Can fuel sending unit be calibrated?

[flyin-lowe]

I had to replace my fuel pump (2004 3.0, automatic) recently. At first I thought maybe the float was stuck. The tank was full when I changed it but I drove just over 150 miles and it didn't budge. Now I am at almost 200 miles on the same tank and it has slowly crept down to the 3/4 full mark. Don't really want to take the bed off again but also want to have a fuel gauge that is at least somewhat accurate? Any input or ideas? Before I replaced this current fuel pump the gauge appeared to be somewhat accurate so I don't think it is a mechanical issue with the gauge itself. The truck is going to be my 15 year old's daily driver next year so I have already have him using the trip, but would still like the gauge to be close.

No CEL since changing the pump.

 

[Brain75]

did you do just the pump or the whole "sending unit"
if unit, it sounds like they gave you one with the wrong OHMS range. don't know what range should be off hand, but if they gave you one with too little resistance you could make up the extra necessary by adding a resistor inline.... course if you ever replace it with the right one you would have to yank the resistor or have the opposite problem.

either that or the float arm is bent wrong (trying to finaggle it into the hole) and it sits too low, so it reads full until the fuel drops down to where the top of the float's range is, and the sender is sending the correct ohms, just sits at the wrong height.

 

[Curious Hound]

but if they gave you one with too little resistance you could make up the extra necessary by adding a resistor inline.

Not necessarily. If it needs, for example 0-2000ohms and the new sensor is 0-1000ohms and you add another 1000ohms, then the needle would go from full to empty over the span of half a tank.

if the range is supposed to be 1000-2000ohms and the replacement is 0-1000ohms, then adding 1000ohms would work.

 

[flyin-lowe]

All I know is I replaced the entire unit and they asked year, 2wd,engine, etc. plus the wheel base. Not sure how many different units there are for this truck

 

[Curious Hound]

All I know is I replaced the entire unit and they asked year, 2wd,engine, etc. plus the wheel base. Not sure how many different units there are for this truck

They just ask all that to prove you’re not a robot.

 

[Brain75]

do you have the part number of what they gave you / receipt?

 

[flyin-lowe]

I got it from Orielly, the receipt shows A4500. I searched that on the website and it shows this one.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/precision-fuel-pumps/precision-fuel-pump-module-assembly/pfp0/a45000?q=A4500&pos=0

 

[Brain75]

holy jebus that's a lot of money for a crappy aftermarket (see how the arm is not encased, but clipped on the outside of the rheostat, they tend to come unclipped and wind up laying on the bottom of the tank uselessly.)

In the 2nd gen ford used Bosch as their pump supplier... I would tend to suggest buying just the pump and replacing the pump on the sending unit...

Don't know what you paid, but partsgeek has the bosch $80 cheaper than the link you supplied... wow

https://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/2004/ford/ranger/fuel_delivery/fuel_pump.html?brand=bosch

edit:ctrl+enter accidently posted early

reviews kinda suck too - cribdeath (guy gave 5 stars for that) and issues with the wiper not contacting rheostat and inaccurate readings:

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/precision-fuel-pumps/fuel-delivery/fuel-pumps---tanks/fuel-sending-unit/e2cc03825aa5/precision-fuel-pump-module-assembly/pfp0/a45000

 

[flyin-lowe]

Here is the issue. I bought one from Rock Auto and it appeared to be working good but my CEL came on, showed an EVAP leak. When we took it back apart to check it one of the inlets got broke off when we removed the bed. So I was stuck in the driveway and that is the only one I could get same day as I needed the vehicle mobile. At that point the extra $80.00 wasn't as important as just getting the thing back on the road as I had been fighting it for a couple weeks. The one I bought from Bosch had a similar hook up for the arm, as a matter of fact that one came apart before I even got it put in and I had to put it back together. That one appeared to be working fine but it was throwing the evap code so I took the bed off again and it got broke during that process. A couple other stores in town wanted over 300.00 for one....

 

[flyin-lowe]

In the 2nd gen ford used Bosch as their pump supplier... I would tend to suggest buying just the pump and replacing the pump on the sending unit...

Not sure if you were directing that toward me or just in general? Both time I replaced the assembly was because of fuel gauge issues. Replacing just the pump would have nothing to do with that would it??

 

[Brain75]

sorry bout that - first sentence in your post was you replaced the pump, I took it to mean you needed the pump primarily that stuck in my head even after reading the rest of it.... dang ctrl+enter posted my first post with a really incomplete mess of thoughts wasn't really ready to send it... I went back and edited a little.
I understand being in the need right now, so I hear ya.

worth it to go back and follow my link for the reviews - issues with the wiper arm not making contact and inaccurate readings, might be fixable yourself by bending the arm, fixing the contact area, etc.

I was hunting and hunting for specs on the oreilly one trying to figure out if it was the right ohms range or not, still haven't found it.
depending on your stomach for warranty and dealing with multiple tries at it... return for exchange?

I don't have a chiltons or haynes at the moment (I borrowed from library to decide which and then ordered online - still not delivered, but I checked em in)....so can't look up the specs there... anyone else around know the range is supposed to be?

Maybe after you get the specs take the bad one back and verify the ohm range right there standing at the counter, if it isn't right say no sale and walk away, try one from 'zone or advanced or napa.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. From what I saw and continue to see, all the ones for my year take the same part number, depending on the wheel base. All the longer wheel base models take the same on, so not sure how to get one with different ohms. I'm not the best at this stuff so I have to research to learn so I know what I am talking about when I go back. Every store I called, including Rock Auto says there is only one part number for my truck.

 

[Brain75]

so ultimately let me rewind to the very beginning... you needed what, the pump or the gauge sender?

and

do you have the old old OEM one that you started with, still in the scrap bucket / not left the farm?

cause if you have the OEM (ford/motorcraft), my first response is always fix it - either replace just the pump or just the rheostat, etc.

 

[Brain75]

I took the time to read every review on that oreilly model... the only 5 star is the guy who had a cribdeath and he was really reviewing the customer service not the product... no 4 stars, no 3 stars, all the reviews just suck suck... I'd be taking that one back no matter who else you decide to go with (if you can).

 

[Brain75]

I searched here on TRS, and I found a mazda thread that says :
"I have a service manual that states the resistance of the fuel sending unit should range from 160 ohms full to 16 ohms empty"

1999 B2500 Fuel Gauge Issues

First post on here so hello to all. I have a 1999 B2500 stopped running (thank goodness had the wife with me to push it out of the road). My local shop replaced the fuel pump and it was back on the go. When I filled the tank, the fuel gauge only registered 3/4 full. I call the shop and they...

www.therangerstation.com

I don't think Ford every really changed it, in fact I think the F series uses the same range... when you pull yours might look to see if you are even close to that or if the wiper arm doesn't make contact or the float is bent way down first if you just want to run what you got till it breaks for good.

Edit: At some point Ford reversed the ohms range, I remember that now having dealt with my '48.... I got around it by going with an aftermarket dash cluster and had to spend time figuring out the right sending unit for that gauge and the bronco tank I used.