Got the sending unit out finally not easy though took about an hour of pounding on the locking ring to get it to even budge, once I finally got it off though the sending unit more or less fell out. I'm wondering is the pick up screen supposed to be black and brittle?? mine was I went to touch it and it cracked down the middle so I just pulled it apart didn't take the screen off completley just enough to where fuel could get in the tube now dunno if it's completley fixed still haven't tried starting it (It got too late had other things to do). Hope it's finally fixed I can't stand those Gas fumes! 71 Grabber (Project Car) 85 Club Wagon 94 Taurus GL Sedan FFV
gas tank The screen is old and needs to be replaced. They cost a few bucks. Have you even checked to see if the fuel pump, pumps gas? Not a pressure reading, get a clean one gallon milk jug and stick the fuel line in it. Take it off at the carb and have some one start it or just crank it. Check evey inch of your fuel line, even the steell sections. A jack in the wrong place can crush your steel fuel line.
Do I even need the screen in there? I could just tear the rest of it off and providing the gas level is high enough the fuel will flow again it was dripping through the tube when I was putting the unit back in the tank, I dunno though the unit looks pretty small for a tank that size the tube isn't very long at all I'm wondering if it's even contacting the fuel when it's fully installed (theres currently a little over 1/4 tank in there or so the gauge says I think it's wrong) it was dripping mainly because I was jiggling it around trying to get it into place. I'll probably end up ordering a new one when my Auto Krafters catalog arrives. As for the fuel pump it pumps gas I checked that thing a long time ago stuck the hose inside a gas can which was full cause i'd just filled it at the Shell station car started and ran, I also poured gas into the pump and reconnected the hose, I even poured about a 1/2 gallon into the tank. Car ran for a few days before this problem resurfaced (I didn't run the engine very often). Fuel lines all check out I'm even in the process of replacing all the rubber connector hoses. 71 Grabber (Project Car) 85 Club Wagon 94 Taurus GL Sedan FFV
to pump Have you looked in the tank to see it some piece of trash is getting sucked up around the pickup tube?
Yeah I shinned the flashlight in there to where I could see the Gas no trash I thought maybe a piece of the pickup screen may have just gotton into the tube and clogged it could be rust debris though I was pulling alot of that out of the tube i'll have to pull the sending unit out again to be sure this time i'll throughrougly clean it with a pipe cleaner and blow air through it while I have it out. Tried to start it earlier to no avail I think the pump may have gotton messed up during all this I poured gas in it earlier which worked before but did nothing this time oh well they're only $32 not an expensive fix i'll test it again with a Gas can tomorrow to be sure. I'm now beginning to see why car makers went to tank mounted fuel pumps thinkin maybe I outta go that route. 71 Grabber (Project Car) 85 Club Wagon 94 Taurus GL Sedan FFV
Update Finally had time to really attack the problem the other day think I finally diagnossed it. The fuel level is at the extreme bottom of the tank bout 1/2 inch below the pickup tube (which would explain why I hear air and no bubbling if I blow air in there) so basically the car was more or less running out of gas (even though there is still gas in the tank) the main culprit here appears to be the float the gauge reads between 1/4 and 1/2 tank this can't be right there is no way there is that much fuel in there, mainly it would have spilled gas when I removed the unit if that were the case (car wasn't jacked up very high), no gas spilled at all. Gonna just buy a new sending unit either from Auto Krafters or from another source whichever is cheapest the current one is rusted all through the inside anyway. Oh well at least now I know whats causing the problem now it's just a matter of fixing it. 71 Grabber (Project Car) 85 Club Wagon 94 Taurus GL Sedan FFV
Before you put the sender back in, plug it up and swing the arm while some one watches the gauge to see is it was the problem. I can give you more info on the operation if you need it. The dash cluster has a power voltage regulator for the gauges and the lamps.
I thought about doin that was affraid i'd mess the gauge up though i'll try it once this current heatwave passes . The float itself has gasoline inside of it I dunno if thats normal or not when I set the unit down after cleaning it I heard the fuel in the float goodie. It is old most likely the car's original sending unit so it probably corroded overtime, I also took off the screen cause it was pretty much useless (it more or less fell apart). Any more info on that operation would be much appreciated. In any case this current unit (if still useable) needs a new screeen, possibly a new float, and to be flushed out with some type of rust remover. I might just settle on a fuel system cleaner (cause the whole line is pretty much like that) whenever i get the thing running again. Blame that California gas I guess 71 Grabber (Project Car) 85 Club Wagon 94 Taurus GL Sedan FFV
The float should not have any gas in it. I would replace the line up to the fuel pump as well. Alum. line is found at the speed shops or you can refit steel line. Flush out the tank while it is open and keep spark and flame from the area. I wouldnot use gas as a flush. Try kerosene or some other cleaner into a bucket with a cloth filter over it and reuse the flush a few times.
The float is still available from Ford. Part # is CAOZ-9202B and the "O" ring gasket is available too. It is COAF-9276
Thanks for that info Mavaholic if I can reuse the old unit that would be great I really don't wanna pay $60 + for a new one or try and find one out of a salvage or recycling yard I could think of alot of other things I could use that $60 for mainly brakes possibly new drums (brakes are big prob but i'll save that for a later post) . Didn't get a chance today to do that float test was 106 today here with terrible air quality (not exactly the best conditions for working on a car) hopefully i'll get a chance to do that very soon.... I really gotta question Ford on the design of these gas tanks mainly the placement of the sending unit, the angle it sits on doesn't allow it to catch all of the gas in the tank so when it's empty it's not empty. I know this is the design for 70-72 I dunno bout later model Mavs. The good side though is it's easy to get to without lowering the tank, bad side is it's vulnerable to damage and other hazzards. 71 Grabber (Project Car) 85 Club Wagon 94 Taurus GL Sedan FFV
Had a similar problem once. Every few days the fuel filter would clog and stop the car dead in it's tracks. I have a transparent filter so I could see rust covering the filter element. Removed the tank and sending unit and peeked inside. Saw some rusty scratches on the bottom surface so I bought some gas tank coating (POR15 if I remember right) to slosh around the inside. I heard something rolling around inside the tank. I fished out two twelve inch twigs, a candy bar wrapper, a rock about two inches in diameter, and a kitchen paring knife!!!! D*#& kids!
Ok did the test today I pulled out the unit again plugged in the gauge plug, and used some old hoses to prop it up on a rag so it wasn't directly touching the ground (didn't have an assistant). Before I even began to mess with the float arm I turned the ignition on expecting the Gas gauge to stay at Empty, it didn't, the needle moved to the same position as it did before when the unit was in the tank, so I went back played with the arm a bit needle swayed on the gauge but it would never read below 1/4 tank (almost like it isn't calibrated right) it would however read Full when the arm was extended all of the way up. I was incorrect in a previous post that I wanna make a correction to now the float doesn't have any Gas in it my mistake it was a metal piece (that holds the canister on the arm) hitting the ground and making an echo inside of the canister making it sound like there was Gas in there I shook it and found that not to be the case. Anyhow now i'm stumped again it seems like it could be the float but I dunno we had a gas gauge problem once on our old 78 Thunderbird (it would always read empty though) I'm wondering could it be the float or could it be a problem with the Instrument Cluster regulator if so that could also be the source of my No Dash Lights dilema, any ideas?? I don't wanna replace parts that don't need replacing, big waste of $$$$. 71 Grabber (Project Car) 85 Club Wagon 94 Taurus GL Sedan FFV
Additional info as promised. The circuit is powered from the ignition switch thru an 8 ohm resistor and a noise choke to the IVR (insturment voltage regulator) to the gauge then to the sender. To test the sender, measure the resistance from full position to empty position. The reading should be between 8 ohms (full) to about 80 ohms empty. The gauge can be tested off the panel with the meter and should read close to 10 ohms and move upward to about 15 ohms because the gauge has a heating element internal. To test the IVR , connect the sender and measure / test for a varying voltage at the gauge input or the IVR output.
