how many of you guys are using your stock fuel level gauge? i just pulled my aftermarket sender out of my tank. it was one of those cheapy sunpro ones and the ohms were jumping all over the place when i tested it. i also had a sunpro gauge that probably wasnt working right either.. but i have 2 original gauges to pick from i just need to buy a sender for the 55 not knowing if the gauges work. (i have voltage reducers)..let me know what you're using as for your gas gauge. i see they sell repro's of the senders under $40 now but then again i'm not 100% my original gas gauges work.
This is what I'm using for a gas gauge, on the white part, just above the radio. It's a post-it that I write the mileage on when I fill up.
im just running everything stock except i have a voltage-drop since i went 12v everything works fine for me.
hey stig, that's a 56 dash right? they use regular size gauges.. i'm not sure of previous years but the 54-55 uses a weird gauge because of the design of the cluster. i also wanted to see if anyone modified a gauge to fit in the cluster..i did and it didnt come out the way i wanted it to.
I have tried two senders, one new gauge, and a new resistor, and it still doesnt work. It reads full untill it has about four gallons, then drops really fast. With the sender out laying on top of the tank, it works great. Yes, it has an extra ground running up to the tail light ground. I give up for this year.
Ole don, Sounds like you don't have the float adjusted correctly. If it is an adjustable sending unit measure the depth of the tank and set the height of the sending unit such that when the sender is at mid range the float is exactly in the middle of the height, e.g. tank depth 7" set float height at 3.5 inches when the sender is at mid scale or half full. Then adjust the length of the float rod such that the float barely touches on the bottom of the tank when the sending unit is at its Empty position. This should get you a fairly linear reading on your fuel gauge from full to empty. GL. Bill, Spring, TX
hey stig, that's a 56 dash right? they use regular size gauges.. i'm not sure of previous years but the 54-55 uses a weird gauge because of the design of the cluster. i also wanted to see if anyone modified a gauge to fit in the cluster..i did and it didnt come out the way i wanted it to.
Rockabilly, yeah it's a 56 dash. I think they use 2¼ inch gauges but not sure. If they do I'm going to put my Stewart Warner gauges in the dash. You can just see one on the right side of the picture above.
Rockabilly, yeah it's a 56 dash. I think they use 2¼ inch gauges but not sure. If they do I'm going to put my Stewart Warner gauges in the dash. You can just see one on the right side of the picture above. OOH, my own double-double.
Using all the original/stock gauges in the '53 with the voltage regulator and they work great as well.
yeah i have the original one in my 53 and it always says i have a full tank.....even when i run out of gas like last thursday....i always have a full tank. I just fill up everytime im in town and if im going long distance i pull off every 60 miles or so just to be safe
I have a 55 Ford and I hate that dash period ! that was the worst dash Ford ever made . The gauges can't be upgraded as far as I know . You have use the stock gas gauge and sending unit then use a voltage reducer if you converted your electrical system to 12 v like I did . I bought a really nice 56 dash and I am going to replace mine 55 dash with the 56 dash . Now I can install radio that isn't round ! I can also use a aftermarket gauge set and replace the stock 56 gauges . Now before everyone asks about my 56 gas gauge , that's missing from the dash but everything else is there on the 56 dash . It's complete from all the wiring down to the headlight dimmer switch . I will be selling the 55 dash after I get the 56 dash installed . I was actually using a stick to measure the gas in my tank through the trunk . I had a plate screwed down where the gouge mounts into the tank . Worked great but a PITA ! My speedometer didn't work either . Jim
On my 54 I have the stock gauge in the dash and new stock tank sender unit, I installed a "Runtz" voltage drop when I changed to 12 volts. Gauge works fine. I did install a new ground wire from the sending unit all the way to gauge just to make sure it had a good ground. When needle is just touching the "E" I have a gallon of gas in the tank. When needle is on the "F" it's full. Now on the 55 that was a PITA to get the aftermarket autometer gauge to work with a 56 12 volt sender unit.
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