Fuel Tank Sender

[RogerFrench]

I have searched the forum end-to-end and haven't found any reference to this specific problem, so here goes.
My Elan has a replacement alloy fuel tank, but the fuel level sender doesn't work properly. Although the car is an S3, it has been fitted with a later-type bi-metallic gauge and voltage stabiliser, so I thought it would be relatively easy to get an appropriate sender, side-mounted, 6-screw type. Well, so it is, but the orientation of the 6 screw holes is 30 degrees out. My tank has been made with a screw hole at the top, 12 o'clock position and at 60 deg intervals from that (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 o'clock). The side-mounted senders I've found so far have holes 30 deg off from that, at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 o'clock.

Anyone got any idea where I can find the right kind of sender, please?

[fatboyoz]

Roger,
How about this guy. Perhaps he can help.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-se ... _500wt_922

Colin.

I have searched the forum end-to-end and haven't found any reference to this specific problem, so here goes.
My Elan has a replacement alloy fuel tank, but the fuel level sender doesn't work properly. Although the car is an S3, it has been fitted with a later-type bi-metallic gauge and voltage stabiliser, so I thought it would be relatively easy to get an appropriate sender, side-mounted, 6-screw type. Well, so it is, but the orientation of the 6 screw holes is 30 degrees out. My tank has been made with a screw hole at the top, 12 o'clock position and at 60 deg intervals from that (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 o'clock). The side-mounted senders I've found so far have holes 30 deg off from that, at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 o'clock.

Anyone got any idea where I can find the right kind of sender, please?

[RedS4]

Last year my sender didn't work so I took it out with the intention of replacing it - but could not find a suitable replacement. After talking to my neighbour - who fortunately is an electrical engineer - a bit of emery paper and some careful sanding of the windings and pickup and it now works a treat. Try re-visiting your old sender again..

Another suggestion - maybe you could make an adaptor ring with 12 holes - 6for the original screws (suitably counter sunk so the face is flush) and then 6 more, suitably tapped, for the new sender.

Ok - it's certainly a convoluted solution...........

[billwill]

I'm not sure it will matter much if the sender is mounted 30 degrees off-vertical.

All that might do is alter the range of what the guage shows, and it might be difficult to get low tank readings of your last gallon of fuel.

On the other hand...

The flange of the sender is flat with non-threaded holes, so it should be possible to carefully drill a new set of holes in the sender in the correct positions. The unused holes are unlikely to leak as they will be over an intact portion of the gasket, pressing against a flat un-drilled area on the tank.

[pereirac]

The person who makes the alloy fuel tanks here in the UK also sells new senders. I think he will ship to the US. If you look at the UK eBay you will find him advertising his senders there. If they are as good as his fuel tanks then I would not hesitate buying from him. I know you can also buy 'universal' senders where you bend the metal arm to fit with the right holes. It's what I did but my gauge is not very accurate but at least it under reads so I fill up before the tank is empty!
I think I bought mine from Holden

http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproducts ... nk+Senders

[RogerFrench]

Thank you all. I have emailed Andy Wiltshire for more information about the sender on Ebay. Other suggestions I had already considered, and not yet discarded because I'd rather find a sender made the way my tank is. Though resurrecting the original sender may be beyond reason, it does at least show that someone, somewhere did make a sender like I want!