question on the 32 tank sending unit

T

toms32

Well-known member
I recently changes over to a 12 volt system on my 32. The sending unit on the 32 is still the 6 volt unit. Is there any way I can use that versus pulling the tank as every thing else is now 12 volt Thanks Tom
 
The original was hydrostatic which was used up through 1935. It has a clear tube in the instrument that used red colored liquid to indicate fuel quantity. There was nothing electric about these type units. Parts for them are available to a certain degree but the senders, not so much. The red die tends to fade out after a few years in service but they did function well enough.
https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/32fuelgauge.htm
 
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toms32 said:
I recently changes over to a 12 volt system on my 32. The sending unit on the 32 is still the 6 volt unit. Is there any way I can use that versus pulling the tank as every thing else is now 12 volt Thanks Tom
Click to expand...

Another option would be replace your non-functioning, non-electric tank sender with a Stewart Warner. acchaplin made two detailed posts on how he did it. Note that you would need an SW compatible gauge with the tank unit.

The whole thread, https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=356170&highlight=Sender+tank

acchaplin's posts within the above thread:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2443292&postcount=25

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2443295&postcount=26
 
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1) An original 1932 Ford fuel tank was built with a small 6 bolt mount bung designed to accept only the 6 bolt mount flange of a hydrostatic fuel sending unit (this mount bung/flange combo appears nowhere else ever). With only a few exceptions, 1936-56 Ford fuel tanks utilized a much larger 6 bolt mount bung which accommodated a thermal k/s fuel sending unit.
2) To the very best of my rather extensive knowledge, though things are always changing, no manufacturer has ever made a direct fit sending unit to operate an electric gauge which fits an original 1932 Ford tank mount bung
3) You can definitely purchase reproduction 1932 Ford fuel tanks with various "modern" fuel sender mount bungs for which you can buy modern fuel sending units for electric gauges
4) You must use the fuel sending unit operating in the correct ohm range required by your specific fuel gauge manufacturer to operate correctly (this is not a question of 6v/12v). The sending unit must be the correct match to the gauge.

If you do have electric 6v gauges in the vehicle, do not connect them to 12v without a dedicated voltage regulator installed on them.

QUESTION: What is the fuel sending unit and fuel gauge combo currently installed in your vehicle? Pictures would help a lot
 
AbbottInstrument said:
1) An original 1932 Ford fuel tank was built with a small 6 bolt mount bung designed to accept only the 6 bolt mount flange of a hydrostatic fuel sending unit (this mount bung/flange combo appears nowhere else ever). With only a few exceptions, 1936-56 Ford fuel tanks utilized a much larger 6 bolt mount bung which accommodated a thermal k/s fuel sending unit.
2) To the very best of my rather extensive knowledge, though things are always changing, no manufacturer has ever made a direct fit sending unit to operate an electric gauge which fits an original 1932 Ford tank mount bung
3) You can definitely purchase reproduction 1932 Ford fuel tanks with various "modern" fuel sender mount bungs for which you can buy modern fuel sending units for electric gauges
4) You must use the fuel sending unit operating in the correct ohm range required by your specific fuel gauge manufacturer to operate correctly (this is not a question of 6v/12v). The sending unit must be the correct match to the gauge.

If you do have electric 6v gauges in the vehicle, do not connect them to 12v without a dedicated voltage regulator installed on them.

QUESTION: What is the fuel sending unit and fuel gauge combo currently installed in your vehicle? Pictures would help a lot
Click to expand...

Not quite true.
I have adapted English Ford Popular and Ford Pilot sender units and the matching gauges to my 32 sedan and 33 coupe both with stock original tanks.
They are 6V and I power them with a 5V USB outlet.

Mart.
 
Mart said:
Not quite true.
I have adapted English Ford Popular and Ford Pilot sender units and the matching gauges to my 32 sedan and 33 coupe both with stock original tanks.
They are 6V and I power them with a 5V USB outlet.

Mart.
Click to expand...

It is true that the British utilized a 6 bolt fuel sending mount bung pattern for electric gauges that is close to a small 6 bolt hydrostatic pattern but they are not an exact interchange.

The basic takeaway is that hydrostatic fuel gauge sending units and gauge combinations were of a King-Seeley design (licensed to Hobson in the UK) and utilized a fuel tank mount bung pattern that is unique to that pairing and of which you are not going to go buy a modern sending unit for a modern gauge which will mount in the OEM hydrostatic fuel sender accepting tank. You can, and we do, build fuel sending units which fit the OEM small 6 bolt bung and operate in various ohm ranges to accommodate various electric gauges but that is not a 'simple go to parts supplier x and buy z' situation.
 
Glen, thanks for posting that!

I'll add, that around the end of March I dumped 5 gallons of gas in the tank 1 gallon at a time to see where the guage level was with each gallon.

2 gallons the guage was almost touching the top of the "E" mark.

3 gallons the guage was slightly above the "E" mark.

4 gallons the guage was just above the 1/8th mark, 1/2 way inbetween 1/4 and 1/8th.

5 gallons good 1/4 of a tank.
 
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