Recommended fuel sender for 70 bus? Vendor/brand?**Update**

[Turbod16v]

[j10nbom]

I ended up buying the universal VDO one (link below) due to cost/quality. It finally arrived yesterday after being backordered for a few months:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vdo-224-220

It's made in Brazil and the quality appears to be top notch. I don't have the dimensions for an OG sender, but this one measured 7.75" versus 8.25" for the stock (junk) replacement. So this is a good ballpark compromise IMO, assuming it's reading empty a little sooner than stock would.

Once hooked up it worked right away and was reading correctly (had nearly a full tank), so I'll keep everyone posted if it craps out after awhile, but for comparison...

JUNK:

VDO UNIVERSAL SENDER:

[ewdb92]

[j10nbom]

Are the type 3 senders similar or the same as a type 2?

Here's an NOS one for sale:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325390064626

[SGKent]

cause none of the replacements work right. The swing arm ones do the same thing. Just think of all the old senders that went into the junk pile that today would be worth a small fortune repaired... .
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[wcfvw69]

As I noted back then, I bought the new VDO gauge made in Brazil. It tested fine out of the bus but once installed, it measured 1/4 tank low or when the fuel tank was full, it showed 3/4 full. The ground going to it at the tank was solid with good clean connections. I also made sure where it was grounded was clean under the connector too.

I never did figure out why it was reading 1/4 off..
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[SGKent]

If it reads correctly out of the tank, and you should check it, unless the connections are soldered at the factory now, I would send it to Telford to have him permanently solder them so you aren't doing it again in 2 years. The issue will be once gasoline oils and corrosion gets into it, it is nearly impossible for the average person to solder without 100% knowing what they are doing. And, it the temperature isn't controlled while soldering correctly, the insulators melt.
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[j10nbom]

[wcfvw69]

[HarryFD]

I installed a Czech made VDO level sender in 2015. Still working fine.
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1970 Deluxe Sunroof Bay Brilliant Blue/Cloud White
1971 Jaguar XKE 2+2 V12 Coupe
1973.5 911 Targa
2009 MB C300

[SGKent]

Unless the old one is totally rotted out. Having Telford repair the old one is a really good solution. I can remember replacing the tube style senders on my 1971 back in the 1970's. Even with a genuine VW replacement from the dealer, those new senders only lasted 2 to 4 years before getting goofy as corrosion built up in the crimps.
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[j10nbom]

[pantone149]

I bought a sender that fits split bus and Ghia, which is about an inch too short. Works great and more accurate than anything I'd ever had. Gives me a huge reserve this way, but for one dollar (yep, got it for a buck) I am not gunna complain.

[VWSunny72]

Ran out of gas yesterday with 1/4 tank...my sender had been on the fritz lately and figures just before we head out on a 1,200 mile trip! The gauge has been going from 1/4 to empty very quickly over he past few months. Yesterday was the first time it showed 1/4 and was actually empty. I filled it up last night and the gauge correctly reads full. To boot, a little plastic cap fell into my tank from the jerry can’s built in funnel. It’s like a top to a water bottle. I will try to fish that out once the tank gets half empty. Yeah me. I guess it’s 200 mile fill-ups for this trip.

FWIW, the sender above from egauges.com is a made in Brazil VDO according to the owner.
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I am owned by a 1972 Westy named Sunny. She has a 1979 2.0L engine w/ dual Weber IDF 40s.

[wcfvw69]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

that looks like the same chineseium piece of shit that made me make an access hole in my bus.

fwiw...if anyone gets a sender with that red gasket, put it thru a shredder before anyone can use it
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[pantone149]

This unit is 210 mm, which is about a half a MM too long. They also sell 190mm.
If you zoom into the picture the yellow sticker reads in German and English. Cost is $57. I wonder if it's worth a try.

https://www.egauges.com/8-3-210mm-90-0-Ohms-p/224-221.htm

[telford dorr]

The sender is all repaired and ready to go. Looks like it sat in a mostly empty tank for a long time. The float was stuck on a corrosion layer on the center rod. Scraped that all clean and lubed it with a shot of teflon spray. The rod looks OK. Don't know where the corrosion came from (plastic float, and all). It also needed the ground to the brass spring fix. Seems to measure up correctly now.
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More VW electrical at http://telforddorr.com/ (available 9am to 9pm PST)

[wcfvw69]

[skills@eurocarsplus]