fuel sender aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhh

[jimthebin]

right apart from typing this and getting the odd beer i am trying to get my fuel sender to work

i have found the single brown wire that comes through a hole in my fire wall and then runs all the way to behind my dash

what is the best way to see if the sender works

does the sender only work when the ignition is on or the van is running ?

also where does the sender get its feed from if it runs straight from the back of the tank to the dash?

sorry so many stupid questions but off for a trip at the weekend and don't want to have to take the dipping rod

regards

jimthebin

 

[58herbie]

jim that wire is only the sensing wire,

you should be able to follow this to see where your problem lies..

http://www.vintagebus.com/

then click wiring diagram and scroll down to 1970 non usa and you can follow where the fuel sender wires are.. but the live feed piggy backs from black wire which runs from fuse 9 with green wire and black wire out of same spade term....it feeds warning lights and the gauges..

Jon

 

[Joval]

I feel your pain. Just tested my gauge and it works fine, must be the sender.... :roll:

 

[jimthebin]

thanks

all been quoted £150 to supply fit and wire in a new sender ( if i find it still not to work )


any views on this?

regards

jimthebin

 

[58herbie]

wow, how much

where are u based jim

 

[Clarkson46]

Taking the brown wire where it comes out of the firewall disconnect it and earth the wire going to the gauge, with the ignition on the gauge should go to full. This means that the problem lies with the sender. If the gauge does not move then check to see if you have supply to the gauge (the diagram mentioned above will show you where it's fed from). Check the continuity of the brown wire. To replace a sender involves removing the tank, which is engine out. So is £150 high, who knows?

 

[swetty]

HI
ALL I DID WAS REMOVE MY R/RBED..GOT ME GRINDER OUT AND CAREFULLY CUT A SQUARE OUT OVER THE SENDER UNIT.
IF YOU COUNT THE RIBS IN THE BACK OF THE VAN COUNT TO 7 ITS SMACK I THE MIDDLE REALLY.
CUT A 6" SQUARE OUT FROM THE EDGE OF THE BACK AREA.
TAKE OUT THE PIECE AND THERE IT IS. WIRES AN ALL.
WHERE YOU CUT IS A GOOD 4" AWAY FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK SO BE CAREFUL...I PUT A WORN DISK IN ME GRINDER SO IT DONT CUT TOO DEEP.
ANYWAY YOU THEN CLEAN UP THE PIECE YOU CUT OUT AND AROUND INNER EDGE OF THE HOLE.
THEN GET SOME METAL...AND CUT A SQUARE 7" WIDE OR A LITTLE MORE IF YOU LIKE THEN CUT A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT CLEAN IT UP PLACE IT UNDER THE HOLE YOU CUT OUT IN THE BACK OF THE BUS CLAMP IT AND CAREFULLY DRILL A SERIES OF HOLES AROUND IT. APPLY A LITTLE MASTIC OR SOMTHING LIKE THIS..AND SELF TAP SCREW IT IN.
THE BEST PIECE OF METAL TO USE IS A PIECE OF FLOORING [BECAUSE OF THE CORRUGATION]
THEN PUT A LITTLE MASTIC ON THE PIECE YOU CUT OUT AND SELF TAP THAT INTO THE HOLE ..THERE YOU ARE...AND IT WONT WEAKEN ANY THING AND IT LOOKS A PROPER JOB.
HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND ALL THAT
CHEERS SWETTY

 

[Joval]

:shock:

I think dropping the motor would be better, once it's back nobody would ever know.

 

[Guest]

im fitting a ruddy great t25 hatch, hopefully i could get my fat fingers around to it after opening it :twisted:

 

[TinTopaway]

GUYS!!!

I had to change the fuel sender...

I was TOLD you HAD to remove the engine and tank or........

You could cut a hole in your 30 year old camper to get to it.......

Guess what!!

I changed it without doing either! Small hands and 30 mins of fidling and i did it without removing anything but the firewall!!

Also check the Voltage Regulater behing the gauge!

Ian

 

[angus]

Quite impressed you managed to pull the sender all the way out without removing anything!
My van already had the little hatch cut (or rather drilled) but I only fitted the new sender I bought 11 years ago when I took out the engine/box and fuel tank to clean everything up.

Just don't drop and bolts or washers if you leave it in the van!!

 

[TinTopaway]

Trust me it was a mission but it was done!

Hand and arm round the right hand side of the tank,30mins of fiddling and she was out!

Saved time and money.....

 

[Joval]

I just had a poke around in mine, removed the old Eber ducting -

If I knew where the sender is I'd have a bash at it

 

[Joval]

Just spotted this on VZi -

http://www.specialpatrolgroup.co.uk/spooky/access/access.html

But I can't bring myself to damage my perfect metal and paint. I think I'll just practice the 'reacharound' :lol:

 

[timmo24]

Yikers! :shock:

That's a job and a half, What seal or type of gasket is used? do they wear out, and would you smell fuel externally if it did? (I'll be checking my fuel cap / fuel cap seal first as reccommended)!

..before I read this thread I was going to do a sender because mine reads just about a 1/4 under wherever the fuel actually is all the time, but reading this I might not worry about it.

 

[Buss69]

I know it's a while since this thread was started but anyone with a fuel sender issue might be interested in this:

http://homepage.mac.com/ratwell/.Pictures/FuelSenderAccessHole.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was a VWOA official fix. Anyone with the engine out of their bus might want to consider this especially as all of our tanks are getting on for 40 years old and so are the sender units. I know, mine has been causing me no end of rusty problems. A rusty tank WILL eventually affect your fuel sender.

I ended up fitting an Autometer fuel sender with gauge as I went posh and got a full complement of their gauges a few years ago before I got a mortgage and had a family!! I can't quite remember but i'm sure autometer do a sender that you can fit to a bay tank. It's a lever type sender rather than a tube style which is fitted to early bays.

Anyone cutting a hole for access please remember safety first! although the tank is about 100mm from the area you need to cut the woven fabric and rubber filler neck is not far away either and I would not trust the integrity of this given that these are very old!!!!!!!

 

[Araon]

8)

anyone see a NOS plate and gasket I'll be up for one....(dreaming I know, whats the likelyhood of one of these appearing)

 

[Buss69]

Probably around, only nobody knows what they are for! I made a plate out of sheet steel and used a waterproof single sided adhesive rubber tape from a hardware store. would be nice to have the original plate though, definitely a rare accessory for the geeks among us.

 

[Araon]

how many have been sat on tables at swap meets and noones even taken a second glance :roll:

 

[Trikky2]

GUYS!!!

I had to change the fuel sender...

I was TOLD you HAD to remove the engine and tank or........

You could cut a hole in your 30 year old camper to get to it.......

Guess what!!

I changed it without doing either! Small hands and 30 mins of fidling and i did it without removing anything but the firewall!!

Ian

Wow! I am impressed. I had no idea it was possible to do this. Are you sure you have arms like the rest of us and not tentacles ? :lol: