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Secret to replacing 240 in tank pump/sender

N97746

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Location
Northeast PA.
Gents, anyone have the secret clue/handshake/password you need to get the in tank pump fuel sender unit back in? After an hour or so of fiddling every which way I'm starting to wonder if I really want a fuel level sender at all.
I replaced the dead pump with a 740 pump following Dave's instructions. I know I got the old unit out with some difficulty but it seems there is no way it will go back in.
The new pump has a fairly long, about 4"sock that I have oriented to the 9 o'clock position when the outlet fitting is about 11 o'clock. I slid the end of the sock in first, then the end of the fuel pump, but there is no way the float has enough room to get in no matter how I twist or angle the unit.
By the way, I found out why the old pump died. When I pulled it out there was no sock on the end of the pump. Couldn't see one floating around in the tank either. There was a piece of silver foil jammed in the pumps impeller.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
 
Well this day is going down the tubes pretty quickly. After posting I went back out to try and figure out how to get it in. Put the sock in first, then while holding the unit at an angle got the bottom of the float in, turned it upright pump went in and I started to lower it into place. Thought I had it. Noticed the float arm looked a little funny. Pulled it up a bit to check and the entire arm fell off including a little brass spring into the tank. Fished everything out now I need someone to post a pic if possible of how the float arm and spring rest in the sender housing. Thanks.
 
Thanks for the link.
I checked the pics I was taking when I was taking things apart and one just barely showed the correct orientation of the spring to the post. Actually there was only one way it could fit. Duh.
I reassembled the wayward parts and tightened up the tabs on the housing that goes around the rheostat looking component.
I tried again, as shown in the link, and it seems to have gone back together again.
I'll put some new lines on and give it a try tomorrow.
Thanks for the help.
 
My previous owner's mechanic resorted to bending the assembly to get it back in. In the process lost the float ball. The bent pickup tube allowed a couple gallons of 19 year old gas to remain in the tank after what was thought was all to remain in the tank was pumped out.

Here is the last 2 gallons recovered after removing the tank.

PB181388.jpg
 
I removed/installed a few sending units this year, and found that if you lift until the float is almost touching the flange, rotate it to about the 2 oclock position, gently depress the float arm, it come right out. The key is to have the patience to find the correct position where you don't have to apply much pressure to the float arm. There is no position where it will just slip right in (phrasing, I know)
I can do it easily now, but it's harder to put into words...
 
It's literally the easiest thing in the world if you do the ONE thing that nobody ever seems to think of...cut the trunk floor slightly. Two small cuts down towards the tail lights and you can just bend some of the metal out of the way. The pump goes in and out in seconds.
 
It's literally the easiest thing in the world if you do the ONE thing that nobody ever seems to think of...cut the trunk floor slightly. Two small cuts down towards the tail lights and you can just bend some of the metal out of the way. The pump goes in and out in seconds.

You don't need to do that. Changing the fuel pump/sender is one of the easiest jobs on a 240.
 
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