How To Test and Replace Your Fuel Sender on Your Boat

How to test and replace your fuel sender unit on your boat. Boat fuel gauge might not work or reads the wrong fuel level. How to diagnose the problem.

[@honda8770]

I know it's been said a million times, but the efficiency of this video is absolutely amazing

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you.

[@jflowers090]

sometimes its shocking how simple repairs can be. Thank you for showing us

[@frix57]

One of the best no-nonsense videos with tips and tricks. Thank you.

[@cire3293]

Great video. Thanks for getting to the point quickly. Too many videos on youtube are 6-10 minutes to explain 10 steps.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Glad it it saves you time. That is my goal. And I agree about videos being to long.

[@2012EvoXGSR]

Agreed

[@delbertlantz8863]

Josh MADISON and Brandon LANTZ

[@thomaslethcoe2255]

Being I knew nothing about this, I cleaned up the 2 connection points with 00 steel wool (make sure you leave no strings) reconnected and voila ! Had a gas gage again. Makes me feel much better. Thanks for the vid!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Nice work!

[@rogerhupp3115]

No BS in this vid. Straight to the point. Wish I could give it 2 thumbs up!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you so much. That means a lot

[@bryancromar623]

Short and to the point. Best how to video. Thanks

[@arthurmiller8301]

Awesome video straight to the point and very informative thank you for taking the time to do this

[@atanacioluna292]

Great design of your video sequence. It's clear and complete without wasting time. Thanks.

[@arkdiver4824]

I learnt something quick before I had the chance to skip the video. Thanks bro.

[@elguaguero23]

Thank you for posting this video , I’m in the process of replacing/checking my fuel sending unit , very informative

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

I hope your repair goes smoothly. Just make sure you put enough sealant on the screws so the gas doesn't leak

[@TheRhb]

Thank you. Very precise and easy to follow demonstration. Very Helpful.😎

[@pablocortez289]

Many thanks for the video... just changed mine out --- piece of cake and got the gauge working again on a Dargel Skout 186.

[@lousamudio1802]

Great video! Short sweet to the point. Excellent. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@1divemaster1]

Great job dude. You made it look easy.

[@thedinz]

i have yet to NOT find a video i need on here, good stuff man.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you

[@tedturner5299]

Freaking great video, short and to the point.

[@MrCaptgag3]

Straight to the point!!!!!!! NO BS Great Video

[@Gh3fishing]

thanks for the video! just picked up a complete sending unit kit at a swap meet!

[@Swifjames]

Absolutely fantastic video. Thank you.

[@comstox]

Precise and easy to follow video. Thank you!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you. Hope it was helpful

[@dantesemail]

Nice and to the point. Wish all KZbin videos where like this.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you. I am not here to waste anyone time.

[@leewilliams6970]

Top class easy instructions. Good one!!

[@chrishatton9235]

Got to the point. Great video.very helpful.

[@jamesthreats5800]

Thanks I got the same unit I'll install it this weekend.Great vid!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Glad it helped

[@Thecoachco]

Thanks for this video,helped me install my sending unit perfectly.I think you should make another video ,detailed in the wiring the sender to the gauge and to ignition etc,thats where I'm lost,I suck at anything electrical,there's no good videos on this,you could do a good job,at it.

[@billmcburney1723]

Excellent presentation and thank you.

[@MrAlvinjesus]

Great video, sort and direct to the point.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

I hope it helped you.

[@dreamstate07]

Great vid! Quick and to the point. Thanks mate!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Your welcome. I hope it helped

[@flippatmedbernt]

Thanks a lot - I need to do that job and it was very informative

[@mchaves7663]

Thanks Chris.. you are champion!!

[@akhjam8225]

Great video no fluff to the point

[@VideoIoVedo]

Same comment, man. Thank you for getting to the damn point.

[@user-vz2jm1tp8e]

Shazam simple fast straight to the point thank you!

[@brandonkotecki7553]

Fast and to the point thanks

[@MollydogRadar]

Awesome video. Thank for sharing.

[@bojan8119]

Dude.. great vid and to the point. Much appreciated!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you. Hope it helped

[@matthewtorossi8909]

your videos are really helpful. thanks. when i winterized my boat last year, i used the antifreeze and ran it through the entire system like you showed in your video. my boat started up on the first shot this spring. my question is, when i ran the boat with the ear muffs with the water, i noticed an oily chemical mixed in with the water coming from the exhaust. is that the residual antifreeze that was in the system. thanks. the boat ran great on the lake. its a 97 bayliner capri classic 2050. merc,350

[@guidedbylee303]

So easy!! I have to change mine. Thank you for this!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

It is really easy. Just make sure you don't tighten the screws to tight. Just right enough for the rubber to seal

[@aaront9904]

This guy does not suck and I pray that the virus does not find him.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you. I also hope the virus doesn't find me

[@djcue7608]

Thanks for no extra bullshit perfect tutorial you rock bro

[@danielakasmulegood982]

Great video going to change mine soon my gauge never has worked

[@spmoses1]

THANKS QUICK AND TO POINT, THANKS.

[@johndyer4876]

Great video. I would caution anyone doing this to not use power tools when unscrewing the sender....huge fire hazard. Fuel vapors can ignite from the sparks on the drill bushing.

[@moncorp1]

People don't realize how volatile gasoline vapor is. That's the reason you use diesel or kerosene to light brush piles and the like. They are not as flammable. In fact fairly hard to ignite. You see idiots blow themselves up or get severely burned when they use gasoline to start fires.

[@heesanoice7637]

Thanks, man ! I’m doing this tomorrow !

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Good luck. Seal screws well!

