500]

I recently replaced the sender in my 70. With key on it spiked to full, and never moved. Unplugged the wire at the sender and it sat at 0 with the key on. Once I pulled it out I found the internal lead was shorting to ground, causing the erratic full reading. I removed the short (the lead had worn insulation and was resting against the fuel tube), and it worked again. I installed the new one anyway and am fixing/keeping the old one as a spare.

You can remove it without dropping the tank, just jack the car and let the axle droop. I'd recommend 1/4 tank or less so you don't take a shower. Pull it, move the float by hand and have a spotter watch the gauge to see what it does.

 

[dadsbee]

Quick and easy. Take the wire off of the sender, ground it to the body while someone watches the gauge WITH THE KEY ON and see if the gauge swings to full.

If that works, sender is pouched or the float is cracked and sunk.

Yes you can pull it out with tank in car..

 

[euroz06]

Quick and easy. Take the wire off of the sender, ground it to the body while someone watches the gauge WITH THE KEY ON and see if the gauge swings to full.

If that works, sender is pouched or the float is cracked and sunk.

Yes you can pull it out with tank in car..

Thank you, will try that. Are there any better or worse sending units? I see some on e-classics website for like $40...