Stuck fuel sender
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Albany, NY
Stuck fuel sender
Does anybody know if there is anything attached to the bottom of the fuel sender in the gas tank? I tried to remove the sender but it gets stuck after lifting it 2 or 3 inches. Turning it 90 degrees or so allows it to come out another inch or so, but then it hangs. It feels like it is attached to something inside the tank. I can here a srcaping sound from inside as I lift. I don't want to pull too hard, I'm afraid something will break. Tank is full. I was trying to trouble shoot the guage and believe the problem is with the sending unit. The guage reads full if I short the ground and purple wire from the sender, but only half full with the wires attached to the sender. Any ideas what could cause it to get stuck???
Thanks.
Thanks.
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Minneapolis
There's an assembly in the bottom, at least mine a some others but years I don't know. It looks like a little tub with a basket on top. Supposedly it keeps the level from moving around due to sloshing or cornering. Sounds like the sender is caught on that. There's no connection or other hose attached down there.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Minneapolis MN
As Glen said, there is a plastic "tub" in the bottom where the sender goes, but the tub has a plastic lid with a hole that the sender goes throught. It should slide off as you pull the sender out of the tank, and then just flop around in the tank until you fish it back onto the tub for sender re-installation... I used a long heavy gauge wire with two little hooks bent outward on each end and used it like a pair of tongs to hook the lid inthe center hole. Fun. - Ruf
Last edited by Rufus Sanders; Nov 24, 2003 at 06:17 PM.
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From: St. John's, NF, Canada
Bill;
Thought this might help you out. Attached is a picture of a 928 sender unit...mine looked exactly like this when I removed in back in July. I superimposed this on the PET parts diagram of the tank so you can see what parts are where.
I'm a little intrigued by the comments from Rufus and Glen, as I do not recall seeing anything floating in my tank after removing the sender (which, by the way, should slip straight out, by my limited experience). Part #11 on the diagram is listed as a "gasket"...not exactly sure if this is what the guys are referring to, but I I believe this is the seal between the top of the sender and the tank. I had a good look in my tank after removing the sender and there was nothing loose or floating in there.
The light brown-colored plastic guard at the bottom of the sender is attached by a nut (IIRC), so it should not be floating around the tank. The working components of the sender are inside the aluminum tube, safe from prying eyes and hands...unless you are the kind of person who like to dissasemble things. If you were so inclined, you would see a delicate, but well constructed mechanism, that on my car at least was in perfect condition and working order. There are two independent electric systems for fuel level...one for the guage and another for the low fuel warning. So even if your fuel guage is "off", your low fuel warning light should alrt you when its time to gas up!
I'm thinking your sender may be hooked on the internal fuel pickup or return line for the tank. With the tank low on fuel, you should be able to see down along the sender and verify what is obstructing it. Take care with this, as you are working with gas...and some delicate parts as well. Use a flashlight and not a shop light...and beware of the gas fumes.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
SteveCo in St. John's
Thought this might help you out. Attached is a picture of a 928 sender unit...mine looked exactly like this when I removed in back in July. I superimposed this on the PET parts diagram of the tank so you can see what parts are where.
I'm a little intrigued by the comments from Rufus and Glen, as I do not recall seeing anything floating in my tank after removing the sender (which, by the way, should slip straight out, by my limited experience). Part #11 on the diagram is listed as a "gasket"...not exactly sure if this is what the guys are referring to, but I I believe this is the seal between the top of the sender and the tank. I had a good look in my tank after removing the sender and there was nothing loose or floating in there.
The light brown-colored plastic guard at the bottom of the sender is attached by a nut (IIRC), so it should not be floating around the tank. The working components of the sender are inside the aluminum tube, safe from prying eyes and hands...unless you are the kind of person who like to dissasemble things. If you were so inclined, you would see a delicate, but well constructed mechanism, that on my car at least was in perfect condition and working order. There are two independent electric systems for fuel level...one for the guage and another for the low fuel warning. So even if your fuel guage is "off", your low fuel warning light should alrt you when its time to gas up!
