Hey All. So I posted on the troubleshooting page a few weeks ago about my gas tank sending unit, then thought the problem resolved itself... no such luck... the sending unit (or something!?) keeps going out on me. Wondering if anyone on here has any suggestions on what I can check myself that's easy to reach, etc. before I start thinking of ordering a new sending unit. My manual doesn't have a whole lot on th sending unit... it's odd. It will work one day, then nothing the next. Today on my way home it worked, then didn't work about 3 times... wondering if that was the sending units death rattle... any and all suggestions on some simple things to check are welcome. As usual, thanks in advance and bramble on!

Could be a bad ground strap at the sending unit. They clip on and over the course of many years, they'll rust away or become loose.

Year One sells new ones if the need arises.

Had a similar issue when we got our van (Ford E Series).

Right away (I mean really right away) he had it fixed. He slipped underneath and said that the wires to the sending unit (outside the tank exposed to the elements) are bridled.

He patched new ones on there and it worked right away. Of course I don't know if you have any wires/harness going there, I suppose you do, just trying to give you some ideas.

Only till one of those splash guards inside the tank broke and damaged the fuel sending unit, which resulted in having a new tank and fuel sending unit installed. But that is a different story.

So strange... it's workin again! lol. But I'm sure not for long... I was looking for the ground strap and couldn't seem to locate it (?!?)... probably cause I'm a bit of a fool... but from the diagrams in my manual, it looks as though the ground strap goes across the fuel line? (which it's worth noting that it looks as though the previous owner patched in rubber fuel line with some hose clamps) I'm probably wrong... also, my wiring is looking pretty shabby... that might be the culprit... I might disconnect it from the unit and see if I can clean up the contacts or somthing... but yeah, didn't see a ground strap as descibed in my manual... sheesh. Thanks for the responses so far. Much appreciated.

Good luck with it, at least the wiring (hopefully outside the tank) is something fairly easy to do. And you already stated that some work was done there, and it looks shabby. Well, exposed to the elements all the time, some parts have it rough.

The ground strap is right at the sending unit. It clips to the metal line coming out of the sending unit, jumps the rubber fuel line, and then clips to the metal line going up to the carb, thus grounding the sending unit.

There is s single wire, probably blue, that connects the sending unit to the gauge. This wire actually runs on the inside of the van as part of the harness running back to the rear lights. It passes through a grommet in the floor either on the driver or passenger side next to the door frame.

My old silver '75 ( my favorite) had similar issues and I just ran the gas down low and took out the sending unit just to see what the hell was going on. I bent out the tabs and looked inside the rheostat. It needed cleaning and it did not look bad so did a little tweaking on the contact arm and snapped it back together, bent the tabs back down. It lasted another few years until I replaced it with the Phoenix Van, which still is not old silver, I'd trade in a skinny minute for another perfect '75. I did love that van, I could shoot it through a hole an inch wider at 60 and not look back... We just had something together. it handled like a go kart and ran like the wind. YES it was love. That's Vanning. Just get into it and fix it They are very forgiving. really nothing to it.

Check your wires where they go from frame to tank There should be a grounding screw there. My power wire broke there and cost me $250 to find and fix it.

Thanks again for the responses! I actually have some time today to get out there and take another look... although, it's been working just fine since posting this... of course.. but I'm not dumb enough to think it's going to last... I feel like it's something in the wiring with it being an intermittent thing... I'll see what I can find!

WOW. OK... no grounding strap anywhere that I can see... lol. Might have to post a pic here and see what you dude's that know what your talking about think. haha.