K5 Fuel Sending Unit Question??

[Rivieraracing]

Hey guys, I have a '74 K5 blazer that has a bad fuel sending unit, the gauge doesn't register at all and I've tried hooking up another aftermarket fuel gauge and it doesn't register as well. Thought it might be the wiring so I temp wired separate wiring to it and that didn't solve it, so now i'm looking to buy a new sending unit or was wondering if the newer K5 sending units were compatible with a '74? Would rather go to a wrecking yard and pick one up over buying brand new but just after ideas on what you guys would do, I'm tired of guessing how much fuel is in the truck since I hardly drive it anymore and lose track easily on how much is still in there!

Thanks in advanced!!

Chris

[07Burb]

If it was me I'd just buy a brand new one so that I don't have to worry about it rather than one in the junkyard that will most likely not last long enough to warrant the work involved in the fix. A brand new one can be a little pricey but worth it in my mind :shrug:

[Rivieraracing]

Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing about buying a new one but just not sure of the best places to buy one online these days. I see LMC has them for around $70 for my year but are there any other good places to find them online?

---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 PM ----------

The only problem I see is that I have what I believe is a 40 gal tank on my blazer, it's gotta be aftermarket so not sure how I'm going to find the right sending unit for it!

[07Burb]

The tank on my 77 c-10 is for a K5 (it was relocated) and I believe I got the sending unit from www.classicparts.com.... I'd check the out.

[Rivieraracing]

Now that's what I'm talking about!! I completely forgot about that site, it's been a while since my focus has been on my K5!! Thanks for the help 07, I can handle those prices for sure!!

[07Burb]

:waytogo: no problem man :) glad I could help ya :High 5: if you have any more questions about the k5 build let me know. The 73-87 squares is where my passion really is :)

[Rivieraracing]

It's still a favorite of mine as well, just in previous years I burnt myself out by doing too much on them!! Took a few years off of messing with them (I have a '74 and a '85) and now I'm getting the desire to work on them again!! I need to sell the '85 and do a few things to the '74 to make it more dependable than it is now, one of them is getting the fuel gauge working!! Gonna have to drop the tank soon and see what sending unit is in there right now!

[07Burb]

I hear ya. It took me 7+ years to build my 77 cuz I just took a little bit at a time. I'm still tinkering with it but that'll never stop I don't think:)

[Rivieraracing]

So, I got around to dropping the tank on my '74 yesterday and found out that the sending unit isn't a stock one, it's not the type that gets a lock ring but it's more like my dad's chevelle with 5 screws in the top to screw it down to the tank!! I knew the tank was aftermarket but didn't figure the sending unit was as well, was wondering if anyone knew where I can find a sending unit that screws down and has 2, 3 or 4 inlet tubes coming out of it ( I can make any of those work with my setup). The tank is 15" deep, the hole in the tank is 1 1/2" wide and the mounting flange O.D. is 2 3/4" round. Also has to be a 0-90 ohm range!! Any help is appreciated on this, I can't find what I need anywhere so far!!

[Rivieraracing]

So decided to just drop the tank again and just install a universal sending unit next to the one already in there, can't find what I need to just replace the one I have without spending a fortune to do it!! Bought one yesterday with the right ohm's and gonna hopefully do it on sunday!! Wish me luck!!

---------- Post added at 01:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:10 PM ----------

In case anyone was curious on how I was gonna do it, I'm gonna dump the gas out of the tank and then fill the tank completely full of water and drill my holes!! Should keep me from blowing myself up, I'd guess!! :Plugged:

[07Burb]

I'm going to go stand over there >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


...while you do this :D

[Rivieraracing]

Ha haha!! May wanna move a bit farther over that way!!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No, no, even farther!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Ha ha ha!!

[Rivieraracing]

Well, my truck now has a new sending unit and I'm still alive to tell you all about it!! lol

Filled it up with water and drilled my holes, now the gauge actually works for the first time since I've owned the truck, now all I have to do is calibrate the gauge because it is a bit off (thinking the previous owner tried making the wrong sending unit work by tweaking the gauge!). An empty tank shows 1/4 full on the tank and full is way over full on the gauge, should be easy to fix this winter!!

[07Burb]

Glad you got that fixed with no catastrophes :D