I scored this tank for my A pickup, it's going to go in the bed. It's a tank from a 1932-1940 Farmall tractor. It's 13 gallons and I really dig the shape. Reproduction tank straps are available also so the installation will be tidy. Here are the dimensions: 22" L x 14" W x 11" H I would like to put a sending unit in it so I can have a gauge in the cab. The only thing I know about them is that the sender and gauge need matching Ohm range for empty to full and the sender should work with the tank depth. I have a 36 ford dash in my pickup and would like to use the 36 gauge but how would I match a sender to It? Use a 36 sending unit with a resistor to drop the voltage to 6v? Are they electric? I know the gauge is the red fluid type so I'm really not sure, never had one. Also, I don't think a 36 tank is as deep, is there a fix for that? So, school me fellas. Here's a pic of the tank, I'm in the middle of striping the old paint off it. Thanks for any help.
Sorry, don't have the solution that you are looking for. I like the simplicity of the tank itself so I would keep it as is. Can you get the gas cap gauge that rides up/down the spiral cork float. Or can you connect an external clear tube vertically to the side of the tank that would visually show the level of the gas inside.
How about a dip stick? You may be able to find some sort of sender with a float to work-cut hole in top of tank, screw sender with gasket into top of tank.
http://www.cl***icinstruments.com/index.aspx?do***entID=home Drop a line to the tech dept here. They have always been prompt to answer my questions
Yeah that's what I was thinking of. But now that aquaroscoe mentioned the clear tube on the side of the tank I may do that. Saw a tank like that a while ago and thought it was a cool idea. Less invasive too so I won't have to cut a big hole in the tank either.
This company makes fuel sending units of all sizes and electrical values.. They make float-arm and tubular types for any size and shape tank.. I used the tubular type to keep my gauge needle from bouncing.. Give them a call and they will help you select the right one and match it to your guage requirements... https://www.isspro.com/ Look at the site and pick out the type you need
I have seen this used on bikes in the past,I don't see why something like this wouldn't work for your application. HRP
Those V8 fluid gauges work by air displacement. A capillary tube sends the air up or down and pushes/pulls the fluid. A scrounge around fordbarn might net how to calibrate it. That would be *****in in your truck bro...
Yeah buddy that's what I thought. Used to have a King Seely repair gl*** tube and fluid around the shop someplace. But, what sending unit for the tank? 36?
Yeah that's what aquaroscoe and I were talking about earlier. I could live with that if I had to but it would be hard to see from inside the cab. Would have to stop, get out and look. It would sure be better than popping the cap and guessing, lol. Thanks for the pic HRP.
McMaster Carr, put one of these on the side of the tank.........cool look, cheap too! I would think the 10" will do it....................... Flexible Liquid-Level Indicators With a clear sight that bends to follow the contours of a tank, these indicators provide an unobstructed view of liquid level. Bend radius is 3 1/4". Use with hydraulic oil and water. Indicators have aluminum end blocks with steel connections. Seals are Buna-N. Temperature range is 33° to 165° F. Connections are 1/2"-20 UNF male. (A)O'all Ht.Window Ht.(B)Max. psi @ 70° FEach 7"7 3/4"5 1/2"15/16"303280K1725.58 8"8 3/4"6 1/2"15/16"303280K1825.58 10"10 3/4"8 1/2"15/16"303280K1927.27
Um, yeah. My question was which one works with a stock 36 gauge. I searched the ford barn and it seems the answer is that there isn't one.
In the last tech week there was a submission on how to figure out the ohm range of a gauge. With that info you can probably find a sender to match, or come close, or work ok with some resistors in line.
Be sure to match your sending unit to your gauge. A stock '36 Ford sending unit would probably be pretty easy to modify for that tank. IIRC, Ford sending units were 10-90 ohm (10 ohms full - 90 empty) - or something close to that. Pretty sure Bob Drake sells these.
Yeah I saved that tech article it's a good one. What I learned on the ford barn is that the original ford gauge has values of (and I'm going on memory here): 0 ohms full 25 ohms 1/2 50 ohms empty Most of the aftermarket senders have different ohm values at the the full, 1/2 and empty points. They will make the gauge read full properly and stay there for a long, long time then drop off to empty abruptly. Here's a link to the post: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40850&showall=1 FYI no one has anything nice to say about the drake sending units.
