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Topic: Help needed: Fuel sending unit (Read 9861 times) previous topic - next topic

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

I've been having problems with my fuel gauge and the mechanic who works on my car says it needs a new fuel sending unit. The problem is that he says he can't find it anywhere, not from Ford or any other supplier. I have a '87 5.0 with the base digital dash. Does anyone know if anyone sells them or if there's a substitute part?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
5.0L Speed density
Explorer intake
'92 Mustang GT cam
GT-40 racing heads
Unequal length headers
Custom-made duals
19# injectors
65mm TB
AFPR
T/C header panel
11" brake upgrade
T/C rear sway bar
Electrical mods: too many to list :D

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #1 –
I believe that part has been discontinued (although, strangely enough, the full digital one is still available). Your only hope is a used or NOS one. If you go used, try to find one from a southern car, as it's pretty much a guarantee that if your car sees salt the top of the sender is rotten
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #3 –
http://www.fordparts.com lists two types, one w/o electronic cluster and one with it. Is the one for the buttstuffog cluster the same as the one for the base digital dash?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
5.0L Speed density
Explorer intake
'92 Mustang GT cam
GT-40 racing heads
Unequal length headers
Custom-made duals
19# injectors
65mm TB
AFPR
T/C header panel
11" brake upgrade
T/C rear sway bar
Electrical mods: too many to list :D

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #4 –
Nm. I called FordParts and they say the part is discontinued and they can't get one.

By the way, does anyone have the part number for it?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
5.0L Speed density
Explorer intake
'92 Mustang GT cam
GT-40 racing heads
Unequal length headers
Custom-made duals
19# injectors
65mm TB
AFPR
T/C header panel
11" brake upgrade
T/C rear sway bar
Electrical mods: too many to list :D

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #5 –
Eric: I called fuelsender.com and they want $75 to rebuild a unit. That's fine with me, but I prefer not to be without the car for the time it would take for the turnaround. If I can get my hands on a rebuildable one that I could send to them then it would be perfect.

With all the Fox commonality I still can't believe that Ford used a T-Bird/Cougar-specific unit instead of a Mustang one. What on Earth were they thinking...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
5.0L Speed density
Explorer intake
'92 Mustang GT cam
GT-40 racing heads
Unequal length headers
Custom-made duals
19# injectors
65mm TB
AFPR
T/C header panel
11" brake upgrade
T/C rear sway bar
Electrical mods: too many to list :D

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Quietleaf;145634
With all the Fox commonality I still can't believe that Ford used a T-Bird/Cougar-specific unit instead of a Mustang one. What on Earth were they thinking...

The similarities these cars have to Mustangs is amazing. The differences are incredible. There are so many subtle differences it's actually hard to believe they're the same platform sometimes, especially on 86-88 models. The suspensions look the same but have virtually no directly swappable parts: Front control arms, struts, springs, K-members, engine mounts, rear control arms, shocks, springs, axles, rear brakes, gas tanks, seat brackets, and of course all body and interior parts are all different. Even cars with the same drivetrain (SVO Mustang VS Turbo Coupe) have significant differences - the SVO uses a cable clutch while the 87-88 TC uses a hydraulic setup. Even the floor pan, that most basic part of the platform, is different - in addition to the obvious difference in length, the Mustang uses different seat mounting points and T-Bird SFC's will not work on Mustangs. It always amazes me how Ford could make a business case for using the same platform across different cars, but changing that platform enough so that almost no major parts are shared, thus making platform sharing redundant anyway.

Chevy guys have it so easy...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #7 –
Oh, and BTW - did your mechanic actually drop the tank and look at and/or test the sending unit? It's common for the electrical connectors on them to become corroded and cause gauge malfunction. If that's the case with yours you should be able to clean the connections up and get back in business
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #8 –
If you've cleaned the connections and still have problems and can't be without your ride for an extended period of time, can you snag one out of a junkyard cheap and have it rebuilt?

Please let me know how you make out.  I have a similar problem with my fuel gage in my '83 Heritage and have not had time to work on it.

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #9 –
to bring this one back, today on the way to work my fuel gauge worked fine but on the way home it didnt work at all.  isnt there a relay for the sender?  if I remember right on my friends 85 he replaced a relay and made his work. keep in mind that this is a southern car

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #10 –
relay is on the firewall on the drivers side.
RIP 1988 and 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
I welcomed the dark side and currently am driving a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT plus, with a 5.9, Code named project "Night Runner"
Shes black on black, fully loaded, with headers, 180 tstat, e fan, straight exhaust into a cherry bomb vortex ler, full tune up, ported intake and T/B, MSD coil, and round aircleaner.
Mods to come: Fully rebuilt and heavily modded 46RE, and a richmond rachet locker.
my $300 beater ;)
R.I.P Kayleigh Raposa 12/18/90 - 2/24/07

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #12 –
got a pic of the engine?(pm me)
RIP 1988 and 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
I welcomed the dark side and currently am driving a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT plus, with a 5.9, Code named project "Night Runner"
Shes black on black, fully loaded, with headers, 180 tstat, e fan, straight exhaust into a cherry bomb vortex ler, full tune up, ported intake and T/B, MSD coil, and round aircleaner.
Mods to come: Fully rebuilt and heavily modded 46RE, and a richmond rachet locker.
my $300 beater ;)
R.I.P Kayleigh Raposa 12/18/90 - 2/24/07

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #13 –
O hows my old snowflakes coming?
/hyjack
RIP 1988 and 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
I welcomed the dark side and currently am driving a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT plus, with a 5.9, Code named project "Night Runner"
Shes black on black, fully loaded, with headers, 180 tstat, e fan, straight exhaust into a cherry bomb vortex ler, full tune up, ported intake and T/B, MSD coil, and round aircleaner.
Mods to come: Fully rebuilt and heavily modded 46RE, and a richmond rachet locker.
my $300 beater ;)
R.I.P Kayleigh Raposa 12/18/90 - 2/24/07

Help needed: Fuel sending unit

Reply #14 –
snowflakes???  they are sitting in the garage at dads collecting dust. lol  I think you might be asking the wrong person.