Danny Boy

It feels good to get a job done right! I just got back from a cruise to the gas station and around the neighborhood.
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I replaced the fuel sending unit, hoses and the J-clip on the lower control arm shock bolt.
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Started off by siphoning the last gallon in the tank, disconnecting the battery and disconnecting the sending unit hot wire in the trunk – feeding it down through the rubber grommet and unclipping it from the frame behind the bumper.
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Jacked up the car starting with the front…that is when I noticed one of the lower shock bolts was loose – I replaced the broken J-clip on the lower control arm and reinstalled the shock bolt.
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https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394511
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Cut the main fuel hose and fuel return hose, disconnected the three vent hoses from the tank and disconnected the sending unit ground wire.
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Loosened up the front strap bolts, wheeled the floor jack under the tank to hold it up and then removed the front strap bolts. Having the car jacked up high enough, I did not need to remove the rear strap screws. I was able to lower the tank and wheel it forward far enough for me to put the strap back up.
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Once I had the tank off, I grabbed the garden hose and washed off all the dust and dirt off the tank. After air drying in the sun, I took off the old sending unit with a hammer and flat chisel. The inside of the tank looked clean…I took an old sock, put it on my hand and wiped around in the tank to soak up the gas left in the tank. The sock came out pretty clean. I heard a rattling sound when I tipped side to side – reached in and pulled out a piece of solder the size of a BB. That must have been from the vent tube when it was assembled at the factory.
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https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394645
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394645
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The old sending unit was a canister type. Nobody makes those any more and it was about $225 to have it repaired with no guarantee that the repair would work. I bought a lever type sending unit from RockAuto for about $70. Spectra Premium FG106A fits large GM vehicles from 1971 and 1972.
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https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394645
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Installed the new sending unit with a hammer and flat chisel and replaced the vent hoses.
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https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394645
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Danny Boy

Replaced hoses to stand pipe (spring clips nor required) and the main fuel hose and fuel return hose. Here are the old hoses.
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https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394966
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When I went to connect the hot wire onto the new sending unit, it did not fit. The brass post on the new sending unit is larger than the old sending unit.
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https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394966
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394966
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Tried widening the connector in the hot wire by using a center punch/nail set before. That did not work. After examining the two posts, I took an emery board and rounded off the top of the post on the new sending unit to look like the old sending unit and lightly filed the sides. The connector went on with a firm push. The rubber boot on the connector did not go all the way to the bottom of the rubber on the post of the new sending unit. It did have a tight seal against the rubber of the post...but I wrapped some electrical tape on it anyway.
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https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1&d=1311394966
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Reverse removal steps to reinstall tank and added two gallons of gas…just enough to get me to the gas station. Turned the car over several times and she started up – the gauge went from full to empty…then as I was pumping gas it went back to full…20 gallons and $89 later I went for a ride!

jaunty75

Good job! I had the exact same issue with the sending unit on my '67 Delta 88. The old unit was the canister type and the replacement was one like you used. Works very well and drops right in.

Danny Boy

jaunty,

You and made in the usa were my inspiration...it only took me a year and a half to be inspired enough!

It was wishful thinking to always see the gas gauge at full. Now, I do not have to drive by the 200 mile rule...maybe I can go 205 miles