Fuel Sending Unit

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Don’t you think it is rather disappointing when you see that the fuel gauge of your car says that your fuel is empty and that you are still so many miles away from the next gasoline station? If this has already happened to you, for sure you blame yourself for not checking your fuel before you left your place and head on to your destination. Although there are a few drivers who do not find the fuel gauge very essential, but still most drivers rely on its function in order to know the level of the fuel on their vehicle’s fuel tank. The fuel gauge has two main parts in order to perform its function and one of these is the fuel sending unit.

The fuel sending unit is used to measure the level of fuel in the tank. This is located in the fuel tank of your vehicle and it consists of a float which is usually made of foam and is connected to a metal rod. The end of this rod is mounted to a variable resistor, an electrical device that can resist the flow of electricity. The variable resistor has a strip of resistive material connected on one side to the ground and a wiper slides along this to conduct current from the gauge to the resistor. How close or how far the wiper is to the strip will determine the amount of resistance. There is a small resistance if the wiper is close to the grounded side of the strip and if it is at the other end of the strip, the resistance is large. When the resistance is small, the float is near the top of the tank because there is a large amount of current that passes through the sending unit to the fuel gauge. If the level in the tank drops, the float also sinks. The wiper then moves as the resistance increases and the amount of current sent back to the gauge decreases.

However, this mechanism can give inaccurate measurements. The fuel indeed has to drop below a certain level before the float starts to drop, however in some cases, the float can reach the bottom of its travel even if there is still fuel in the tank. Thus, the sending unit’s measurement will be empty while in fact there is still gas left in the tank. Another thing, the shape of the tank can also cause inaccurate measurements. Most cars today have a fuel tank that is made of plastic and so this can be molded to fit the tight space on the car. Depending on the shape, the float in the sending unit can reach the halfway point of the tank even if there may be more or less than half of the fuel still left in the tank.

If you notice that your fuel sending unit seems to be very inaccurate, you can have a mechanic check on it and if a replacement fuel sending unit is needed, you can find it here at Parts Train. Here, you can choose from a wide selection of auto parts for all your auto parts needs.

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Featured Products Fuel Sender SPECTRA FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT -- Three wires; Four outlets; Includes fuel sender, float, and strainer; A high quality, direct fit OE replacement fuel tank sending unit; With Spectra's limited 1-year warranty. Brand: Spectra Price: $153.04 Fuel Sender SPECTRA FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT -- A High Quality, Direct Fit OE Replacement Fuel Tank Sending Unit Brand: Spectra Location: Rear Mount Price: $53.50 Fuel Sender SPECTRA FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT -- A High Quality, Direct Fit OE Replacement Fuel Tank Sending Unit Brand: Spectra Location: Driver Side Mount Price: $36.91 Fuel Sender SPECTRA FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT -- A High Quality, Direct Fit OE Replacement Fuel Tank Sending Unit Brand: Spectra Price: $147.77 Fuel Sender SPECTRA FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT -- A High Quality, Direct Fit OE Replacement Fuel Tank Sending Unit Brand: Spectra Price: $77.97