1935 Dodge Truck fuel gauge

[broberts]

Does anyone have a fuel gauge for a 1935 Dodge Truck? Or have suggestions as to who might have one?

[JBNeal]

additional information - Roberts Fuel Level Sending Unit

[TodFitch]

On 10/25/2020 at 5:42 PM, broberts said:

Does anyone have a fuel gauge for a 1935 Dodge Truck? Or have suggestions as to who might have one?

 

Dash unit or sending unit.

 

55 minutes ago, JBNeal said:

additional information - Roberts Fuel Level Sending Unit

 

I was not aware of that option. Or maybe it did not exist when I was dealing with my sending unit issue. I ended up modifying a modern universal sending unit to work with my dash unit.

 

Not sure which way I'd recommend going. My way is cheaper but fraught with the possibility of not working if you mess it up. The Roberts is more expensive but should work out of the box. I guess it depends on how much of a DYI person you are.

[broberts]

Thanks!

 

I think the dash fuel gauge needs to be grounded properly. Is it grounded when installed in the dash or do I need to add a separate grounding wire (there isn't a separate wire there now)? Will the grounding be affected by the rusty bolts and nuts on the gauge?

[TodFitch]

Both the dash unit and the sending unit need good grounds.

[broberts]

Agree. Any recommendations for how to do that? There is one wire coming from the sending unit. How do I ground it? And how do I group the dash unit? Do I add an extra ground wire? Thanks in advance.

[TodFitch]

As assembled at the factory, the whole instrument cluster is grounded. As long as your corrosion isn’t too bad, that is likely still true. If not, then clean up the screws and assure that the star lock washers which help provide electrical bonding are still on the mounting screws, etc.

 

For the sending unit, the unit is well bonded to the tank. The question is how well the tank is bonded to the car’s frame. On my car there is some canvas between the straps holding the tank and the tank itself. So it appears the main grounding is actually through the fuel line. If in doubt, you can run a wire from one of the sending unit mounting screws to someplace on the frame.

[broberts]

Thanks! As I fill the gas tank, I’m getting a change in resistance at both the sending unit and at the wire that goes to the dash (and the numbers match). The wire from the ignition switch to the fuel gauge has a star lock washer, but the one from the sending unit does not. I’ll clean up the

bolts and add new star lock washers.