THE ALMIGHTY FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNITS

[Guest subekit]

so i just finshed taking the oxidation off of the sending unit's brass...more like sludge...and got a correct ohm reading...But i noticed that on the circuit that the fuel level arm rubs across..there is a worn spot right in the middle where there is very little metal...this piece detaches from the sending unit itself ( held in by "clips" on the unit and a wire solder point.) easy to get out. SO im wondering if this little part is available ?anyone know ? the unit is perfect except for this part ..# FS0197001. ALSO a dealer told me that my year 99 legacy wagon has the sending unit/fuel pump unit that cannot be separated from one another..and that i have to replace the whole assembly for $300 + !<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":\"> i just took the whole thing apart (and i mean APART) and the sending unit DOES detach from the arm/cover assemby..and so does the fuel pump (held in by rubber mount and upper hose...so whats the deal ? are they just trying to sell parts? anyone run into this?

[Guest 1 Lucky Texan]

This could be a good opportunity for one of 2 'paths'.

 

Get creative and manufacture your own replacement for the offending part.

or

Junkyard!

 

Carl

1 Lucky Texan

[Guest subekit]

2 DAYS LATER AND THE STILL NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT...GAS GAUGE IS NOW WORKING PROPERLY WITH NO ERRATIC FLUCTUATIONS

[Guest remarcable]

So what did you use?

 

And I guess this means your dealer flat out lied to you, either out of ignorance or greed. You should bring that to your regional subaru rep's attention.

[Guest subekit]

it was so easy it was pathetic..let me say that the couple of subaru service guys i talked with on the phone said "i've never been able to successfully repair a sending unit..it's easier to just replace them" oh sure i'll just fork over the $ for parts and labor ( i figured i saved about $300-500 depending on who you talk to). first off there was nothing "wrong" with the parts..they had just developed a brown film oxidation on the brass parts..so the "signal" that the float arm was supposed to be sending via the resistor, was being hindered by the sludge. at least that's what it seems like. i used an exacto knife with a # 11 blade and a bulb blower(used for photo stuff like lenses) i simply just scraped away the oxidation being carefull of the spring under the arm as it's pretty thin. on the resistor , i used super fine steel wool and LIGHTLYrubbed the surface tarnish off the little metal "strips".used the blower as i went along and that was it. probably 3 hours total ..sitting in the rear of the wagon in the sun with a nice cold beer inbetween...if you need to do it yourself..let me know and i'll give you:D a detailed step by step of what i did. still no light or gauge problems..and i just got back from a 200 mile trip over different terrain...workin' like a charm

[Guest ShawnW]

Archiving.

[adamu726]

it was so easy it was pathetic..let me say that the couple of subaru service guys i talked with on the phone said "i've never been able to successfully repair a sending unit..it's easier to just replace them" oh sure i'll just fork over the $ for parts and labor ( i figured i saved about $300-500 depending on who you talk to). first off there was nothing "wrong" with the parts..they had just developed a brown film oxidation on the brass parts..so the "signal" that the float arm was supposed to be sending via the resistor, was being hindered by the sludge. at least that's what it seems like. i used an exacto knife with a # 11 blade and a bulb blower(used for photo stuff like lenses) i simply just scraped away the oxidation being carefull of the spring under the arm as it's pretty thin. on the resistor , i used super fine steel wool and LIGHTLYrubbed the surface tarnish off the little metal "strips".used the blower as i went along and that was it. probably 3 hours total ..sitting in the rear of the wagon in the sun with a nice cold beer inbetween...if you need to do it yourself..let me know and i'll give you:D a detailed step by step of what i did. still no light or gauge problems..and i just got back from a 200 mile trip over different terrain...workin' like a charm

 

I'd love a detailed how-to...I think I'm gonna need it.

[Fairtax4me]

Don't think you're gonna get it from a seven year old thread.

 

There are quite a few threads here involving sender unit removal form the fuel tank, some searching (which it appears you're entirely capable of) should reveal them. The rest is just cleaning off the little coil wire on the sender.

[bheinen74]

Don't think you're gonna get it from a seven year old thread.

 

There are quite a few threads here involving sender unit removal form the fuel tank, some searching (which it appears you're entirely capable of) should reveal them. The rest is just cleaning off the little coil wire on the sender.

 

or in the case of a Brat sending unit, actually making a slight bend to the lever makes contact again......I wrote a thread on the repair of mine, still working PERFECT after a year now or so.

 

Also, do any of you guys listen to CARTALK. they have a online site to listen to their shows if you cant find the time for the radio version. They had a person call in about a subaru sending uinit a few weeks back.......

[bheinen74]

http://www.cartalk.com/piplayer/cartalkplayer.html?play=07smil.xml

 

 

link to the car talk with subaru gas guage issue.........pretty good......450 dollar sending unit on a subaru question....

[SuBrat84]

funny because you can order the primary and secondary for $65 each....