Dropped my gas tank today

[77Travco]

I dropped the fuel tank out of my 270 today in order to access the sending unit. I have a electric fuel pump in the rear so I drained the Travco tank by running a 3/8" fuel line over and into another vehicles gas tank. I used a motorcycle / transmission jack to help drop the tank... really wasn't very hard once emptied.\nI measured the tank at 12" H x 27" W x 52" L . That calculates out to just over 70 gallons.

[77Travco]

Turns out the unit has been replaced at sometime in the past as I found a universal one in place. I am not sure what resistance I need to match the factory dash gauge and this sending unit has no markings on it whatsoever.

[77Travco]

I found this Dorman unit on the internet...\nhttp://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Univ/Dor ... html\n\nIt appears to be exactly what came out of my tank but it says its for a Jeep? Doesn't specify what the Ohm range is.

[77Travco]

I believe that I need a 0-75 ohm sender unit. Just found this universal unit... I may order it but I really need to confirm the resistance that a 1977 Dodge gauge needs for sure.\nhttp://justgastanks.com/product_info.php?products_id=4833

[77Travco]

OK... After some research, I discovered that the industry standard is that the 1st number given is for empty and 2nd number represents full. \nMy dash gauge reads empty until I ground the wire at the tank... then it swings to full (infinity = empty / resistance = full). Therefore I have determined that I need a 73-10 Ohm fuel sending unit. (I found out that the old Dodge's (and Fords) call for a 73 Ohm sender)\n\nThis is what I just ordered in a 73-10 Ohm unit.\nhttp://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=p ... prd276.htm

[77Travco]

I received my new fuel sender unit from tanksinc.com yesterday... $45 shipped! When I arrived home from work I laid it out on my kitchen counter and proceeded to set it up. It is a universal unit that fits from 6 - 24" deep tanks so you must determine the center point of the depth and trim the float rod according to the supplied instructions.\nAfter following the instructions exactly... this is what I ended up with. The new unit is on the right. (pic below)

[77Travco]

Once I actually attempted to install the unit is when I discovered that the fit was too close and it wouldn't go through. I decided that it was a bad idea to cut or file the metal gas tank with 3/4" of fuel in the bottom so I ended up filing the fuel sender itself. Of course I am sure this voided any warranty I may have had. It was a very close fit but I managed to get the unit installed.\nI was careful to make sure that the float arm would not touch the side or a baffle. I looked into the tank with a flashlight and discovered that it is divided into 3rd's with 2 wall baffles. I also double checked which fuel line supplies the engine and which one goes to the generator. The generator line is set 3" from the bottom... the engine supply line looks to be just under an inch from the bottom. Both are metal tubes with no fuel socks.\n\nHere are a few pics...

[badbillybiker]

77Travco: Nice pics, feel like you have already changed everyone's sender. Is it possible to get the L & W Dims locating the senders position on the top of the tank? I have a black pastic circular floor plate with a center screw in lid that could be placed on the floor and under a tile or carpet in the back once properly located. To change a sender , remove the "plug" of about 4" dia or more and replace the sender... No tank dropping for sender repair/replacing...The circular unit is like what is used over the top of the MC in drivers compartment...\nBBB

[77Travco]

I have already put the tank back in and the sender works... Yay! It will be so nice to not have to guesstamate the gas amount or remember miles, etc.\n\nIn order to change the sender without dropping the tank...\nYou would basically have to cut a large access door / panel because the sender doesn't come straight out. You have to angle it over 90 degrees to get the float to clear the hole.\nI can honestly tell you that it's really pretty easy to drop the tank once it is empty. I did it by myself with a tranny / motorcycle jack and a few 4x4 boards. The tank itself isn't really all that heavy. The hardest part was getting all of the gas out... I had about 50 gallons in there and didn't even know. I just kept adding gas every time I drove it.

[77Travco]

UPDATE:\nAfter driving the coach around and using/adding fuel, I have noticed that the gage doesn't match the actual level in the tank. The gage reads about 1/4 lower than the actual fuel level. I could drop the tank again and try to adjust the float level but its really not that big of a deal for me. I know when I am getting low on fuel and that's the main thing.