Can anyone help me please? I have a universal fuel gauge sending unit from Princess Auto. The only way I could get the unit into the tank was to bend the thin metal rod on which the float sits. But now that the unit is in the tank, I doubt it will give me a true reading because I had to bend the rod. The problem is I can't access much of the rod to straighten it after I get the unit through the hole and into the tank. I'm sure at least one other person has had this experience. Everything went well with the install except the rod with the float needs to be straightened. Can anyone tell me what tool is needed to do the job? Please ? Thank you. Below please find an image of the sending unit with the bent rod. For a proper reading on the gas gauge, the rod is supposed to stay straight. The image shows the old unit I removed and replaced but the bend is the same.
For anyone experiencing the same difficulty, I think I figured it out. (I'll find out for sure later this morning when I try it) Before inserting the unit into the tank, remove the top plate and rubber gasket. Then, with a long wire passed through the vertical portion of the sending unit, insert the unit with the bent float rod into the tank. The long wire is to keep the unit from dropping out of reach to the bottom of the tank. Once fully inserted, pull on the long wire to position the unit so that just the float rod can be pulled back up through the hole of the tank. Once a firm grip on the float rod can be made prior to the bend, it should be much easier to place small vice grips on either side of the bend to straighten the rod. Then lower the float rod back into the tank and raise the unit to reinstall the rubber washer and top plate. At least that's the plan. I think it should work. If it doesn't, good luck to any others encountering this dilemma.
If it was me doing it I would get a measurement of the tank and wire it up to your gauge to make sure it is going to read properly. No since putting it in if it doesn't read correctly at the bottom of the tank. Just a thought TMJ
Thank you toomuchjunk. I appreciate your advice since I am new at this but already done. I still have to test it but it all went in just fine. Kind of tricky knowing I was working with half a tank of gas but I took it slow and easy. I did measure the tank depth and set the unit to the required lengths. The only real trick I think was to remove the top plate and rubber washer from the unit and then before inserting it into the tank, run a single strand of picture hanging wire from the float rod and another through any hole in the unit to insure it doesn't fall into the tank. Then slide the unit in and once there, pull the float rod up through the hole. A bit tricky but it comes with patience. A bit like fishing at one point. Once through, I just clamped a small set of vice grips before the bend and straightened the rod. Then reverse the procedure and job done. Even if for some reason it were to read backwards, at least now it reads through the entire swing of the float arm rod. I'm rather pleased but as I say, I haven't tested it yet. But I'm sure it works. Regardless, I've found a way to get the unit in the tank. Success !
I did measure the tank first and set the height correctly on the unit. I'm sure I did everything according to the instructions and still, the gauge doesn't read correctly. I ran out of gas and sat on the side of the highway about 3 miles from home yesterday. I have to figure this out !
The instructions for your sender say what princess auto gauge to use with it - but I don't see anywhere that specifies the resistance. What gauge do you have in the car?
I bought the gauge and sending unit from Princess to replace the gauge and sending unit that came with the car from Princess. From your photo on the right, you can see that the sending unit float arm is at its uppermost position. The float arm will not sit parallel with the sending unit proper whether in the full or empty position. The trick was to get the unit and arm through the small hole in the tank without damaging the sender. I believe I found a way. I took the top off (the round plate) and bent the long thin float arm just beyond where it was welded to the unit, just enough to get the entire unit into the tank. Then, before immersing it into the tank I wrapped a thin wire around the arm and another thin wire around the unit. Then I inserted both into the tank. I now had nothing in my hands but two thin wires. By pulling on the wire attached to the float arm, I was able to raise it through the hole, float first, until I was able to get a pair of vise-grips on it just beyond the bend I had already made. This allowed me to straighten the bend to its original form without risk of breaking the manufacturers weld. I then lowered the float arm and pulled the wire I had previously wrapped around the unit proper so that I could lift the top of the unit through the hole and re-attach the round plate. I was very pleased with myself in having found a way to get the unit back to its original configuration inside the tank without damage to the unit. My friend working with me to do the engine and electrical (usually - not this day though) has told me all the electrical connections are correct. But since I took such care installing the sender, I suspect my only recourse is to double check the ground. Either that or the gauge is a cheap Chinese thing that should be replaced with something more reliable ? I just don't know. Unless someone here can assist, I guess I'll just see if I can access the float arm in the tank and move it to the full and empty positions to see what readings I get. I'm certain I have the unit sitting correctly in the tank so the arm isn't hitting the sides of the tank.
I finally sorted it out but thank you all. I had a bad connector on the sending unit so I replaced it but the main problem (this is embarrassing) was the tank didn't have enough gas in it. The gauge showed a slight increase but I was sure I had a lot more gas in the tank. When I started working on it (again), I opened it up and saw how low it was. That was when I saw the bad connector so I replaced it and filled the tank. All is right with the world now. But for anyone installing a Princess Auto universal unit in future, the trick is to remove the 2 screws holding the float arm & sender to the shaft only after clamping the sender so it remains closed. It has a spring inside that forces the unit open if not clamped. After clamping it and removing it from the shaft, attach a thin wire to the shaft and another wire to the sender. Then lower both in the tank separately. Then retrieve them using the wires and screw the sender back on to the shaft. That's the only way to get them both in the tank intact without bending the float arm. Maybe this would be obvious to all but it wasn't to me. I hope this helps somebody in future. Boy it sure is nice running with a gas gauge.
