Fuel tank sender checks

[TurboDave]

A little help from the fuel sender gurus is in order here.

I have the original sender from my 86, and at some point want to put a new pump on it, and replace the double pumper setup that's in there now (not racing anymore so just need one good pump).
But before I go to all that trouble I want to make sure the level sender is in good working order, so.....
With my Fluke 87, what pins do I measure across on the connector, and what readings should I expect to see??

OH, almost forgot, this is a digital dash sender.

TIA

 

[Boost231]

why not just unplug the one on the car, then plug the one you want to test into the connector and check it by hand. have someone sit in the car while you move the float and see what the level reads

 

[dennisL]

Dave, make sure the battery is good in your Fluke 87 then test the fuel sender resistance. It should read 90 ohms full and zero ohms empty. If you're doing this at the harness from the tank bulkhead then the pink wire is positive and black wire is negative.

 

[Nick Micale]

why not just unplug the one on the car plug the one you want to test into the connector and check it by hand. have someone sit in the car while you move the float and see what the level reads

Somewhere it seems like I heard about doing that method to check a sender?

 

[mgmshar]

Dave, make sure the battery is good in your Fluke 87 then test the fuel sender resistance. It should read 90 ohms full and zero ohms empty. If you're doing this at the harness from the tank bulkhead then the pink wire is positive and black wire is negative.

I thought it was 120 ohms full and zero ohms empty with a digital dash sending unit... Correct?

Of course, you could just have someone watch the fuel gauge while you move the sender up and down...

 

[Boost231]

Somewhere it seems like I heard about doing that method to check a sender?

I heard this from you. Made me fill dumb for a few days. Thought to myself, why didn't i think of that.

 

[TurboDave]

I think I'll try plugging it into the car tomorrow. For some reason, I seem to remember getting wierd, inconsistent values the last time I checked with the meter.

 

[TurboDave]

Seems to be working by plugging it in at the back. But.... when I put the float all the way down, the display showed dashes, I think that's normal, however moving it above the bottom stops ever so slightly it would read 5 but nothing lower.

 

[jopaustu]

Was reading your thread today and thought I would jump aboard. Changed my sending unit and pump yesterday. Tested the new sending unit using the plug in and raise/lower float method. My digital dash gauge flashes E at the lowest point. Raising the float brings the gallons up slowly until the display says F... I ws gonna keep my sending unit orginal (it worked fine),but was told that it was prabably very rusty... glad I ordered the sending unit.. inside tank was fine.. exterior was just about dust!!!!!