Gas tank sending unit

[mdrichey]

I dropped my tank yesterday with plans to clean it up. Previously the gas gauge would always read empty. When I pulled the sending unit out I noticed the float had a hole in it and was holding gas. No big deal, I've got another to replace it with. I then hooked up the sending unit and manually moved the lever to check it. Now, whenever the ignition is on, the tank reads full no matter what I do.

I'm assuming the sending unit is bad, but thought I'd ask here to see if there was something I may be missing.

Thanks,

Matt

[Maikl]

Hi Matt,

besides having connected the terminal of the unit with the +-wire, have you also grounded it?

Make a connection of the unit-flange with the car (= connection to the -terminal of the battery that closes the circuit.)
Bumper is always good but other part of chassis or body will do also. Should make THE difference.

Best regards
Maikl

[mdrichey]

Aha! It never hurts to ask, that never even crossed my mind. I'll ground it when I get home and give it a try. Thank you.

[Rivman]

Sounds like a missing ground - make sure the sending unit is properly grounded as Maikl has pointed out!

[mdrichey]

Grounded the sending unit and everything checked out fine.

Thanks for your help.

[Maikl]

Great! Same thing happened, when I had this problem a couple of days ago...

(Had my 7-year-old daughter assigned for observation of the gauge inside and therefore was under quite some pressure to find a solution for the pointer just zooming into "full"... Was able to keep up the "Daddy-knows-everything"-lie again for this time !)

Anyway, as prices for repro-units are quite reasonable, I am still considering to seize the chance that the tank is out and install a new sending unit...

Best regards
Maikl