WTB '70 Fuel Level Sending Unit

[AdamKaz]

Looking to source (new or used) a replacement fuel level sensor for my 1970 02. I guess they changed in '72 to taller units? Regardless, I've come up empty looking for NOS or new options for my defunct sensor. 

 

Any leads would be appreciated. 

 

Failing that, where can I get some of that ultra-fine wire they use inside?

[Guest_anonymous]

I have a sending unit out of an early tank.

PM me

['76mintgrün'02]

Failing that, where can I get some of that ultra-fine wire they use inside?

 

 

I just went through this with a fuel sender on a '69 VW.  I had a ton of fun.

 

The wire had one break in it, so I unwound it and re-wrapped the card with the same size copper wire (.004").  I was excited to find that the multi strand wire in things like cell phone chargers was made up of that size wire.  I ran the insulation across a grinder wheel to thin it and then pulled the wire through that thin side, to strip it.  It had a slight twist, so I put one end of the six foot piece in a vice and carefully unwound the other, so I could pull out one strand; which I then wound into the grooves left by the original wire.  I thought I was home free and reassembled everything, feeling pretty smart; until I put it on the ohmmeter.  (all that to say, 'it did not work')

 

I learned online that the sender is supposed to have a resistance of 10 ohms (full) and 70 ohms (empty)  (this is a VW unit).  I then measured the resistance of four feet of the wire I took off and it had about 50 ohms of resistance, compared to 2 ohms with the copper.  Oops.  I went online to try and figure out what type of wire to buy, but did not find anything.

 

I had two other units on hand and another had only one break in the wire, so I took a different approach and soldered it back together on the back side of the card.  I simply unwound a half a turn to get enough wire, then twisted and soldered them together.  I reassembled that one and put it on the ohmmeter and it WORKED.  The total length of wound wire on the VW unit was just over six feet, so the missing 1/2" of wire has little effect on the resistance.

 

One other thing I learned is that the housing must be assembled tightly, to make good contact.

 

The third unit I had was in worse shape, as the wire was broken in about six places.  I was disappointed for having stripped the wire off the first one, with only one break, instead of stripping the really bad one.  Disappointed enough that I used the piece of wire from the first one to replace the  broken parts of the last one.  I unwound it back to good wire, soldered the original wire to it on the back of the card and rewrapped it.  Then I thinned some JB Weld with acetone and used that to paint over the wire, being careful not to get any on the area where the contact slides.  That one works well now... right within spec on the ohmmeter.

 

 

 

All that for a sixty dollar part... or two.  I'll bet the new ones are not as well made as these originals (dated 12/68 and 1/71).   I would do it again.  It was fun.  (I like that you are wanting to fix yours).

 

Da_ron_'s part probably makes the most sense.  Then you could fix the one you have and have a spare : )

[AdamKaz]

That's great that you were able to make something work! Messing with the wire was almost the end of me. I enjoy challenges, but fiddly/unforgiving work like that unit was a test of my patience. Still did it though! It's barely rigged together now, but it's not a permanent solution and I don't need ONE more thing to worry about...