[DML] Re: gas guage not working

[Todd Bankhead <bankhead@xxxx>]

Rick
I just saw your message (I'm a little behind) and thought you might like
some input from someone who opted for the "rebuild the tank sending unit
yourself" route. My '81 d had the gas gauge pointing straight up thing
going, so I ripped the sending unit out and tore it open. There is a snap
on screen holder at the bottom of the unit (easy enough) that when you pop
it off will reveal a 5.5 mm nut in the center and a peg off to the side.
Both are coming through the bottom of a plastic piece that would pry off
easily if 1) you get the nut off and 2) if the peg weren't so rusty and in
need of cleaning. The nut is screwed to the center post that runs all the
way through the top where it meets an electical connector (black wire).
When unsrcrewing the nut, the post will want to turn with it, thus breaking
the coiled ground wire (if it isn't already) that is attached from the
float to the top of the post inside the unit. At the bottom of the post
there is a fixed holder for the gas warning light wire (red wire) that will
also break (the wire, not the holder) if the post goes spinning upon nut
removal. The off center peg has a wire coiled around it that the contact
on the float "reads." The peg is pretty ridged so it will not break if you
take care with the amount of pressure you put on it. Hind-sight tells me
that I would have saved myself a lot of sodering if I had made damn sure
that the center post would not have spun upon nut removal. Perhaps cutting
a slit with a Dremmel tool into the top of the center post (where the black
wire is attached to the unit) so it could be secured with a screw driver
while the nut is removed. Now I'm at the point where I must replace the
coiled ground wire and the straight thin wire. I think they are of a
specific resistance, but I have a feeling that I won't get that info here.
I'll probably reuse some wire out of an old junk Audi sending unit. I'll
keep you posted on the progress.

Todd "Project Car 4 Sure" B.