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Important! Bad gas tank sender design

Kid_Again

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 6, 2004
Messages
1,171
Location
NJ - Which exit you from?
Corvette
65 SB Roadster, 66 BB Coupe
Here's a head's up on what I experienced with the sender unit that I bought from Long Island Corvette Supply. I'm not blaming them because it didn't leak for two years but I did notice that they now sell a re-designed version.

The "bad" design has the electrical connectors retained with press-fit washers that need to pushed damn near flat to ensure a good seal. I usually see these retainers on electric motors, etc. Anyway, the retainer loosened over two years and started to leak gas at the electrical fitting. The new version that I just received is different because the electrical fitting is a different design and retained with some sort of adhesive.

Works fine first time out (and I think the design is somewhat slimmer because it went into the tank more easily). I retained the old sender, covering the internals with multiple layers of JB Weld, so that I have a back-up in case I need it.

Good luck!
 
Here's a head's up on what I experienced with the sender unit that I bought from Long Island Corvette Supply. I'm not blaming them because it didn't leak for two years but I did notice that they now sell a re-designed version.

The "bad" design has the electrical connectors retained with press-fit washers that need to pushed damn near flat to ensure a good seal. I usually see these retainers on electric motors, etc. Anyway, the retainer loosened over two years and started to leak gas at the electrical fitting. The new version that I just received is different because the electrical fitting is a different design and retained with some sort of adhesive.

Works fine first time out (and I think the design is somewhat slimmer because it went into the tank more easily). I retained the old sender, covering the internals with multiple layers of JB Weld, so that I have a back-up in case I need it.

Good luck!

Yup, just spent the last six weeks dealing with that nonsense. ;squint:

Got the first unit from a local Corvette vendor for around $80. Same design as yours, leaked from the start. Got my money back.

Ordered a GM/ Delco unit ($149.00) from an online Corvette vendor, different design (used studs and nuts instead of press-fit connectors), waited two weeks, installed it the day it arrived - and it leaked from the same spot. Tightening the nuts didn't help. :mad

Sent it back (still waiting for my refund) and ended up sending my original unit to John Wolf & Co. in Ohio. They turned my unit around in around two weeks. I installed it last week - no problems so far.

I hear you about the fit issues - I had a he!! of a time getting the first two units to fit into the opening on the tank, whereas my original is practically plug & play.

I don't like to mess around when it comes to gasoline, and especially when it comes to gasoline leaking on my garage floor - I guess I'm funny that way. I've seen one gasoline/auto fire in my life, and that was one too many.:eek:hnoes
 
Yup, just spent the last six weeks dealing with that nonsense. ;squint:

Got the first unit from a local Corvette vendor for around $80. Same design as yours, leaked from the start. Got my money back.

Ordered a GM/ Delco unit ($149.00) from an online Corvette vendor, different design (used studs and nuts instead of press-fit connectors), waited two weeks, installed it the day it arrived - and it leaked from the same spot. Tightening the nuts didn't help. :mad

Sent it back (still waiting for my refund) and ended up sending my original unit to John Wolf & Co. in Ohio. They turned my unit around in around two weeks. I installed it last week - no problems so far.

I hear you about the fit issues - I had a he!! of a time getting the first two units to fit into the opening on the tank, whereas my original is practically plug & play.

I don't like to mess around when it comes to gasoline, and especially when it comes to gasoline leaking on my garage floor - I guess I'm funny that way. I've seen one gasoline/auto fire in my life, and that was one too many.:eek:hnoes

Thanks for the reply. Good to know that I'm not the only out there.

I looked at the picture of you and your car and REALLY like that shade of yellow. Is it an artifact or is that the real shade? What's the color and manufacturer code???

Thanks
 
Thanks for the reply. Good to know that I'm not the only out there.

I looked at the picture of you and your car and REALLY like that shade of yellow. Is it an artifact or is that the real shade? What's the color and manufacturer code???

Thanks

Thanks for the kind words. The color is actually a tad brighter than how it appears in the picture. I have no idea what the actual color or manufacturer code is, but when I bought the car back in 1984 the seller called it 'Corvette Yellow'. I think it is very similar to a yellow available on the early C3s.
 
OK, thanks.

I'll talk to the C3 guys and get some numbers.

Nice car.
 
This leaking has been discussed a bit on one of the other forums. I found my problem was the Positive strap broken in two under the tubing and the rheostat seemed worn out. So instead of wasting $80 on a cheap one that's likely to leak or $300++ on a genuine, I sent mine to John Wolf last week. It should be < $200 including shipping. About the JB weld in the gas tank, I've read pros and cons on its longevity. I tried it on some pits on a Holley body next to the metering plate. I'll see how it held up next time I rebuild it.
 
This leaking has been discussed a bit on one of the other forums. I found my problem was the Positive strap broken in two under the tubing and the rheostat seemed worn out. So instead of wasting $80 on a cheap one that's likely to leak or $300++ on a genuine, I sent mine to John Wolf last week. It should be < $200 including shipping. About the JB weld in the gas tank, I've read pros and cons on its longevity. I tried it on some pits on a Holley body next to the metering plate. I'll see how it held up next time I rebuild it.

Good luck, let me know how that turns out. Yeah, the JB weld and gas debate can definitely rage on. I number of years ago, I used JB to seal the inside of a gas tank and it's still in good shape. BUT, over time, gas is reformulated as are products like epoxies so you never know. The reason why I epoxied the old unit is to have a spare in case I need to do a quick swap. Since the original sender units are LONG gone, I'm stuck with buying the best quality sender that I can find in the future.

Can you send me John Wolf's contact info so that I can file it away for the inevitable, upcoming day?

Thanks
 

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