Fuel level sender service part

Direct replacement. Had no issues whatsoever. The original fuel pickup tube is not serviceable and prone to rusting. You are correct, it is welded in place. There is also a 'sock" on the end of the tube from the factory for filtration. It may be plugged if it hasn't been removed by a previous owner.

Removed the sock? Looking at the scenario, I surmise that it would be possible to do so with the tank removed and if you had a really thin arm to get through the fuel filler neck mounting hole.

Neither is doable for me. Not that the sock needs to be replaced, or is even still there. The Mustangs have the socks on the pickup also. Some kind of a nylon mesh.

I can get fuel to syphon from the fuel supply assembly with a hand held vacuum pump at 4 psi. That indicates to me that there is no issue (yet) with porosity through the tube.

The fuel pumps? That's another story. working on that issue one right now. Labor must have been very cheap when these things were built? They are neither labor time economical, or necessarily simplistic so any mechanic can repair them.

Thanks for the reply Husker. I'm still waiting for Wilkinson to answer this.

Are there two wire pickups on the new sender like the original?

What am I missing here? My car has always picked up fuel from the pickup tube that is part of the sending unit assembly. So it is serviceable by removing from the tank. right?

quote:

What am I missing here? My car has always picked up fuel from the pickup tube that is part of the sending unit assembly. So it is serviceable by removing from the tank. right?

Early Panteras had a fuel pickup tube that was integral to the tank (and non-serviceable). The fuel-level sending unit was completely separate. Later models used a fuel sender that had an integral pickup, which was serviceable.

I don't know when the changeover was made, but my July 72 (#4033) pre-L has the early style where the pickup is welded in the tank and the sender is completely separate.

Thanks Garth!!!

Mine is an early 73. 4066. So that change was after mine. The probable answer is when the first supply ran out.

Mine definitely has an issue with siphoning of the gas. Probably has a nice hole in the tube above the gas level.

Solution is actually easy. Plug the old tube up and install the new pickup.

This isn't that much of a problem. The old pick up can be used for a return line for fuel injection!

Panteradoug, when you get your late fuel gauge sender, it will install exactly like the OEM except all the parts are smaller so insertion into the tank is easier. I assume you've pulled the left rear quarter window out so you can access the tank top? This is the only safe way to R & R a fuel gauge ass'y without pulling the engine, ZF and tank. Also note that whenever replacing a fuel sender, you may need to 'calibrate' the float position by slight bending of the float wire. Don't stress the sharp bend near the sender housing- the thin rod is semi-hardened steel and has been known to snap off where it exits the sender housing.

To remove the 'sock' on a pre-'73 fuel tank, it can be torn off with a long rod thru the sender access hole, or (if you're careful) an air compressor nozzle applied to the fuel-out weldment on the tank top. But these tanks are extremely thin steel; it's absurdly easy to create a leaky 'doughnut' by overpressurizing the tank and cracking seams while trying to blow the sock off the bottom of the welded line.

Yes the glass is out. The simplest fix is just to install a new sender/pickup.
I'm wondering if there was a service bulletin on servicing the original pickup tube? It's academic now anyway I suppose?
I can't believe the early tanks were built this way. What an oversight?
Now I think that I understand why the Group 4 cars used different tanks.
There are little things like this that Caroll Smith saw, that would make the Pantera difficult to race like the GT40.
The component accessibility on those cars is as it should be for a race car and frankly from my perspective is a good idea for a street car also.
I remember having the tank out of the car and sloshing it an using a tank coating kit.
I guess the instructions didn't say anything about taking out the sender because it is definitely coated with teflon. Geesh!
It didn't save the pickup tube though.

On my '73, the sender is removable without extracting the side window. Other model years may be as well, I simply haven't tried.

+1 on my '71 JT. I don't have to take the window out either.

They all will come out without removing the window. It is just so much easier to take the drivers side glass out. The sender unit is right there in front of you that way.

That suggestion was offered as a time saving tip.