Fuel Tank Sending Unit

[Ian]

Has one used one of the newer replacement fuel tank sending units for late model Bay? Does it read right on your Bus?

I put almost a full tank in a Bus with a new sender and the gauge only reads 1/3 full.

I think the knock-off sender might be the culprit.
_________________
All your Buses are belong to us.
Love and good roads!
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROB CRESS 1968-2012 & KEN CRIMMINS 1957-2024

[secretsubmariner]

I've installed an newer replacement fuel tank sending unit. I just filled up for the first time since installing it, too. Tank reads a little over 1/2 full with approximately 11 gallons.

I read recently that the gauge on the dash has a little fuse thing inside of it. I don't remember the thread off the top of my head, but good luck!
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-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[WildIdea]

I put a newer sending unit in my 77 two years ago. It reads 3/4 when full and when the needle hits the red reserve area I can add around 7 gallons, so still plenty of fuel in the tank. It’s some indicator though and I have even living with it the way it is.
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1977 Sage Green Westy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=691987
1965 SWR Walk-Through Standard
1960 211 Panel American Camper Conversion

[Zed999]

I fitted one last year and it reads correctly.
Poor connections add resistance and make them under read. There's one you might not be aware of in the tank compartment to the right, before the wire exits to the main loom. Not easy to get at.

[SamboSamba22]

Clean up your grounds. The resistor in the gauge cluster needs clean connections to compute correctly with the sender. There isn't a lot of resistance in the system, so a little dirt can change more than one would believe.
Good luck.
_________________
The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[Daverham]

Yes, they (can) work.

Check the ohms.

And watch how you install it... the float has to be able to float all the way up to the top. I positioned mine so that the arm & float are pointing 90-degrees to the left (driver's side). Watch out for that last 1/8 turn as you dog it into place. You'll want it positioned a little aft of that before you lock it in so that it's at 90-degrees when it's locked down. If you don't do that, the float can get stuck on the side of the tank, it won't go all way up and you'll get that 2/3 reading. I've done it myself, and then fixed it easily by repositioning the arm/float.

Make sense? Then it should work.

And of course, by all means, check your connections.

[secretsubmariner]

Excellent input Daverham. To this day I am still in awe of your $1 fuel sender repair.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI

[SGKent]

There is no year mentioned for you bus so the question can't be answered without knowing that. The late senders typically need to be adjusted to read properly. This is done with an empty tank, preferably with CO2 in it to avoid an explosion from a static spark.
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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

[Mispeld]

[Ian]

Vehicle in question is a "late model Bay" as stated in first post. 1979 year model to be exact, but I think the sender is from 73 to 79.

I dinked with everything til I was blue in the face. Put a VDO sender in and problem solved.

I would recommend everyone to avoid all no-name replacement senders in the future.
_________________
All your Buses are belong to us.
Love and good roads!
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROB CRESS 1968-2012 & KEN CRIMMINS 1957-2024

[SGKent]

[Wildthings]