Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

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peteybug
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Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#1

Post by peteybug »

This is how I cleaned and adjusted my sending unit. So far I have done 5 units and 4 out of 5 now work great.

First you need a sending unit,philips screwdriver.pliers(needle nose work great for this),some sort of cleaning solution, and a multimeter or somthing to see if you are making contact.

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Now take meter and test to see if circuit is complete. I'm not real good with meter so I set it so it shows a short when there is a circuit and mine beeps.

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Open so no contact. On the cover of sending there are three tabs. Take pliers and open them up.

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In side you will see how when you move float there is a copper or brass arm that slides on copper winding. This is main parts to clean! (On one unit the copper slide wasn't making contact so had to bend it a little) so it was touching copper windings.

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Be real carful as there is a small copper wire that transmitts from top if you break this its all over (thats why I only fixed 4 out of 5) :oops:

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Now clean up the contacts on top of sending unit

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After you get it all clean check if you have a curcit.

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Ok now with case still open you will find a small screw. If your lucky it will turn. If Not take some P.B. Blaster or other brand and soak screw threads

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This screw lets you move float setting. What I did (no pic sorry) was put 2&1/2 gallons of gas in tank and kept moving it till it was close. This can be done with cover off sending unit. When your happy with reading's put cover back on unit and install on tank. Mine all read closer than they did before but I still don't trust them whole heartedly. I still use mpg on trip odometer. Hope this helps and good luck.
love new ideas for old wing's. AS I have three and am always working on them

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Bufobufo
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Fuel Tx

#2

Post by Bufobufo »

Cleaning up my tx unit when elect. cleaning out my rusted tank, I could not make the connector to ground from the wiper arm work reliably. In the end I tag soldered a flexible bit of insulated wire to the inner part of the arm, then took it round in couple times to minmise flex and soldered it onto the steel case. So there are now 2 earth paths, belt and braces.

I get a steady reading now, or would if the volts reg did not vary between 2.5 and 10, the temp and fuel move up and down together! Will put an electronic one in soon.
JohnR - 76 GL 1000 Yellow Bird - in Cold Old England.
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kritch
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Re: Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#3

Post by kritch »

ok, so mine wokrs great, its just tres-rusty. Can I just dip it in CLR to cleant all the rust off? or will that hurt the coil?
Mitchin!

77 GL1000 buffet racer
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Bufobufo
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Re: Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#4

Post by Bufobufo »

kritch wrote:ok, so mine wokrs great, its just tres-rusty. Can I just dip it in CLR to cleant all the rust off? or will that hurt the coil?
Why bother? Mine looked rusty when I put it back but works. Get a new fuel filter though.
JohnR - 76 GL 1000 Yellow Bird - in Cold Old England.
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Cookie
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Re: Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#5

Post by Cookie »

They one on my yellow bike had enough corrosion not to work. I dipped it in acid until clean (Behr concrete cleaner and Rust Remover) flushed carefully, rinsed, tested, and installed with a new O ring. After adjusting (I had to bend the arm to get it where I wanted) it has worked for a couple years. Nice article. You can't acid soak long or you'll kill the tiny winding or connections as mentioned. Somewhere I read you should reseal the top, Randak?, but I got away with it.
Enjoy life,
Cookie


A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad.
Owner of 4.4 76s and one lone 75 Wings (does a spare engine make .2?)
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kritch
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Re: Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#6

Post by kritch »

yeah mine is "working"(its really more of a suggestion than a real instrument), I just dont like the idea of putting something so very rusty back in a clean tank, thats just asking for trouble. imho.
Mitchin!

77 GL1000 buffet racer
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Cookie
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Re: Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#7

Post by Cookie »

Mine works fine, when it says empty it just starts sputtering to go on reserve. You have to adjust it if you want it to work, or learn its idiosyncrasies.
Enjoy life,
Cookie


A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad.
Owner of 4.4 76s and one lone 75 Wings (does a spare engine make .2?)
bum
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Re: Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#8

Post by bum »

I looked all over but I can't find the fuel gauge for my 70 Bonneville..........Duhhhhhhh!!! that's why they put a reserve position on the petcock, we true motorcyclisto have no need for no Stinkin fuel gauges!!! Hahahaha :lol: :cry: :shock: :-D :8) :evil: dancr dancr dancr dancr dancr
bum
8 wings + 1 Triumph +2 Musclecars = 1 pissed off wife !!!
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kritch
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Re: Cleaning & adjusting Fuel sending unit

#9

Post by kritch »

so I ended up cleaning mine with CLR, it got super clean. I coated it with a thin layer of petroleum jelly after and put it in the tank. works perfect, so im happy.
Mitchin!

77 GL1000 buffet racer
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