Fuel Sending Unit

The Pantera sending unit is unique to the car as far as I know, and an OEM '71 assembly has not been available new since the last century. The new senders are ALL '73-up assemblies with an integral fuel-out pipe and will plug into any Pantera, but early cars must then plug the troublesom integrally-welded fuel-out line in the tank. I've fixed a couple by cannibalization but its not fun & not guaranteed. The senders were reproduced a few years ago by a group of vendors and all the vendors got in on the purchase afterward, which was over 300 senders. Call around- at least one has them at $145 with a new gasket & float. JC Whitney? You're on your own there....

Hi KP,

JC Whitney is not a Pantera vendor and will not have the Pantera Sending Unit. There is a difference between an older Pantera and a newer Pantera regarding the fuel pickup. Doing a search on this forum will get you that info.

Hall, Precision, Wilkinson will all be able to get you the part you need.

Take care, Scott

Hey, thanks, you guys. What about rebuilding? Seems like a simple enough unit--has anyone cannibalized parts from some other unit to rebuild one of these? Or--isn't there a laser-sensor unit, or something? I mean, it's 2013!

Just my two cents
What is wrong with your sensor?
Mine just had a float that did not float, you can use any float that fits. If it is the wires buy a new one, but I took mine out once and did not reinstall it properly and the float arm stuck in the tank.
Good luck

I tried rebuilding a few. I also transferred stock senders to larger fuel lines on a few for high-powered engines, since the stock sender fuel line will only support about 450 bhp; the flow restriction causes carbs to go lean above 5500 rpms. If you add an electric in-tank fuel pump, the small stock line works OK under the higher pressure from the electric pump. But then you need a good regulator between tank & carb.
The sender parts are similar to mid-'70s Alfas except for not being exact duplicates. There's a brittle plastic case (2 types) with an access window, a semi-curved wire-wound potentiometer and a long hardened steel arm, along with a few washers and a float. What goes south is usually the wire-wound potentiometer, and even pro electric gauge shops want no part of rewinding one of these. Alfa potentiometers do NOT interchange being wound out of different sized wire which changes the calibration. The floats interchange as well as some (but not all) outer cases and the gasket. The flange that screws to the gas tank is similar but the welded-on support struts inside are radically different for a tall Pantera fuel tank. The Alfa tank is smaller volume and flat. If you had two Pantera senders, you could cannibalize parts but opportunities for a mistake are many. Probably not worth the trouble for $140 brand new.

quote:

Originally posted by Bosswrench:
; the flow restriction causes carbs to go lean above 5500 rpms.

Is there anything left in any motor past 5500rpm?

I have always thought my cam was shutting down up top, but it has been suggested that I am going lean....

Wilkinson seems to have the lowest price at $169. right now. He's probably the source of them to the other vendors.

A eye witness told me he had 300 come in on an order.

It is just an ordanary Fiat X1/9 fuel sender lightly bended on the end. That's what De Tomaso used on all later cars. Check you local Fiat classic parts vendor.

If that is so, it is $50. How do I know this is correct? I'd love to save the money?

Me, too..... Champ, could you tell us more (any X1/9 model year, any adjustments / adaptor plates needed)?
Wolfgang

It has been common knowledge the Fiat X1/9 unit will work in the Pantera, although I'm not sure it is a direct interchange part. For a long time nothing else was available, but as discussed the vendors have reproduction units available now and $169 is a pretty damn good price IMO. If we don't support them when they gear up for this stuff then we can't complain when they aren't around anymore.

I do have an X1/9 unit on the shelf acquired some years back plus a Pantera unit out of the tank, so I'll do some comparisons when I get time.

Julian

Julian,
I fully agree. As I am new to the scene I wasn´t aware that the X1/9 unit is just a replacement but not a direct interchange part. I am happy to buy one at the parts vendors then (most likely without these guys my car wouldn't be on the road anymore...).
Wolfgang

Just for the record the following are side by side photos of the Pantera vs. Fiat X1/9 fuel sending unit. Will it fit? Yes, but it would need some bending and adapting to get the float in the correct orientation. It does have a return fuel line for anyone using or considering EFI.

One more, the X1/9 unit marked Idro-Stop s.p.a (Italy) part # 01-203

Joules. Fiat is listing two pick ups. One for FI and one for carb. Obviously this is for the FI.

Thanks for posting.

Does it have the low fuel light sensor like the stock unit?

The Fiat part is $125.

Wilkinson has the right one for $169.

I vote Wilkinson.

quote:

Originally posted by PanteraDoug:
The Fiat part is $125.

Wilkinson has the right one for $169.

I vote Wilkinson.

I agree, there was a time before reproductions that the Fiat unit was the only option.

Julian

Joules,

Does it have the low fuel light sensor like the stock unit?

Thanks, Scott

It does have two wire connectors on top same as the oem unit. I'll have to investigate further, but I'm out of town for a couple weeks.

Julian

The one, you showed, is the carb version. The fuel inketion one has only one fuel line. The return line is connected to the gas tank.
Wilkinson´s unit is very cheap made and prone to break (as his window switches and the turn signal stalk).

A stock Ford EFI fuel pump will fit on the end of a stock sender if you're willing to do some adaption. An electric pump needs two extra sealed wire connectors not present on either of the senders (4 total), and the bottom end of the tube needs to be shortened by the length of the pump & its filter. Then you need a secure hose connection and a mechanical support for the pump.
To test the idea, I added a TBI electric pump (identical dimensions to an EFI pump) to our OEM Pantera sender. TBI pumps only put out 10-12 psi and can be regulated down to 8 psi for carbs without pump damage, while EFI pumps cannot. The finished assembly fits thru the stock tank opening and works fine as a backup fuel supply on my carbureted 351C. The advantage of an in-tank pump are: better protection, no suction problems & no vapor lock, with quiet operation compared to outside mounts. Note this was a STOCK Ford pump; oversized aftermarket pumps likely won't fit thru the opening. There's room on a Pantera sender top for the two extra sealed wire connections; not sure about the FIAT sender. Written up in the POCA Newsletter a couple of years ago & still working as of today.
To fit the X-19 sender in a carbureted Pantera, be prepared to chop off or sharply bend the two hose bibs for engine cover clearance. Smooth bends are better for good fuel flow. When you alter the hose bibs & install, maintain the stock clocking so the float arm fits the Pantera tank baffling, while lining up the bolt holes.