Hi, I about to make my own gas tank ( in fact a friend ) ;-) under the bed of my 1950 chevy V8, i'd like some abvise cause i 'll buy the new gauge and the new speedo, i'll need the sender unit , but i wonder wich one i'll need , i think the original is made for the original gas tank, i was about to buy the part 23-522A but i don't know how it works , i suppose that i need to respect a typical high made for the sender ? , because if the gas tank is too deep it will show me empty even if i have fuel , no ?...! i almost sure i will work fine with full fuel but empty ? ! so if somebody know and have some picture or graphics ? thanks much . ( Sorry for my english cause i'm french) Best regards. John.
For some of my friends who have custom fuel cells and tanks, I've used either adjustable or specific-length marine-type (really rugged) fuel sending units since the units are a pain to replace when mounted under the bed. I've used Moeller units in the past. You'll have to purchase the appropriate length and resistor for your gauge application. If you use a standard fuel cell 6- or 12-hole cap and ring, you can use a readily available fuel cell sending unit...again, you'll have to use the appropriate length and resistance. Good luck.
The after market sending units from say Summit, Speedway, or I think maybe our host, come with an instruction sheet. You need to furnish the type of gauge your going to use or even better the range it works in---0 to 90 ohms for most GM applications. The only measurement you need is the depth of the tank from surface the unit mounts to, to bottom of tank. The instructions will tell you where to set the float pivot to read correctly and you just cut off the excess and discard. I like to double check by filling tank to exactly half full and checking the reading. This is in the middle of it's range so any error will be the same whether it's filled on up or emptied. If off, and they hardly ever are, then the pivot can be adjusted up or down to read exactly 1/2 full. I have not used a horizontal mount after market sender which would be different and of course the unit must mount so there is room for the float arm to swing without hitting the side of the tank. They are really easy to install.
my wife bought me a set of quad gauges for my 51 and i use an old style keg for a tank. the sending unit came with the gauge and it is fully adjustable to whatever size tank you are gonna use. it works out really well because the resistances are already matched between the gauge and the sender, no guess work. most aftermarket are fully adjustable. you shouldnt have too much problem.-robert
HI, cool seems to be easier than i thought, i 'd like an original gauge so i think i'll take this one http://www.classicparts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=24-714 and i almost sure that it's a 30 ohms that i need , what do you think? i was looking for this one http://www.classicparts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=23-522A but maybe i can look summit, do you have links to give me ? in fact the most important if i well understood is to take the same ohms than the gauge , and after i will adapt the lenght with the deph of the tank isn't it .? Thanks ;-)
i know that some kit come complete with sender unit and with resistances matched with the gauge it's that i'd like but it's modern gauge no?? , my problem is that i want an gauge like original but i don't know if they come with the sender unit , it's not writen anywhere i don't think so , if yours are like the original it's perfect, i' ll take the same. thanks. Evan where you talking about this one ??http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=VDO%2D226008&N=700+4294925228+4294856110+115&autoview=sku seem to be good ? is it ok if the sender do 0 to 90 ,and if i need 30 max ?? maybe i don't care for , the important is that the sender can do 0 to 30 mini, or it will not work with 90 ?? Thanks
Cramp: You are correct about the original gauge and sending unit. Full is 30 ohms, empty is zero. I have a Mazda pickup tank under the bed of my '57 GMC. It was about the right size and cheap at the local parts recycler. I took a hacksaw to the original GMC fuel pickup/sending unit cutting off about 6" of the tube that had the sending unit attached. I gutted the sending unit from the Mazda, leaving behind the Mazda pickup tube. I then attached the GMC sending unit to the Mazda tube using two small screw type hose clamps. Ran an electrical connection from the GMC sending unit to the Mazda tank's connector and hooked it up. Did a little bending of the GMC float arm to get it to be all the way up when the tank was full and near the bottom when the tank was empty. Been working like this for 9+ years of daily driving with no problems.
John, I don't think the 0-90 ohm will work and I can't tell you who might offer a 0-30. A little research with people like Dolphin or Auto Meter might point you in the right direction. A 0-90 would be at 45 ohms at half tank which would have your 0-30 pegged on full. Maybe you could take a page from Bill's book and modify the factory pick up tube and float arm for your new tank. In the back of my rapidly fading mind I think someone offers a 0-30 unit. If you sleuth out one let use know. Oh yeah, you might call Steve at Dakota Digital, he's the one who actually designs and builds the guages so he has his finger on the industries pulse.
