Anyone who replaced a fuel sender with a working rheostat (gas gauge read correctly) and didn't throw the old one out care to part with the rheostat?

Mine is out, everything is basically okay, but the rheostat reads 13.8Ω to 107.8Ω, which explains why it tended to run empty when the gauge read just under ¼-full (90Ω=Full, 0Ω=Empty, linear rheostat windings, so 22Ω=¼-full).

I could replace the rheostat windings without a problem, if I had a good set to put in, which would save me about $90.

Make and model don't matter - any GM car with a 90Ω sender (which is essentially anything from the 60s or 70s, possibly 80s, too) should have the same rheostat.

Thanks,

- Eric

 

If this is a dumb idea, tell me.
I always wondered if you could carefully solder across the rheostat winding and reduce the resistance?
Of course, you may ruin it in the process, but then you would have to spend the cash.

 

Eric, just looked at Rock auto. They list 65 cutlass units at 90 ohm for @ 40 bucks.
Strange , they list 35 or 90, or 95 ohm for that year.

 

Eric, if you don't find something before next weekend let me know. I've got a stack of old gas tanks from 1964-72 vintage. If you can walk me through the testing process odds are I have one that works. John

 

In theory that could work, but the range of the float would be reduced.
In practice, you can't solder Nichrome, so the question is moot.
Good idea, though.


Yeah, I had been looking at the local parts stores' web sites, and they're around $90 here, but then I noticed they were a lot cheaper at RA.
Not sure whether it's "cheaper enough" to make it worthwhile to me, though - It's free to pull in to the gas station above a quarter tank, instead of below.


Thanks, John.

I figure the nichrome wire is more resistive than it should be, possibly because of dirty connections between the resistance wire and the rest of the sender, but I figure I have a good chance of destroying mine trying to disassemble those connections and clean them.

The actual part I mean is inside the half-moon metal can, it's a 2" strip of plastic with wire wrapped around it that is riveted to the gauge conductor on one side and slipped into a tab on the other.

- Eric

 

Thanks Eric, didn't know about the nichrome wire. I figure I am gonna have the same trouble, after I repaired the other problems the sender had, I could only get it down to about 11 ohms. Installed it anyway. Glad I didn't try to solder it.
I also figure if it is stolen, maybe the thief will run it out of gas in a public place.

 

I've always liked the electric fuel pump with a separate switch for that, myself.

They can get as far as the float bowl will carry them, then they're stuck in the middle of the road attracting attention while they look for the switch.

- Eric