I did search, but I didn’t find anything. Perhaps this has been brought up before, but I couldn’t find it. So, I have a non working gas gauge on my 69 XR 7. I assume it is the sending unit. But, being like NASA, I like to have replacement parts in hand before a disassembly. That said, I can NOT find a place online that has a fuel sending unit compatible with low level warning light. So, I can just replace the unit with a non low level warning unit or do I actually need one that has it? I understand that WITHOUT a low level warning, I won’t get that light to come on in the dash. But that really doesn’t concern me as much as having a working gauge that shows my fuel level as opposed to guessing based on past MPG average vs. current mileage driven since last fill up.
I believe the actual connection is incompatible, two posts vs. single post. I have the same problem. Gonna try to rebuild it with a new float and thermistor.
A lot of us have been waiting for the supplier to WCCC and John’s Classic to fix the float readings for the XR7 sending unit.
I ran into the same issue as I finished up the R Code, but had no time, so I used a repro 2 wire unit. Then I had my 3 wire sender rebuilt, but it’s been sitting on the shelf ever since.
Interesting… Well, I guess once I get the tank level down low enough to pull the sending unit I have a look and see if I can lucky and find it’s just a bad float. I’ve seen the aftermarket Low Level warning units sold separately without the level sending unti for Mustangs. Guess I just need to get in there and see what I am dealing with.
Unfortunately the same vendor seems to supply everyone. The Mustang guys have been fighting this for over a year now. It seems no matter who you buy from the senders all have the same issue. Luckily I saved the old non LF sender I took out when I put my new rebuilt XR7 sender in.
When the hippie gas ate my nice newly rebuilt (and accurate) XR7 sender last year I put in a new SS XR7 version from WCCC. This one reads 1/4 with 10 gallons and the LF light comes on just below E which I THINK is at 6 gallons.
Which reminds me - I need to send it back…
Anyway, what I was getting at was don’t expect ANY sender to work until Don or another trusted vendor says that they have new, accurate senders. If you absolutely, positively, gotta have it working now you can install a ‘Meter-match’ unit that you can train to match your gauge and sender. I believe that what it does in simple terms is take in the sender resistance and put out the resistance you set to match your gauge.
LeeFred over on VMF did a write-up on his:
“hippie gas” LOL
LOL…not sure many hippies would support using food as a gasoline additive. That sounds more like a corporate-political smoke & mirror con job.
I’ve got the WCCC “Fuel Sending Unit - Low Fuel Sensor - XR7 - STAINLESS - Repro Item #: 18901”. They are currently out of stock. The level calibration is way of as reported above, I’m disappointed that WCCC didn’t indicate that would be an issue. They are usually good about that. It has three posts (two electrical connections and one locator). I replaced a prior after market sender (w/o the low fuel sensor) that had only the one connection. It appeared that the connection on the aftermarket sender was larger or forcing the three connector wiring harness plug on the the single post may have damaged the harness plug. That prior aftermarket sensor was reporting fuel level fairly well but I wanted the low level. I have issues getting a good connection, the connector doesn’t fit tightly on the posts, the low level sensor is not working reliably and I have run out of gas once. I’ve ordered the MeterMatch-VR and will try it out next time I feel like pulling the dash pad and instrument panel and rewiring.
I believe 1969XR7Vert was doing some sort of restoration part for these??? Maybe he will chime in.
The reason we did not report that these units had issues is we did not know… The supplier claimed they worked perfectly in the T-Birds for 2 years and had been thoroughly tested. We were thrilled as all they had to do was put a different tube on it and it was correct for Mustang / Cougar. We were grossly misinformed, they had multiple problems and we will not relist them until they have been in our cars (plural) for 60 days with zero issues. So far that has not been the case.
Here 'ya go: https://cccforum.discoursehosting.net/t/new-version-1-2-electronic-low-fuel-indicator-kits/4290/2 Selling V1.4 now and they are $125 shipped. Please contact me with any questions and/or to place an order.
Regards,
Robert
This would be a great topic for a tech article. I pull the sender out and then plug it in with a ground wire run to the tank. I put the arm fully down and verify the gauge shows empty. Then I put it all the way up and verify that the gauge shows full. There are limit tabs built into the sender. by slightly bending the tab and the arm I am able to get it read right at both ends of the scale. Where it is in the middle isn’t a huge concern at least to me. In almost every case I am able to replace the thermistor, sand blast the winding’s, clean it all up and smooth it all out with fine emery cloth and replace the float and filter and it all seems to work for the next five years.
I should add that Bob’s ELFI works even better than replacing the thermistor.
I bought one for my yellow 68 XR-7 and I can’t get it to register full either. Don, will there be a “fix” for those of us that bought these before the problem was discovered?
If no fix then a refund… We are hoping for a fix.
I’m hoping for a fix as well. I think I must have bought one of the last ones before you found out they were having problems.
Don,
Sorry my criticism came across too strongly. You guys are the only supplier I know of that screens and rates products including offering those that are the only thing available but have issues that you caution about. It is appreciated. Many of the sending units have issues from a linear versus non-linear outputs and it’s about impossible to tell how they will work. I’m expecting to get the MeterMatch-VR shortly and that should (if as advertised) let me calibrate the gauge readout to accurately report the fuel lever. I’'ll let everybody know how it works out.
So, at the end of the day, there really is no good fix on this right now it seems. I suppose I can just use guess work. Fortunately, the trip odometer in car works and I reset it last time I topped the tank off. I’ll keep a close eye on fuel mileage, knowing the tank is 20 gallons, and go from there. I just have to remind the wife if she fills up she’ll need to reset the trip odometer so we can see how far we’ve gone since the last fuel. Or, go REALLY old school keep a gas in car at all times.
Hippie gas… that’s funny. Lucky for me, I can get non-Hippie gas where I am at, which is what I will burn exclusively in the car. But I expect any damage has already been done.
OCAF (Old cars are fun)
Fill up every 150 miles. 