reliable fuel gauge? anyone?

JSeery said:
Which pictures GM? I am honestly trying to figure out what you are referring to. The only senders I have ever seen or heard of in these years of Fords is the K-S units, like shown in post #27 above. None of them are the resistance type, they all use points that open and close to control the current flow. There is no way to take a resistance reading on them (except the base reading of the components). If you know of any other type ever used in Fords I would really be interested in what they look like and when they were used.

"Most were stuck in one position and we had to spray carb
cleaner in the resistor and work them until we got an ohm
reading of zero empty and about 30 ohms full or it may
have been 30 empty and zero full."

Can you post a photo of one of these?

The 36 and 40 wiring diagrams show the sender schematics with the points and heater coils.
Click to expand...


J-Seery I too have only ever encountered senders such as those referenced in this thread made by King Seely. I own/have owned well over 200 of them and all original I have seen were of this type. I have not see this "Resistor" type other than when dealing with reroductions.
 
JSeery said:
Which pictures GM? I am honestly trying to figure out what you are referring to. The only senders I have ever seen or heard of in these years of Fords is the K-S units, like shown in post #27 above. None of them are the resistance type, they all use points that open and close to control the current flow. There is no way to take a resistance reading on them (except the base reading of the components). If you know of any other type ever used in Fords I would really be interested in what they look like and when they were used.

"Most were stuck in one position and we had to spray carb
cleaner in the resistor and work them until we got an ohm
reading of zero empty and about 30 ohms full or it may
have been 30 empty and zero full."

Can you post a photo of one of these?

The 36 and 40 wiring diagrams show the sender schematics with the points and heater coils.
Click to expand...

Go and look at Speed way's site. There are three brand new Ford senders
that look exactly like the senders in the 5 old Fords we fixed or replaced
the senders in last week. These were all the type with the resister down
in the tank, they read from 0 to 33 ohms from threaded stud on top to the round mounting plate that screws to the opening on top of the tank. G.M.
 
G.M. said:
Go and look at Speed way's site. There are three brand new Ford senders
that look exactly like the senders in the 5 old Fords we fixed or replaced
the senders in last week. These were all the type with the resister down
in the tank, they read from 0 to 33 ohms from threaded stud on top to the round mounting plate that screws to the opening on top of the tank. G.M.
Click to expand...

if they had a threaded stud they weren't original Ford sending units
 
Let me get this straight; Speedway's web site is now an authority on original Ford parts? My mind is boggled.
 
On a lighter note, I ran out of gas yesterday trying to get my '41 home from the storage unit, gauge said I had an 1/8 of a tank. My sender is a used unit I got off of eBay it looks a lot like what Carpenter sells, the one that was in my car when I bought it was an Argentine unit.
 
G.M. said:
Go and look at Speed way's site. There are three brand new Ford senders
that look exactly like the senders in the 5 old Fords we fixed or replaced
the senders in last week. These were all the type with the resister down
in the tank, they read from 0 to 33 ohms from threaded stud on top to the round mounting plate that screws to the opening on top of the tank. G.M.
Click to expand...

That's what I was trying to get straightened out, these are reproduction units, all you can get these days. These are not anything Ford ever put in a vehicle, Ford used what you refer to as the "bellow" units made by King Seely. These were used by Ford from the mid 1930 clear up to the late 1980s. I would guess because they are much more difficult to produce most replacement units from fairly early on were the resistance units. Today that is all there is. They work sorta of, but not nearly as well as the original Ford K-S senders.
 
Last edited:
BOY! this thread has sure veered off from what I originally posted the question for. Apparently the upshot of all this is, there isn't much available that will work with the original gauge, (what I had already determined) and you take your chances with the "replacement" units.
I picked up the adapter ring mentioned previously, and a universal fuel gauge and sender kit that will fit into it. Now I have to figure out where to hide the gauge.
Now back to the history lesson...........
 
19Forty posted this in an earlier thread.

"Lay a piece of cardboard or blanket on your trnk floor. The rubber trunk mat is also good.

Lay the sending unit on the blanket and attach the wire from the gauge to the little screw on top of the sending unit using alligator clipped wire.
Using another wire with alligator clips, attach one clip to one of the screw holes on the sender and attach the other end of the wire to car ground, like the trunk latch on the floor. Then, flip the ignition switch to "ON" and move the float up slowly and then slowly down to see if the dash gauge shows a reading. Don't let any of the wires touch each other. If gauge doesn't register a reading shut of ignition switch, disconnect sending unit and carefully pry off the top. Then clean the internal points with 600 grit emery paper. Reassemble and try again."

Just be slow and careful, everything inside is fragile.
 
The "Ohms Law Resistance" type gas tank sending unit and the "KS Bimetallic Heat" principle gas tank sending unit comparison and resulting debate has been going on for some years on Fordbarn. As far as I can tell the result is that there is no "Ohms Law"gas tank sending unit that is compatible with and gives the same accurate readings as the KS units.

I say "No way" to the Speedway, Summit and other aftermarket units that portend to provide KS accuracy.
If there is such a unit, please post a real life photo of it with specific verified and accurate data when used as a replacement in 1930-50's Ford cars. Specifically, how much fuel is remaining in the tank at the EMPTY, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and FULL KS gauge readings. For instance, a 40 ford holds 14 gall. of fuel.

As a side note I think JEEP may have used Ks units also.
 
tubman said:
Let me get this straight; Speedway's web site is now an authority on original Ford parts? My mind is boggled.
Click to expand...

NO I didn't say Speedway is the authority on original Ford parts. What
I said was they had 3 39 Ford type senders shown on their web site next
to each other. The 3 are all the same type so it looks like they have 3
different suppliers making them. I also said Speedway is a reliable place
and would not sell parts they have problems with. They have good
knowlegiable people that would tell you how good or bad they are. My suggestion would be to call Speedway and ask about the senders. All the senders they show are the type with the resister that is down in gas.
These are different than the ones shown in the post that is all apart. G.M.
 
johndee138 said:
BOY! this thread has sure veered off from what I originally posted the question for. Apparently the upshot of all this is, there isn't much available that will work with the original gauge, (what I had already determined) and you take your chances with the "replacement" units.
I picked up the adapter ring mentioned previously, and a universal fuel gauge and sender kit that will fit into it. Now I have to figure out where to hide the gauge.
Now back to the history lesson...........
Click to expand...

Take a look at putting it in the right cowl panel. When in the driver's seat you can look over and see it. Did this on a couple of my old Fords. Easy to put a hole in the cardboard panel. You may have to run a ground wire for the gauge body.
 
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