I'm thinking your sender may be hooked on the internal fuel pickup or return line for the tank. With the tank low on fuel, you should be able to see down along the sender and verify what is obstructing it. Take care with this, as you are working with gas...and some delicate parts as well. Use a flashlight and not a shop light...and beware of the gas fumes.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
SteveCo in St. John's
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 773
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From: Minneapolis MN
Chappy, Nice PET image. How did you get it so clear? The part I was talking about is in my tank and Glens spare tank I saw a while back. Maybe it's not in all tanks, but I suspect it doesn't matter. It would need to be destroyed to be taken out, and I for one, can't imagine how to do that without risk to the tank integrety. Oh well... .on to the Green Wire! I love Winter... - Ruf
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Albany, NY
SteveCo,
Thanks for the pic. After looking at that, I can't imagine what is preventing my sender from coming out. As I pull on it I can swirl the bottom of it around as if stirring a drink. But when I pull up on it I can't seem to free it. Is it posible that the brown bottom piece has come off but is still held to the rest of the sender by a wire or something?
I do like to take things apart to see how they work so you can be sure I will dismantel this thing if I ever get it out. I may have to wait til spring though because the gas tank is full now and I have a leaking fuel rail that needs repair before I can run any gas out. Maybe with a near empty tank and a flashlight I'll be able to figure it out. I hate working with an empty tank because there are more fumes to ignite. A full one is much safer I believe.
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for the pic. After looking at that, I can't imagine what is preventing my sender from coming out. As I pull on it I can swirl the bottom of it around as if stirring a drink. But when I pull up on it I can't seem to free it. Is it posible that the brown bottom piece has come off but is still held to the rest of the sender by a wire or something?
I do like to take things apart to see how they work so you can be sure I will dismantel this thing if I ever get it out. I may have to wait til spring though because the gas tank is full now and I have a leaking fuel rail that needs repair before I can run any gas out. Maybe with a near empty tank and a flashlight I'll be able to figure it out. I hate working with an empty tank because there are more fumes to ignite. A full one is much safer I believe.
Thanks for your help.
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From: Nova Scotia
Bill,
I've also had the pleasure or removing the sender unit - motivated in part by tracking down a source of gas fumes, the other part being that childish enthuaism for tearing things apart.
Steve's comments parallel my brief experience on that once and, hopefully, last visit inside a fuel tank. Part #11 is indeed a square flanged neoprene gasket which centers the sending unit in the tank neck, and seals via the 'flange' extending over the tank neck - all held in place by the ~ 4" plastic gland nut.
There's a purpose to this (****) level of detail that may be related to your issue.
In my '80, for reasons unknown, the top thread on the neck had collapsed inwards for ~ a third of the circumference. The flange on the gasket (#11) was no longer sealing, ergo - gas fumes, generally around the left rear wheel: - admit that it took months to find this!
The sender did not want to come out, bound in place by the top thread! A lot of careful prying, and in the end, a moderated amount of brute force worked. The id of the neck was trimmed back to round with a razor knife, and on reassembly, the unit literally dropped into place. The resealing is another story!
That's the only place I can see your sender binding. As to the sender, as with Steve's exp., it comes out as a single piece with nothing left behind in that crystal clear +60l. of gas looking back at you.
Good luck, G
BTW, that 6-7" piece of return line hose that clamps to the sender - the one that can turn rock hard after a few years of gas fumes!? IF it needs to be replaced (ie., too firm to reclamp), you can drop the tank and do all the lines (MASOCHIST), or, with a Dremel tool preform a "rear deckecktomy" of modest size to get at the forward clamp that can be touched but not turned.
I've also had the pleasure or removing the sender unit - motivated in part by tracking down a source of gas fumes, the other part being that childish enthuaism for tearing things apart.
