WARNING! Check Your Reproduction Gas Sending Unit

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OLE PONY

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Warrenton, Virginia 20186
My Car
73 Mustang Conv.
01 Mustang Bullitt (my son owns now)
04 Oxford White Mach 1
04 Azure Blue Mach 1 (sold)
I filled up my tank a couple of days ago in my 73 Convertible and noticed a fuel odor in my garage the next day. I checked under the car and noticed some drips of gas under the gas tank and fuel sending unit. I replaced the fuel tank and sending unit back in 2005 and used one of the spring tension hose clamps (like stock original) and it appeared the hose was leaking so I added a worm type hose clamp. The next day I checked it again and was still leaking. After looking closer it appeared the gas was coming out of the electric terminal boot that presses onto the sending unit. After counting my blessings that the gas was not ignited by a spark in the terminal, I disconnected the battery and removed the boot and sure enough fuel was leaking around the black gasket area of the terminals. So I drained the tank with a hand siphon pump and will be ordering another sending unit. I need to double check where I bought it and give them a call to see if they have had any similar reports. Although the tank and unit has been on the car about 6 years I doubt if I have driven it more than 1,200 miles.

So if you have replaced your fuel sending unit with a reproduction you should check it out to make sure there is no leak into the terminal boot!

I had already wiped the drip off the terminal lead in the picture, but you can see [/b]the black gasket is damp from gas!

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i had this same problem 4 years ago.

leaking out of the connector plug as well.

your sender is also the same defective version i got where the fuel outlet pipe is welded the wrong way.

here is a picture of my older sender that was defective and leaked as well.

1.jpg


when i bought the 2nd one. i went for the stainless steel version with the brass float not plastic float

and it didn't leak and the outlet tube was routed correctly.

you want the fuel tube facing the front of the car like original

100_1463.jpg


 
i had this same problem 4 years ago.

leaking out of the connector plug as well.

your sender is also the same defective version i got where the fuel outlet pipe is welded the wrong way.

here is a picture of my older sender that was defective and leaked as well.

1.jpg


when i bought the 2nd one. i went for the stainless steel version with the brass float not plastic float

and it didn't leak and the outlet tube was routed correctly.

you want the fuel tube facing the front of the car like original

100_1463.jpg
I noticed the different direction of the tube when I first bought it, but it worked so I was not concerned at the time. Good tip on the stainless steel.

 
by having the hose backwards i noticed it was more likely to kink, and i did not like how it sat under the lip of the fuel tank, but it worked.

I later discovered my original fuel line in that area was bent up incorrectly as well.

the direction of the outlet pipe will tell you if you ordered the newest version of the sender.

the calibration of the reproduction fuel sender is still terrible, and you have to bend the float arm to get it close.

 
I know others had the same problem w/the repo sending unit and it was fixed after replacing it. My main concern is the fuel hose, its too close to the tailpipe. Ive been told it can heat up &maybe ignite. I'm thinking about putting a metal shield so it doesn't melt from the heat coming off the exhaust pipe, plus other safety issues. Any suggestions?

 
the heat from the exhaust after the mufflers is pretty low, i was concerned about the same thing, i kept checking it and noticed no issues, its not a very good design but it works. no matter how you try and hold the wire for the fuel sender plug it always makes its way over near the tailpipe and touches it sometimes, I've seen it on numerous cars, but the temp is low at that point and doesn't melt the wires.

running 2.25 and 2.5" exhaust pipes makes things worse, i kept making sure i had at least a pinky finger of clearance for the fuel hose. at this point I'm more concerned about getting rear ended and having the tank burst open.

 
I know others had the same problem w/the repo sending unit and it was fixed after replacing it. My main concern is the fuel hose, its too close to the tailpipe. Ive been told it can heat up &maybe ignite. I'm thinking about putting a metal shield so it doesn't melt from the heat coming off the exhaust pipe, plus other safety issues. Any suggestions?
You can use a piece of heater hose slipped over the fuel line to act as a heat shield/sleeve if you concerned. I'd be afraid the metal might chafe.

