Cleaning contacts on fuel senders

I hear that potentiometer-based fuel senders can be revitalized by soaking
them in a solvent to remove accumulated gunk. I'm wondering if they can
be sprayed in place by running the tank dry and using a tuner cleaner
(I think it's mostly dichlorofluoroethane). Will that stuff destroy
fuel bladders or sealent?

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/

Ben Jackson wrote:

I hear that potentiometer-based fuel senders can be revitalized by soaking
them in a solvent to remove accumulated gunk. I'm wondering if they can
be sprayed in place by running the tank dry and using a tuner cleaner
(I think it's mostly dichlorofluoroethane). Will that stuff destroy
fuel bladders or sealent?


Ben,

the problem that these things develop is that the phospor-bronze
wiper contact wears down to the point that it looses contact
with the wire-wound resistance card at certain points in the
arc of travel.

No amount of tuner cleaner will fix that...

They have to come out of the tank. As soon as you can visualize the
little wiper sliding on the resistance wire the problem will become
painfully obvious. You can use an Ohmmeter to measure the resistance
while you are moving the float. AFAIR, the resistance varies from
0 to ~70 Ohms. If at any point in the swing you read "infinity", you
have found your problem spot(s)


There is an outfit in Lock Haven that can o/h them for you.

Be sure to use new gaskets when you reinstall them...


MikeM
Skylane 1MM