Fuel Sending Unit Gasket

[stephen stierman]

Could very well be along with the thin flanges warping, fuel soaking through the gaskets, screws not tight, etc. etc. Keep in mind this sender arrangement was used on almost every Brit car up through the 70's generally without problem. But when you set the tank up on edge instead of it laying flat, and have fuel against almost all the time, instead of only when the tank is full, the gremlins take over.

[Robert Brennan]

Thanks for your replies. Ended up using Permatex #2 generously paying special attention to the screw holes and screws and slathering both sides of Doug Pelton's gasket. I tightened the screws in a clockwise pattern twice and following Doug's admonition, didn't over tighten. Giving it plenty of time to cure before I gas up.
http://www.permatex.com/resources/faqs

Bob Brennan
S. Freeport, ME

[John Youens]

Well, I had to brag about my sending unit not leaking, didn't I?

My wife and I took a vacation to the Texas Hill Country in our TC a couple of weeks ago. We had a great time and other than having to lubricate the speedometer cable and rotate the tires, we had 1158 miles of trouble-free fun. However, as soon as I pulled the TC back into my garage and shut the door I smelled gas. I checked the sending unit and there were leaks everywhere. Some of the leakage was coming from screws on both the rectangular cover and the main circular housing that had gotten loose. Another big source of leakage was the seal around the electrical terminal on top of the sending unit.

Looks like I will be draining the tank and pulling the sending unit out again. Stay tuned...

John

[dirk w dondorp]

John, see my mail from April 2!
I still maintain, the design and the materials used are a definite design flaw!
forget about it:-(
Dirk
proud owner of an incontinent TC0660- but not from the sender!

[Ross Taylor]

I used solder. took the useless sender unit out replaced it with a plate, soldered it up and have not had a leak for over 40 years

[Gene Gillam]

We need a "thumbs up" sign!

[Steve Simmons]

Like this?

I agree, good solution if you don't plan to use the low fuel lamp.

[stephen stierman]

I enjoy my little green low fuel light, not that I look forward to it coming on, but it is nice to see something working as it should. This entire mechanism is so simple to make right there is no reason to do without it. A proper fix is reasonably simple and you don't have to live with leaking fuel and an unsigtly lower tank.

[dirk w dondorp]

my little light was red (in those days I was still battling with the sender unit......),
and I now enjoy it is not coming on as that means low oil pressure!
Dirk
TC0660

[Robert Brennan]

Still premature, but after 5 days the Permatex/ Pelton repair holds gas.

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Another problem to overcome - door gap. Upper left hand door is 3/4 inches off from frame. Inherited this condition from previous owner. Best repair?

[stephen stierman]

Ah, the infamous door gap! Assuming when latched the door is pulled up tight against the body, if not shim the latch to make it close tightly. Is it the same way at rear by the elbow rail? If so perhaps you can reposition the hinge mounting screws to tilt the door in slightly at the top. If the timbers in the door are a bit warped you can install straps with a turn buckle to carefully add a bit of curve, but be careful on cracking paint and such. The other option is to pull the wood out of door and shim and adjust for fit. All is fair.

[Gene Gillam]

The turnbuckle strap from the bottom of rear of the door to the top front (where it's sticking out) is the best cure. Doug Pelton sells these - see his tip here: http://www.fromtheframeup.com/uploads/T ... _Strap.pdf

[Robert Brennan]

Thanks Stephen and Gene for the tips. Just so I'm not completely guilty of highjacking my own thread, I'm happy to report that after 8 days, the sending unit STILL does not leak!
I took the interior trim off the passenger's door mostly to see what was inside and found it to in a very nice and unmolested state with no incipient rust or rot. Taking Steven's "All's fare in love and door", I moved the top hinge in 1/8" and shimmed the door strike out about 3/16". That took about half of the gap out and I've left a message on FTGU's message machine about that nifty turnbuckle strap.
Half the fun of cars is making them better than they were before you.

[dirk w dondorp]

Have patience Bob, it will leak one of these days!

[Peter Roberts]

Please refer to the Technical Files under Chassis for a suggestion as to why sending units leak. Before you do so, take a look at the clearance of your sending unit and the left angle arm of the spare wheel carrier. Now imagine a good jolt in the road. The upper left ear of your unit may tell you something.