Fuel tank sender unit

[jack350]

Anyone know where I can get a replacement?
Or can you get a replacement resistive element which is 10-180 Ohm?
I've got no resistance measurement from the unit and upon removal from the tank and opening up there is a break in the wire around mid point

[adam quantrill]

Could it be rewound with new resistance wire?

Or alternatively take out one turn in the middle and use the slack to repair the break. You'll need to do a crimped connection.

[jack350]

I looked on line regarding repair and saw a DIY rewind that resembled how you used to buy fuse wire on a card.
The resistor is extremely fine wire, though take your point if I can narrow down to the point of break would a small solder perhaps rectify?
On the down side you can clearly see the sweep of the arm and I just wonder how worn the rest of the wire is?

[Adrian@]

Sort of...anything is possible, here was a 5 hole unit that is now a 6 hole with the correct resistor to bring it into range (for the AC gauges on the TVR Vixen) In my collection of TVR's I also have a '86 280DH with VDO gauges.


A@

[Tyre Smoke]

I have exactly the same issues with my Chimaera. There's a thread on the Chimaera forum.

Don't know if Wedges are the same, but there are senders on Ebay that read 0 empty and 190 full. The Chimaera sender is 190 (some say 250, mine isn't) empty and 0 full. So the Ebay sender would show full at empty and empty at full.

Is the sender the same as anything Land Rover? Or early Chimaera/Griff? Racing Green might be able to help with a new sender that's cheaper than a rewind.

Eta: This any good?

https://partsfortvrs.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tv...

Edited by Tyre Smoke on Friday 18th February 08:26

[Adrian@]

[quote=Tyre Smoke]I have exactly the same issues with my Chimaera. There's a thread on the Chimaera forum.

Don't know if Wedges are the same, but there are senders on Ebay that read 0 empty and 190 full. The Chimaera sender is 190 (some say 250, mine isn't) empty and 0 full. So the Ebay sender would show full at empty and empty at full.

Is the sender the same as anything Land Rover? Or early Chimaera/Griff? Racing Green might be able to help with a new sender that's cheaper than a rewind.

Eta: This any good?

https://partsfortvrs.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tv...

You should speak to them...TBH, I 'thought' that the only senders not serviced by the TVR parts traders (so are readily available) were the Stewart Warner gauges on the Wedge (my 280DH has the VDO gauges and sender) and the AC Gauges (hence my modified version)
A@
PS, I not sure what version the OP has...

Edited by Adrian@ on Friday 18th February 08:30

[KKson]

Parts for TVRs sell a generic replacement that can be tuned.

[Polly Grigora]

If all else fails, gauge wizard will match any sender to any gauge

See Chimpongas topic for more info if needed https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=12...

Wizard link https://spiyda.com/fuel-gauge-wizard-mk3.html - It's got to a Mk 4 version, must be faster

[adam quantrill]

jack350 said:

I looked on line regarding repair and saw a DIY rewind that resembled how you used to buy fuse wire on a card.
The resistor is extremely fine wire, though take your point if I can narrow down to the point of break would a small solder perhaps rectify?
On the down side you can clearly see the sweep of the arm and I just wonder how worn the rest of the wire is?

It's probably constantan or similar resistance wire. Fuse wire is usually not a "resistance" type of alloy.
Yeah the wear might make it break elsewhere in short order.
Soldering might not be an option depending on the wire alloy, which is why I said "crimp" (yes I know, very uncharacteristic of me!)

[jack350]

Thanks for the info
Looked a the device on TVR Parts - in the description it states 'needs quite a bit of fettling to install'. Anyone have any experience of one of theses?
Came across Smiths Instruments in Swansea (closed today probably because of the winds). They state they carry out repairs. The device is in overall good condition, in saying that there's not much to it. It just requires a new 10-180 Ohm rheostat. You would have thought it would be possible to buy one somewhere?

[Tyre Smoke]

I bought one from ebay. £20ish but the resistance read the wrong way. If you get a fuel gauge wizard, you can have mine that will work. Don't know what the tank fixing is for the Wedge, the Chimaera has five unevenly spaced holes.

[jack350]

In terms of appearance the VW Beetle and or Mini units looks Identical but yes the resistance is the other way around, plus the spacing of the 5 holes on the Wedge are not equidistant

[Adrian@]

Q. what gauges please, and what senders are you looking at, as I made and plated my 6 hole unit (from a unit that simply un bolted) after buying a generic item off ebay, I have it left over. A@