Can anyone verify the accuracy of new stock replacement level senders?
Fuel level sender
- Thread starter BergmanAutoCraft
- Start date
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It's a crap shoot. Although, I've used a lot of senders from Spectra and had good luck with their accuracy. Some here argue it, but that's my experience. ....if that's what you were askin.
Thanks!
If you have an OEM sending unit, send it to a reputable rebuilder. Wolf and Co. used to rebuild them, but they went out of business when the owner retired. There are still some good companies out there to take care of our old equipment.
I don’t. I have an efi tank. I had a floatless sender custom made, but it’s still not as accurate as I’d like. Before efi I had a real mopar sender that I put a larger tube in and it was PERFECT! I sold it years ago…
My plan was to use the rheostat off a mopar one and adapt it to the universal 5 bolt flanged style sender.
My plan was to use the rheostat off a mopar one and adapt it to the universal 5 bolt flanged style sender.
As RRR said, the aftermarket stuff is a crap shoot and Spectra does have a good rep so far.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
I’ve got a crusty sender from a 65 Dart that you could rob the rheostat from. It’s the only part of the sender that looks usable to me. Just pay shipping.
Jared
The only thing I've had to do to any of the Spectra units so far, is adjust the float arm a little. And not on all of them. I'd expect that, though. Other than that, the ones I've used seem pretty accurate.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
The other thing you can do is buy a "MeterMatch." There are other copycat gauge correctors on ebay, I think one is called a Dolphin. This is a small box you install under the dash, the sender drives the box, and the box drives the gauge. It has some programmable adjustments to correct the gauge through points on it's range.
You of course will have to "play" a little bit, IE put in enough fuel to be the "safe still running empty" point, etc etc
You of course will have to "play" a little bit, IE put in enough fuel to be the "safe still running empty" point, etc etc
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
If it makes you feel any "better" LOLOL I once had a 62 Landcruiser with a SB Mopar. I bought (lot of money then!!) S&W gauge and sender and never did get that to be very useful. Not accurate, and the gauge bounced so much it was impossible to figure out where it was LOL
BigStrok3
Mopar!
I don’t think these work with ohm driven gauges.
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
All good info. I think I’ll search for a used OE unit so I can rob the potentiometer and graft it to the 5 bolt unit of my tank.
Rob Mc makes one with large tubes. I don’t know how it functions though.
Rob Mc makes one with large tubes. I don’t know how it functions though.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
What do you mean? OEM gauges are "ohm driven"
The aftermarket sender I bought was completely off, and irremediably so. The entire configuration of the unit was wrong. Compare the two in the photo. The aftermarket unit...
1. the pickup tube length, shape and orientation was completely different...
2. the pivot point for the float arm was much lower down on the pickup tube, with a much shorter arm...
3. the windings on the resistor board were perfectly linear, not proportionally spaced to compensate for the fact that the top half of the tank is impinged by the spare tire well.
As a result, even if you could calibrate the Full and Empty positions to be correct, the reading would be incorrect for every position in-between. As installed, it read incorrectly at both Full and Empty, and every point in-between.
The problem with my old unit was that the end of the brass arm that sweeps across the resistor board broke off. After trying the new one and deciding it was useless, I fixed it by riveting on an extension to the stub.
I don't know if there is a brand of replacement that has the correct configuration. Every one I have seen offered has this same short float arm, and therefore I presume the same incorrect resistor board.
1. the pickup tube length, shape and orientation was completely different...
2. the pivot point for the float arm was much lower down on the pickup tube, with a much shorter arm...
3. the windings on the resistor board were perfectly linear, not proportionally spaced to compensate for the fact that the top half of the tank is impinged by the spare tire well.
As a result, even if you could calibrate the Full and Empty positions to be correct, the reading would be incorrect for every position in-between. As installed, it read incorrectly at both Full and Empty, and every point in-between.
The problem with my old unit was that the end of the brass arm that sweeps across the resistor board broke off. After trying the new one and deciding it was useless, I fixed it by riveting on an extension to the stub.
I don't know if there is a brand of replacement that has the correct configuration. Every one I have seen offered has this same short float arm, and therefore I presume the same incorrect resistor board.
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