Fountain Fuel Sender Removal
 

Has anyone attempted to remove the fuel sender in a Fountain Fever. The sender is located under the rear seat, under a panel. The fuel sender appears to have an aluminum housing and it's "threaded" into the top of the aluminum tank. I've made a tool to span across the sender to engage the two flats of the sender body and have applied lots of torque with a breaker bar and a cheater only to have it move a 1/2 turn. I'm afraid that the aluminum has seized. Or, is there a super sealant on the threads that just needs to be broken loose? I'm trying to determine if I should continue or leave it alone and just live with crappy fuel indication. Or, I could also just scrap the removal and just drill and tap for a standard screwed down sender just next to the existing sender. Please respond if you've encountered the same or similar scenario.

The sender should be mounted with 5 small screws. Undo those 5 screws and a small plate will lift up with a rubber gasket.

If you haven't horribly seized the threads, try to spray penetrating oil on the threads and then have someone tap the nipple sticking out of the tank as you try to spin it out. The vibration will tend to reduce the friction. If the threads have seized too much, you will have to use a hole saw bit to drill out most of the unit, take a hacksaw blade and make at least four vertical cuts in the remaining sending unit housing, stopping just short of the nipple threads. Then use a punch to tap the cut pieces towards the hole you drilled. You will then need to chase the nipple threads to clean them up. When going back in, use Loctite 567 or Permatex Teflon thread sealant.

I know of what I speak because I got lucky on the second one that I removed, but had to go through the above hell on the first one. Be very careful not to force unscrewing the seized one. It will be catastrophic if you destroy the nipple threads. Good luck!

Unfortunately, I fear that a half turn will probably result in a leak at the unit once you fill the tank. I had to remove mine due to both units leaking at the threads. Mine was a 2000 Lightning. Good luck.

Folks - I won!! My third attempt at a removal tool consisted of a GM 2-1/2" bearing nut socket. Using my hand held grinder with a cut-off blade I reconfigured it to have opposing flats that engaged the flats on the sensor. Then, using my 1/2" impact I was able to get it to move. If anyone wants a picture of the tool just let me know.

And yes, the threads on the sender were gnarled. Now, I'll grease up a 1-1/2 NPT tap and chase the threads in the tank and all will be well.

I've also got to order another sender. Anybody got any ideas of who makes a good sender?

BTW, the existing sender was way too short, about 4" long. The tank to the top of the NPT coupling is just over 7-1/4". No wonder the damn thing didn't work, as it should have been at least 6" long according to the websites I've researched.

Can I have picture of your tool? I currently cannot remove my sender on my 31 Fountain CC TE. Thanks

The OP has not been on OSO recently.
NoelVivion---Last Activity: 02-05-2017 01:37 PM