 
This sounds like a better idea . I agree. goodbye sheet metal hello heater hose.

Thanks,

 
This sounds like a better idea . I agree. goodbye sheet metal hello heater hose.

Thanks,
DON´T HAVE THAT KIND OF TROUBLE, DON´T HAVE A WORKING GAS GAUGE, NEVER GO OUTSIDE OF TOWN WITH THE MUSTANG AND PUT EVERY DAY 3 GALONS OF GAS.

HARD TO FIND THAT KIND OF STUFF IN MY TOWN AND ITS TO EXPENSIVE TO IMPORT THEM.

 
This sounds like a better idea . I agree. goodbye sheet metal hello heater hose.

Thanks,
DON´T HAVE THAT KIND OF TROUBLE, DON´T HAVE A WORKING GAS GAUGE, NEVER GO OUTSIDE OF TOWN WITH THE MUSTANG AND PUT EVERY DAY 3 GALONS OF GAS.

HARD TO FIND THAT KIND OF STUFF IN MY TOWN AND ITS TO EXPENSIVE TO IMPORT THEM.
Didn´t you try to find something similar and make it work in your tank?? I have that kind of problems all the time (luckily my 72 is pretty much stock till now) but in other cars, i remember i fixed my other 1970 mustang with an aftermarket fiat float very easy...

 
i had this same problem 4 years ago.

leaking out of the connector plug as well.

your sender is also the same defective version i got where the fuel outlet pipe is welded the wrong way.

here is a picture of my older sender that was defective and leaked as well.

1.jpg
I noticed the different direction of the tube when I first bought it, but it worked so I was not concerned at the time. Good tip on the stainless steel.
Got the same defective unit years ago, but when it was time to install, I had already forgotten where or who I bought it from. Mine had the white plastic float. Never used it cause it didn't fit right. Still have it an was meaning to post this, but glad to see you made it aware. If I'm not mistaken, the defective unit made the fuel line just touch the exhaust pipe and that's why I never used it.



This sounds like a better idea . I agree. goodbye sheet metal hello heater hose.

Thanks,
DON´T HAVE THAT KIND OF TROUBLE, DON´T HAVE A WORKING GAS GAUGE, NEVER GO OUTSIDE OF TOWN WITH THE MUSTANG AND PUT EVERY DAY 3 GALONS OF GAS.

HARD TO FIND THAT KIND OF STUFF IN MY TOWN AND ITS TO EXPENSIVE TO IMPORT THEM.
Didn´t you try to find something similar and make it work in your tank?? I have that kind of problems all the time (luckily my 72 is pretty much stock till now) but in other cars, i remember i fixed my other 1970 mustang with an aftermarket fiat float very easy...
That's cool how you can find parts from other cars that work! I just watched a video on youtube how a guy in Europe used a leaf spring from a van to solve our 7173 rearend slop.

 
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I ordered a new sending unit with the brass float from Don at Ohio Mustang. Hopefully it is the new-improved version! Should be here on Monday.

 
The new sending unit came in from Ohio Mustang Supply today. It is marked as Stainless Steel. I hope to be able to install on Tuesday.

 
I received the new sending unit from Don at Ohio Mustang yesterday (Monday) -- fast shipping! I installed it today with little effort. Here are a couple of pictures showing the one I bought from CJ Pony parts back in 2005 that leaked around the electric connectors, has the tube in the wrong position and the new one from OMS. The new one is stamped "stainless" and the rod from the float does not extend past the pivot point. The yellow wire connector protrudes out on the new one, but otherwise they look similar. Both have the brass float.

After installing the sending unit and before adding gas back into the tank I turned the ignition switch on to see where the fuel gage needle would point with an empty tank. It is barely touching the lowest point on the empty line. So now I'll know when to start worrying about running out of gas.

Also a good pointer is to put white grease on the rubber seal to hold it in place while inserting the new sending unit.

DSCF1156.jpg


DSCF1160.jpg


DSCF1157.jpg


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DSCF1159.jpg


 
My electrical wiring after the plug is cut off.

I want to reinstall it.

Where to connect the wiring coming out of this sender unit?

Please

 
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