Factory Tank switch

[19agin]

My truck has an in cab tank, and two aux. saddle tanks with a manual valve next between the seat and driver's door. Could a guy get one of the factory fuel tank switches off of ebay and install senders in the aux tanks, then wire them up to be read by the fuel guage? Does that switch only switch electrical readings from the senders, or did it originally also operate a switching valve? What I would like to do is remove my in cab tank and put senders in my aux tanks with a switch for the guage. I just don't know if it was made to work that way. Any info? Thanks -

[fordman]

the switch for our truck is only for the fuel gauge readings. yes.

[19agin]

So Fordman, do you think there would be any problem with putting universal senders in the saddle tanks and hooking them up with the factory switch to run the gauge only?

[fordman]

i have those same saddle tanks myself. one on each side of my 68 outside the frame rail. with the door holes cut into the bed. when i first go tmy turck i asked my dad about doing it and he said it wasnt doable. how ever i have learned alot since then. and they do now sell generic sending units to be put in most tanks. they are adjustable., so i would say it could be done. my tanks are going to get removed and done away with somehow. but my tanks have been gas free for 20 plus years so drilling holes in the top for a sender probably wouldnt be a problem. but on a tank that has had gas in it before recently. i would consider filling the tank with water and then drill or cut it out the sender hole. that would keep the gas from fuses from igniting. if it got hot while drilling.

[19agin]

Sounds like a great idea. I appreciate the information. This project is on my long list of things I want to get done to my bump. I figure since the tanks are there already, might as well use them.

[1972hiboy]

Yeah. its nice to be able to keep the beast fed long enough to get really out of town.

[mrollings53]

If you really want to go all out you can get some electric fuel pumps and the switch and wiring and most likely senders from a 1992-1996 F-series with dual tanks. I'm sure there are other years you can do this with as well. But you take all of that and hook it up to when you flip the switch for the gauge; it switches which fuel pump is pumping and you don't have to deal with the valve next to the drivers seat. Personally I would like to see this done if someone already has.

[Thunderfoot]

If you really want to go all out you can get some electric fuel pumps and the switch and wiring and most likely senders from a 1992-1996 F-series with dual tanks. I'm sure there are other years you can do this with as well. But you take all of that and hook it up to when you flip the switch for the gauge; it switches which fuel pump is pumping and you don't have to deal with the valve next to the drivers seat. Personally I would like to see this done if someone already has.

Actually they make electronic fuel switches to replace the manual fuel switch so that you don't have to use electric fuel pumps then wire it up with the correct type of switch and it will switch both things, chevy's had this for years with their saddle tanks they had for dual tanks... I'm not sure when ford switched this over as I haven't had a ford truck newer then my 69 or my dad's 73

[basketcase0302]

Actually they make electronic fuel switches to replace the manual fuel switch so that you don't have to use electric fuel pumps then wire it up with the correct type of switch and it will switch both things, chevy's had this for years with their saddle tanks they had for dual tanks... I'm not sure when ford switched this over as I haven't had a ford truck newer then my 69 or my dad's 73

Shayne,
My 76' Bronco had the electric dual tank switch that switched both the sending unit and the valve as well. My 71' Winnebago (on a P-350 ford chassis) also had the same electric "double pole-double throw" type switch.

Doesn't the question of the correct ohm sending units come into play here?
I believe both (or all three tanks in this example) have to have matching ohm value sending units?
Maybe TF can pipe in on this, as I believe it might be critical as to a proper fuel level reading.

[Thunderfoot]

Actually they make electronic fuel switches to replace the manual fuel switch so that you don't have to use electric fuel pumps then wire it up with the correct type of switch and it will switch both things, chevy's had this for years with their saddle tanks they had for dual tanks... I'm not sure when ford switched this over as I haven't had a ford truck newer then my 69 or my dad's 73

Shayne,
My 76' Bronco had the electric dual tank switch that switched both the sending unit and the valve as well. My 71' Winnebago (on a P-350 ford chassis) also had the same electric "double pole-double throw" type switch.

Doesn't the question of the correct ohm sending units come into play here?
I believe both (or all three tanks in this example) have to have matching ohm value sending units?
Maybe TF can pipe in on this, as I believe it might be critical as to a proper fuel level reading.

I figured Ford would have went to electronic switches as well at some point...

Yes the Ohm rating of the sending units needs to match the range of the gauge so that everything reads correct, ford was pretty good at keeping this the same for a quite a few years...