Fuel Float - Im keeping you guys busy

[bmcgc]

My 66 has a new sending unit in the fuel tank. The PO told me the float has a hole in it and it is full of fuel.

Is the float replacable and if so, where do I get one.

[ICEMAN6166]

yes the float itself is replaceable not sure where to get new, i kept some used ones out of other tanks.

[foodstick]

possibly patch it with JB weld?

[bmcgc]

Will the float out of my 76 donor fit?

The donor has a new fuel tank so I was saving that anyway.

[foodstick]

Its just a little brass barrel, if you can make it attach, and it floats, will probably work.

[Alan Mclennan]

get a hold of a Plumbers soldering iron and just solder over the hole.

[totten]

Dennis Carpenter has it.# c0az-9275-f brass float.

[BarnieTrk]

possibly patch it with JB weld?

Has anyone tried JB Weld?
I'm wondering if it would make the float too heavy to read accurately?
I'm not saying I think it would sink - as that would take quite a bit of JB Weld; but would the gauge read ACCURATELY with the float partially submerged more so that it normally would be?

BarnieTrk

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

problem over the years is the float gets bounced around in the tank and thast the cause,, Unlike others I have seen sending units ones with a rubber shield on end so will not puncture a hole in it.........

[ICEMAN6166]

i have seen the rubbers on the end of the floats too.

a little bit of solder will not affect the float reading,

[Toyz]

You can certainly patch a 50 year old float if you prefer; it's not that hard to access. On the other hand, it's nearly fifty years old, the replacement is available and inexpensive; and probably good for quite a few future years. Replacement parts for ancient vehicles may or may not be readily available in the future, so I would at least consider having one on hand for the future, although other applications will work equally well.
As far as repairing results, if it will float, it'll work; the weight of the repair material will have extremely little effect on accuracy. Obviously the ones with the rubber diaper work just like those without, so the addition of a small amount of sealing material should have no effect.
Paul

[ICEMAN6166]

one trip to the junkyard and you could probably fill a bucket with good used floats.

[Toyz]

one trip to the junkyard and you could probably fill a bucket with good used floats.

I've got too many buckets filled with parts already Pick a Part type yards around here are $2.00 to get in plus the price of the part, not to mention pulling the sender; Fresh tube of JB Weld is probably around $5.00. Certainly a friendly wrecking yard person would probably just hand you one if it were readily available. $4.95+ tax at your local parts counter? It probably won't say Ford, more than likely won't be American made, but it'll probably perform adequately for a bunch of years. You could also go to your friendly local Ford dealer and get the float; probably still made off-shore, but "genuine Ford" for about twice the coin.
I'm certainly in favor of re-using parts; I've made a pretty good living doing just that, but I'm thinking in this case my laziness would kick in, and I'd buy the part while the words to a certain very accurate James McMurtry song floated through my remaining brain cells.
Paul

[Marty in PA]

Heck just buy a new one from MAC's or Carpenter - cheap enough- about $5 plus shipping. By the time you mess around trying to fix the existing one or scrounge around for a used one you could have the new in and know it's good. No telling if a used one is any better then what you have now.

[ICEMAN6166]

No telling if a used one is any better then what you have now.

actually quite simple to tell, set it in a cup of water, if it floats its good.

[bmcgc]

I too have buckets of parts.

When I go to teh pick-n-pull I leave with fuses, light bulbs, circuit breakers, wire, fastners, and all the other little odds and ends that we always seem to need.

They usually charge me only $1 or $2 for all that.

[Kid]

Brian, When the one in my 64 had a hole in it I got the gas out of it and soldered it up and put it in water and it floated. I put it in the tank and it worked for awhile till it let more gas in it and it sank, took me 3 or 4 times of drying it out and soldering it and putting it back in before I got it right.If the hole is on top it will work till the gas sloshes around and gets back in the hole. Just buy a new one from LMC, DC or where ever you can get you one, you will be further ahead.

[bmcgc]

Will this one work, looks very similiar to me.

Summit is only 20 min away and I need to run up there anyway.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/omx-1772901

[Kid]

looks like it will work, has the groove in the one end of it. Take your old one with you and compare..

[ICEMAN6166]

AMC used Ford parts so im betting its the right one.
still like said take old one with you.
cant beat $4