Thought '36 had electric fuel gauge not the red fluid style like you said you have. Should be able to find a '36 electric one to fit your dash, then use any stock (preferably NOS or good used instead of repo or aftermarket) Ford sender up to the early '50s and modify the arm to match the tank depth. Use a 12 to 6 voltage dropping resistor or voltage convertor to power the gauge and you should be good to go. Oh, be sure to check the tank for internal baffles that may interfere with float arm swing before you cut the hole for the sender.
I always thought the "sending unit" was a small 1/8 br*** tube. I'd think it has to certainly touch bottom as to be sure that gas goes up n down in it to displace the air/fluid. In all my decades of restoration, never had the opportunity to **** with one, and any car that was in the shop that had it didn't work and the client didn't care. The odometer method ****s but it works.
If your gauge used the red liquid it is 35 and needs a hydrostatic sender to function, you could cut down or extend the 35 sender for your application and use the gauge. The 36 Ford is the first electric gauge.
After seeing the pic of that tank, I wouldn't strip it any farther...looks great as-is. I like the idea of a site gl*** tube. You don't really need a gas gauge in the truck. I had a gauge in my coupe and it never read accurately, so I would only drive no more than 2 hours and fill up. The average SBC uses about 4-5 gallons per hour at hiway speed, so I knew I always had a little reserve.
I don't know diddly about ohms and stuff, but that is one cool tank! I agree with above ,clean it out good maybe seal the inside and go. someone should repo those in that shape. good luck and be sure to let us know what you did.
Well, thanks for the kind words but I think it's too cool to leave all messy looking. It's already in primer anyway. It will be a good canvas for my buddy Hiser to lay some stripes on. To get up and running I bought a small plastic fuel cell, which I hate but it worked. I always planned to replace it. Captain Scarlet and I were running through the swapmeet at Sins of Steel last weekend, I looked over and told him, "oh man, there's my tank". Took a look, it was perfect. Went to go get some $$ and go back and get it. Got side tracked and almost forgot about it until I saw people in the swap packing up at the end of the day! Hauled *** over to where it was, guy was already packed up getting ready to leave! Caught him, he unpacked it and I got it for $60. Whew!
I had the same dilemma. 36 dash with nice looking original gauges that I wanted to use. If you have the tube type, it's the hydrostatic type and would be extremely difficult to make work. Here's a link to how they work: http://s151.photobucket.com/user/th...Gauge Repair/GaugeRepair1.jpg.html?sort=9&o=6 I had the electric type with a sweeping needle. I just bought a cheap sunpro gauge and swapped the guts into the old case. It sweeps from the opposite side of the ford gauge, so I flipped the needle grid 180 deg. I also purchased the sunpro universal sender so it all works together perfectly. That sender will work in tanks from 5" to 26" deep. Maybe 40 bucks in both gauge and sender and works great and 12 volts. Those electric gauges come up on fleBay all the time and go cheap...cause there worthless unless you're a restorer.
In reading the thread I'm unsure if you have the fluid type or electric gauge. but anyway,I installed a '39 dash in my Model A ( electric gauge) and got a sender from Mac's ...works good. I did make a voltage dropping unit to drop the voltage from 12 to 6 volts. I used one of those 7806 regulators.
The hydrostatic fuel gauge level sender has a couple or more br*** tubes, several cups soldered at various levels, air holes, and are fairly hard to find. Then likely not to work. Electric gauges made everybody happy. Wish I had a [icture of the thing.
This is a 35 p***enger car sending unit. 32 and 33-34 are slightly different at the fuel line and hydrostatic line connection point. All the tubes can be shortened and resoldered. Make sure all of the tubes are clear of dirt and debris. insects like to nest in the vent line. Nearly the entire sender is br***.
Is the cup volume ( where air is t****d) affect gauge reading or it doesn`t matter? Could it be wider of higher? Thinking about building it by myself and trying to understand . I must make some experiments....
The Jalopy Journal
