Question: Fuel sender ground

[Antz81]

I was replacing the rear lamp harness and the ground tag broke off of the fuel sender unit. I'm guessing just replacing the whole thing would be my best option since i'm sure it's the original sender. Just wondering if anyone has any other ideas before a order a new sender unit on monday.

 

[SVO]

You could try getting a small worm gear hose clamp and attaching it to the metal portion of the fuel line coming out of the tank, and attaching your ground wire to the clamp.

 

[Antz81]

You could try getting a small worm gear hose clamp and attaching it to the metal portion of the fuel line coming out of the tank, and attaching your ground wire to the clamp.

This would mean cutting off the ground connector which i don't want to do. If i hadn't just replaced the harness then sure.:L

 

[SVO]

I will need to go swing under the 72 in the morning and refresh my memory of the wiring to the sending unit. As I remember it, the ground tab on the sending unit is a male spade type terminal with a female spade terminal on the harness. I would think it would be easy to fab a short jumper from the hose clamp to your new wiring harness and not cut up anything.

 

[Antz81]

I will need to go swing under the 72 in the morning and refresh my memory of the wiring to the sending unit. As I remember it, the ground tab on the sending unit is a male spade type terminal with a female spade terminal on the harness. I would think it would be easy to fab a short jumper from the hose clamp to your new wiring harness and not cut up anything.

I'll save you the time:L. You are correct. I still don't like the idea of using a hose clamp as a ground connection, but I'll think about it.

 

[SVO]

I once had a supervisor who told me that I was full of ideas, just not all of them were good ideas...

Good luck with your repair, whichever way you may decide to proceed.

Best Regards,

Bob

 

[Antz81]

I once had a supervisor who told me that I was full of ideas, just not all of them were good ideas...

I like coming up with the stupidest ideas i can think of. Like instead of cutting a steel plate down by 1/8" so it fits moving the building over by1/8" :L

 

[LLC5]

I like coming up with the stupidest ideas i can think of. Like instead of cutting a steel plate down by 1/8" so it fits moving the building over by1/8" :L

Can you remove the sender and solder on a pigtail?

 

[Antz81]

Can you remove the sender and solder on a pigtail?

It almost sounds too simple

 

[toobroketoretire]

I was replacing the rear lamp harness and the ground tag broke off of the fuel sender unit. I'm guessing just replacing the whole thing would be my best option since i'm sure it's the original sender. Just wondering if anyone has any other ideas before a order a new sender unit on monday.

The ground wire is just soldered on, isn't it? If so you could just solder a new wire on. I would take the sending unit out to do the soldering so gravity would work in your favor.

 

[Antz81]

The ground wire is just soldered on, isn't it? If so you could just solder a new wire on.

The ground tag was spot welded

 

[LLC5]

It almost sounds too simple

It is simple, just make sure to clean the area to be soldered of any steel protectant and dirt before soldering, I usually use a 3m scuff pad or sand paper. Remember that the solder joint will be the weakest link (but still strong) so giving the pigtail some extra length and tie wrapping it with a small loop to a solid source like the fuel pipe or similar will eliminate the harness from pulling on the solder joint and possibly weakening it. Done many on the vehicle too, with the sender installed, but of course I would never recommend it.

 

[Antz81]

All fixed tested and working. I created a small jumper with a lug on one end, which i fitted under one off the bolts for the sender and a male spade on the other to go to the harness.