Just changed fuel sender. Too sensitive!

[strider380]

I am kind of the familys mechanic and this time its grampa complainging about his gas gauge. It won't go below 3/4 of a tank, so I assume the sender is either stuck or broke. Safe to say, right? I cut a hole under the back seat instead of dropping the tank. i found the sender first try . I took it out and when I removed the plastic clip on the fuel pump, a spring and ball fell out. I didn't see where this came from. There is a needle on the plastic clip and that is the only place I can see it going. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Also I want to replace the two quick connect hoses (18 inches maybe) but i think they are a dealer item. I plan on just using fuel injection rated tubing and putting two hose clamps on each connection. I did this on a piece of fuel line instead of using a compression fitting and it worked great. just wanted to see if anyone though it was a bad idea. Thanks to everyone! Sorry the post is so long, I wanted to be as descriptive as possible.

[HotZ28]

Welcome to AF! What year is grampa's car? New and Old Members Please Read

[strider380]

It's a 95. I just got the new sending unit. I'm going to try to install it like I described above, putting the spring and ball where I think it should go and using the fuel injection tubing instead of oem fuel lines. I hope it runs again and the gauge works. so far i have 3 busted knuckles on this job. not too bad. Wish me luck!

[strider380]

I successfully got a new fuel sending unit in my grampas 95 le sabre via cutting a hole under the back seat. Everything works great and I am very happy, except when I take a corner, the fuel gauge moves up or down a quarter tank. I've never seen a car with this much of a change when you take a corner. Is it the quality of the sender? Is it because the sending units new? Did I mess something up? Is it normal?

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by strider380

I successfully got a new fuel sending unit in my grampas 95 le sabre via cutting a hole under the back seat. Everything works great and I am very happy, except when I take a corner, the fuel gauge moves up or down a quarter tank. I've never seen a car with this much of a change when you take a corner. Is it the quality of the sender? Is it because the sending units new? Did I mess something up? Is it normal?

I'm still marveling that you were able to cut a hole under the back seat to access the fuel sending unit... I've read of a couple people doing that. I'd blow myself up.

I had my fuel sender and pump replaced because of a leaking high pressure metal line from the tank to the fuel filter. My gauge is different than the original, it's more linear. But I don't get any side wash affecting the gauge.

I wonder if your original problem was a baffle in the tank that had loosened and was wedging the fuel gauge. The lack of the baffle could be allowing more gas to slosh.

[davdogg42]

Originally Posted by imidazol97

I'm still marveling that you were able to cut a hole under the back seat to access the fuel sending unit... I've read of a couple people doing that. I'd blow myself up.

I had my fuel sender and pump replaced because of a leaking high pressure metal line from the tank to the fuel filter. My gauge is different than the original, it's more linear. But I don't get any side wash affecting the gauge.

I wonder if your original problem was a baffle in the tank that had loosened and was wedging the fuel gauge. The lack of the baffle could be allowing more gas to slosh.

I wonder if you can use the cut a hole in the rear seat method to access my sender on a 97 lesabre..... my gas gauge has not worked in year and a half .
well at least i know my mpg lol 20 mpg i ran out of gas just once so im good at using the odometer

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by davdogg42

I wonder if you can use the cut a hole in the rear seat method to access my sender on a 97 lesabre..... my gas gauge has not worked in year and a half .
well at least i know my mpg lol 20 mpg i ran out of gas just once so im good at using the odometer

Have you looked to see if you have an access panel behind the rear seat on top of the hump, inside the trunk?

[davdogg42]

no but i will look for the access soon as possible, thanks

[happydog500]

I was told it's against federal law for a car made in the U.S. to have the access hole. If you get in an accident, its like having a hole in a fire wall. If the tank ruptures, the force of the blast now goes into the car.

When I put my sending unit in my 97, I dropped the tank with a full tank of gas. I think it was a couple bolts, move the strap, unhook the muffler and move it over, and it was off, very easy.

For me, spending the 45 minutes to drop the tank was worth not getting burned up in an accident.

Chris.