Steve's comments parallel my brief experience on that once and, hopefully, last visit inside a fuel tank. Part #11 is indeed a square flanged neoprene gasket which centers the sending unit in the tank neck, and seals via the 'flange' extending over the tank neck - all held in place by the ~ 4" plastic gland nut.
There's a purpose to this (****) level of detail that may be related to your issue.
In my '80, for reasons unknown, the top thread on the neck had collapsed inwards for ~ a third of the circumference. The flange on the gasket (#11) was no longer sealing, ergo - gas fumes, generally around the left rear wheel: - admit that it took months to find this!
The sender did not want to come out, bound in place by the top thread! A lot of careful prying, and in the end, a moderated amount of brute force worked. The id of the neck was trimmed back to round with a razor knife, and on reassembly, the unit literally dropped into place. The resealing is another story!
That's the only place I can see your sender binding. As to the sender, as with Steve's exp., it comes out as a single piece with nothing left behind in that crystal clear +60l. of gas looking back at you.
Good luck, G
BTW, that 6-7" piece of return line hose that clamps to the sender - the one that can turn rock hard after a few years of gas fumes!? IF it needs to be replaced (ie., too firm to reclamp), you can drop the tank and do all the lines (MASOCHIST), or, with a Dremel tool preform a "rear deckecktomy" of modest size to get at the forward clamp that can be touched but not turned.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Albany, NY
Garth,
Thanks. I'll keep that in mind as I get into it again. I too had a gas odor near the left wheel well. I removed the gas tank and replaced the vent hoses because they were very hard. Didn't find any cracks but I think this fixed my fume problem. I'll have to be sure I seal the sender well when I reinstall it.
Thanks. I'll keep that in mind as I get into it again. I too had a gas odor near the left wheel well. I removed the gas tank and replaced the vent hoses because they were very hard. Didn't find any cracks but I think this fixed my fume problem. I'll have to be sure I seal the sender well when I reinstall it.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Louisiana
Just wanted to reply to this post because I had the exact same thing happen to me, but i found a way to get it out without damage. As already stated in other responses, in some 928's there is a plastic bowl attached to the bottom of the fuel tank with a lid on it where the fuel level sender slides into. The bottom cover of the sender gets caught under the lip of the lid covering the bowl when you try pull it out. I tried to twist and wiggle and pull up for along time without success until i came up with an idea. I used a long metal ruler and slipped it down between the lip of the bowl lid and the bottom cover of the sender and then worked it all the way around while carefully twisting and pulling up on the sender. it worked great. kind of comparable to using a shoe horn to slip in between your heel and the back of a shoe. Here are some pictures:
You can see the bowl with the lid on it. In the next picture you can also see the fuel screen at the bottom of the bowl that is attached to the flue line leading to the fuel pump suction side.
*
Thanks to everyone that posted answers to Chappy's question. I had the exact same problems and questions and your answers and knowledge helped me to get this done.
You can see the bowl with the lid on it. In the next picture you can also see the fuel screen at the bottom of the bowl that is attached to the flue line leading to the fuel pump suction side.
*
Thanks to everyone that posted answers to Chappy's question. I had the exact same problems and questions and your answers and knowledge helped me to get this done.
Last edited by jhc68164; May 6, 2012 at 10:05 PM.
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From: China Grove, NC
jhc68164 got it right!
That is exactly the problem...I read the start of this thread and was like: OOOHH something I know!!!
lol...the basket is supposed to be for "anti-sloshing" so the fuel guage is not always "bouncing"
Mine was pre-broken for me, so I had my daughter slide her small hand in the tank and set the lid on top of the bowl, and then fed my sender back down into it. (yes, the tank was empty..lol)
That is exactly the problem...I read the start of this thread and was like: OOOHH something I know!!!
lol...the basket is supposed to be for "anti-sloshing" so the fuel guage is not always "bouncing"
Mine was pre-broken for me, so I had my daughter slide her small hand in the tank and set the lid on top of the bowl, and then fed my sender back down into it. (yes, the tank was empty..lol)
