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1987 740 Fuel Sender Unit Out -- Problems (pics)

1987 740 was doing the classic "right turn and stall". It never died, just stalled until I got straight then picked back up. Always at 1/4 tank gas or less.

So I pull the sender unit out the tank expecting a hole or slice in the short tube. Here are the problems I have:

1- There is no problem with the short tube. I can plug one end, blow and it resists. It's sealed. Only thing I can think of was the connections on an end were loose?

2- Haynes says "disconnect electrical connection." There was no "disconnect". I tried "unplugging" but I think I brought wires. That or they were already broke. My disconnect was cut the wires 6" away from the unit. I need the wiring scheme to re-solder the 2 brown and 1 black wire back to the connector.

3- On the sliding ball lever, there is a metal slider that rubs a metal plate as the ball rises. There is some blackening on this plate. Can something under gasoline short? My fuel gauge worked fine.

4- Black sock filter looked OK. A little brittle near the cap connector. I'll replace it. Cone filter looked OK.

So, not sure what was causing my stall. Other symptom has been while going slow and gently accelerating, the engine felt "held back". Very slightly, like it was 90% and barely noticeable. It just made you want to mash the gas to see. When I mashed the gas it jumped in high RPM and did fine. At highway speeds it seems fine, just slow cruising if you can imagine an EKG heart monitor line where lets say 35 mph should be a flat, steady line my line would be steady with subtle dips. ???

HEre are some pics:

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Jamie

Reply to
Jamie
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Scratch the request for a wiring diagram for the wiring connector on the top plate, I am dense sometime.

Ohmmeter!

Top pin: Purple Left pin: Brown Right pin: Gray

Ground: Black

Reply to
Jamie

maybe I am not so dense - the wires change colors at the connector.

DAG-NABBIT!

Diagram por favor!

Reply to
Jamie

I am off to the parts yard tomorrow to "part with" $75. It was hard soldering the wires together without melting plastic. Otherwise, I might convert my 740 GLE to a turbo, and blast my derriere to the moon if I cause a spark in that gas tank.

jb

Reply to
Jamie

The electrical connector is inside the trunk of the car behind the black plastic panel on the left side under the carpet. I just pulled my sender assembly a couple weeks ago and need to do it again now that I have a new pickup sock. You unplug the connector, pop the rubber bushing through the hole in the frame and feed the rest of the cable through.

Reply to
James Sweet

Thanks James. Would you mind calling Haynes and ask them to publish your phone number in the section titled, "disconnecting the electrical connector?" That was one time that Haynes was VERY weak. I got under the car and tried to trace the wire, but was not able. What I cut will be easy to re-solder - that's outside the sender. What broke was when I interpreted "disconnect the electrical connector" as pull the connector off of the sending unit. It does not come off the sending unit. Wait, it does - but it leaves broken wires behind inside. LOL

Reply to
Jamie

LOL my phone would be ringing off the hook.

Yeah you might consider picking up a new sending unit if there's a wrecker near you. You'll get a spare pre-pump that way too.

Reply to
James Sweet

Thanks I will. I can get a 1988 model that doesn't fit my 1987 car for only $35 at one place, or $75 gets me one that fits my car at another place. Hmmmmmm?

Decisions.

I called FCP Groton today, they swore a 1987 ONLY fits a 1987. Darn.

Reply to
Jamie

Ouch! I think they're only 8 bucks here, the yard I go to has a pair of '89s and a '90, I didn't realize those parts changed at all through the years aside from perhaps the electrical connector.

Reply to
James Sweet

$8 for the entire in-tank sending unit, in-tank pump and filter?

That's a good price!

Reply to
Jamie

I think 85 and 87 were unique years, with 88-92 being next. FCP says the ones for a 240 are one size fits all.

Reply to
Jamie

Yeah, I've been spoiled by them, even a transmission is only 50 bucks for a manual and 75 for an auto, but you have to pull everything yourself and half the time the cars are over a 4" deep lake in the mud.

Reply to
James Sweet

Yes, we had a storm last night and I was tossing tires to make stepping stones across water to get to the car.

After 70 miles driving to the parts yard WITH the 1987 Fuel Sender, CLOSED. Damn. So, backtracked 40 miles to other U-Pull-it yard for other parts. Instead of paying $75 for 1987 Fuel Sender at closed place, I paid $35 for a 1988 and will just cut the snap wire connector and splice. That is the only thing that looks different.

Another $25 and I got 2 door handles ($5 each), a free dist. cap, a master cylinder for $15.

$60 total. Not too bad.

Jamie

Reply to
Jamie

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