Fuel Level Sending Unit

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e30strube

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Does anyone know where to pick up a sending unit... have one available (known to work)... or used one of the universal aftermarket sending units?

Outside of the need to drill 5 holes to mount the universal unit, it seems like the easy way to do it.
 
Correct... I have one, but it wasn't working. I can hear the float inside moving, but I can also hear something loose inside shaking around. The filter was lost in the tank for a while and is no longer on the sending unit.
 
e30strube said:
Correct... I have one, but it wasn't working. I can hear the float inside moving, but I can also hear something loose inside shaking around. The filter was lost in the tank for a while and is no longer on the sending unit.
Click to expand...
Well I have repaired them. You may be able too as well. Need to take apart to see what has happened.
 
I've been poking around the old fuel sender posts. I think there are different sender sizes for different years. In searching for the E9, I saw more sending units for E3s, but I was shocked some topped $300. There are a couple here, but I don't know what car you have: https://www.wallothnesch.com/en/instrumente-tachowellen/bmw-2500-3-3-li-e3/katalogbild-62-01.html

Save your filter/screen. Mine was also out and about in the tank. They're not easy to find and they don't seem to sell them separately. You can find them for 2002s, E21s and a few others which look close, but otherwise, you're making your own.
 
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HB Chris said:
Someone on the 2002faq successfully repaired their sending unit.

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/237622-fuel-tank-sending-unit-rebuild-underway/
Click to expand...

Resistance wire apparently is a key component in vaping pipes, or whatever one vapes with. Which means you can now cheaply buy a vast assortment of sizes and types on Amazon--I haven't checked the ubiquitous strip-mall vape shops to see if they have it, but others might be more adventurous.

Important b/c so many areas of the sender are under rivets or simply inaccessible that, even if you clean all accessible contact points, the resistance likely varies from one sender to another, regardless of the wire. Likely need somewhere between 36-42ga depending on material & the status of your sender. I would also be cautious with the suggestion that removing the solder requires more heat than you'd anticipate. It's true, but the terminal ends are too delicate & don't hold up well to direct heat and you don't want too much heat transferring to bind the swivel terminal base. My terminal tip is now about 1/4 the size it was (stop it, I can't think of another way to say it), because it didn't hold up to heat trying to remove the old solder. Dremel & patience. If you don't have jeweler or small tools, go buy a beading tool kit from hobby store--about $10-$15 with tiny tweezers, snips, pliers, cutter, etc.
 
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