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- Replacing the fuel sender
unit
(by Kyle)
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Before tackling this
job it is good practice to have your fuel tank as empty as possible.
First and most importantly disconnect the battery earth. You will soon
be confronting hanging wires and spilled petrol so it is better to be
safe than barbequed. With the handbrake on and car in gear raise the
car up at the back as high as possible unto axle stands. The best place
for the jack and axle stands is somewhere along the rear trailing arms.
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Pic of car safely jacked up
onto stands with drip tray in place |
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With
the car securely raised you may now disconnect the three electrical connectors
(marking them so you know where to refit them)and fuel pipe from the sender
unit. Before you do this however have a suitable receptacle below the
pipe to catch fuel as it will soon be spilling out. N.B. The fuel tank
is in behind the rear bulkhead and can only be reached from below the
car. The sender unit is at the front of the tank. The fuel pipe (if it
still has the original fitment rather than a jubilee clip) has a sprung
connector with two lugs on one side and one lug on the other level with
the centre of the other two. Two slide this clip back and off the sender
unit’s connection pipe you must bring the three lugs together any
means you can. I succeeded with a pair of pliers with a broad end. As
soon as you pull back the rubber pipe from the metal connection pipe on
the fuel sender unit the petrol will flow out of it. Leave the fuel to
drain off in as safe an environment as possible. This could take some
time as the flow is steady but slow. |
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Pic of fuel sender unit
in situ |
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After
the fuel has stopped flowing the sender retaining clip can be removed. This
hollow centre circular clip has three raised lugs (refer to photo were one
of the lugs has been outlined in white). There is a tool specific to the
removal of this clip but a rubber hammer will do the same job. I didn’t
have a rubber hammer and certainly didn’t want to be hitting metal
against metal beside a fuel tank so I lapped the end of a standard hammer
with masking tape. Please note that when the clip starts to move and the
seal is broken that more fuel will leak out as the fuel previously only
drained out to the level of the pipe, now it is draining to the level of
the bottom of the sender unit, so have your fuel catcher ready. The lugs
should be tapped in an anti-clockwise direction until the fuel starts to
flow then leave the car until the fuel draining stops. Now tap the lug anti-clockwise
again until the clip can be removed. The sender unit may now be extacted. |
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Close up pic of the retainer |
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To
remove the unit from the tank simply pull it out and while twisting your
hand unto its back pull downwards and back until the gauze covered fuel
pick-up is visible. Once this part is out you will have to twist your hand
sideways so the back of your hand is facing the drivers side of the car
then move it sideways towards the front of the car to extract the float
form the tank. You should have in your hand something very like the item
in the photograph below (please note retaining clip is also pictured, rubber
seal is not). At this stage check the rubber seal to see whether it needs
replacing. Check the operation of the float and if it is suspect then replace
the unit. If all seems to be well be sure to clean up the electrical connector
spades to prevent/cure electrical faults. Also, check the connector ends
of the now loose hanging wires and replace the ends if deemed necessary. |
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Pic of sender unit and retaining
clip |
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Replacing
the sender in the tank is pretty much the reverse of removal. The tricky
part can be getting the retaining clip back on. The lug closest to the pipe
is virtually impossible to strike so I pushed in hard at the area where
it and the northerly most lug were situated while striking the other lug
back clockwise. Make sure all three “corners” of the clip are
properly housed in the aperture before connecting the fuel pipe, leads and
topping up the tank with some petrol so you can check for leaks around the
seal. If all is well then the car can be lowered to the ground, the battery
connected and the car topped up with some fuel. You can now check the operation
of your gauge. Remember,
Safety First!
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