[@waynebauerband7698]

you measured incorrectly for your tank it should have been 7 13/16 or 198mm. not 7 3/16. also you forgot to mention the 5/16 less than proper arm length which is what gives you the emergency gas when gauge reads empty. but a fair video anyway.

[@bensteele5753]

So would the arm length need to be 7½"?

[@freddybrian]

you're the best I learned a lot from you

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you

[@user-hz8kd8mk2l]

Super helpful thank you! Just wondering if it's worth repairing my fuel sender which always reads full!

[@Jazza828]

Good video mate

[@nicholasgroch6744]

Great vid. Efficient lesson.

[@henryxavier3751]

Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@LakerNetman]

Concise. Awesome. Thanks!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Thank you

[@davidstahl1524]

Wow, brevity is a lost art, ty

[@RichardBroussellRBsRCs]

Awsome great info

[@nickd7002]

Great instruction

[@walterumana811]

Thanks for the very well explained video I will try to change my fuel level sensor on my 1997 celebrity

[@AddieMaePlays]

It is very easy. Just make sure the new one seals good. And the new screws.

[@salimsopari]

great video, straight forward and to the point

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Glad I didn't waste your time

[@salimsopari]

@@BigIslandMNMinnetonka im about to replace the fuel sender on my boat so this vid helped. thx again

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

@@salimsopari glad it helped.

[@shanemoose8072]

Who buys a new fuel sending unit to test? Rest of the video is good. I prefer to trouble and then buy. Not buy and then trouble shoot

[@Arcturian1111]

Nice info thanks. Is it possible to check the old fuel sender with a multimeter.

[@sewertdog]

Thanks, dudeman!

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

I hope it went easy for you.

[@bchaveezy]

nice, thanks!

[@joseacd01]

Thank you

[@toddbs1]

Thank u 🤙

[@vernonsteinkamp1088]

Something that I haven't seen covered is that older cars may have a copper float which can leak. If it fills with fuel it will sink and always read empty.

[@philinda1964]

I'm trying to find my sending unit. Could it be under a seat? I pulled the floor vent and nothing under it but the fuel outlet.

[@crashlife487]

Nice video, but I would have liked to have seen a wiring schematic to go along with it. But thanks for the info!

[@mohdfitriimanothman2643]

Ok tank you ser.... .

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Hope it helped

[@jon964]

When I turn the key, the fuel gauge shows full, when I turn the ignition off, it shows empty. Tested sensor with measuring instrument it has the correct Ohm value. It is both a wema and a wema instrument. Has worked before and also not replaced anything previously. When I disconnect the sensor's 2 cables it still shows full. what do you think is wrong then?

[@westerndevil2597]

I need help with mine well you see the thing that you replace well I don’t think mine is working because I took both original tanks out and my dad bot me a new aluminum tank for the bed and it had that float think like your’s but this new tank of mine has ouly one wire plug on it and yours was 2 but my old tanks had 3 wires plugged into it so witch wires do I use for this new tank I have 3 opinions a red a black and the blue wire has power so I tried hooking up all 3 with no response but blue wire with power makes the fuel gage go up to full no matter if the float is up or down I need so help

[@moraleshvac]

Hi my tank is leaking gasoline from where the tap where where the part at , how can I fix the leak it’s just a little bit but I don’t wanna use like that

[@sumbeech1484]

SOLID !!!

[@MaximusD180]

Great Video!! What sealant did you use? I'm replacing mine tomorrow.

[@ericmaass3459]

Permatex #2 , gas resistant . Found at any auto parts store

[@rickccorbett]

I'm going to try this today. Is it OK to leave that much (looks about 1/4") of play on float between stoppers? Why would you want it to slide back and forth?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

I don't think it matters

[@Smalltechguy]

Are all the holes the same?? Mine just broken the wire off in the tank. It also seemed that my gauge was off by a half tank. I did touch the wire back to the point and my gauge did move. I which is the longest lasting gauge available. I know fuel is everyone's best friend

[@integr8er66]

No the holes are not the same you must orient the lever the same as the old one, but you can't do it wrong or the screws won't go in

[@CCAadventures]

Great vid. When you say "some type of sealant" for the screws. What do you recommend ? Permatex ?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Somthing that works with gas. You don't want gas to eat through it.

[@ericmaass3459]

Permatex #2 is gas resistant

[@CCAadventures]

@@ericmaass3459 that is what I ended up using. It worked good.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

@@ericmaass3459 thank you

[@paulsosa1872]

My fuel gauge goes up and down with the water and motion of the boat, I was told it was a ground issue but I checked ground and it's good.

[@prohomevideos]

That sounds normal. If your boat is going up and down with the water, your fuel is too.

[@austinmontanti5975]

It's supposed to, the boat is moving. Cars would do that too, but they're digital and have circuitry delays built in so that they don't move around every time you take a turn.

[@aeneimia1]

Measure twice, cut once.... the book said 7-13/16 and you cut it 7-3/16... your tank was just over half full, and your gauge is reading 3/4 full.. that 1/2 inch you fucked up on is throwing your gauge off.. but its close.. and it will work...

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

I miss spoke. I do it alot

[@Thomaslemoine]

did that float length chart come with the new fuel sender?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

It did with the sender I bought

[@mrmidnight32]

I cut mine short! Is it screwed? My tank is 12” deep and I measured the arm to make sure it could reach the bottom and top having 12” of travel. But I cut it to like 6” (6” up and 6” down) I should be fine right?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

I hope so. It might show less gas than you have. You might just have to try it out.

[@mrmidnight32]

Big Island MN yea that was my logic. I would rather play it on the safe side and show empty earlier than not. I only have about 1” of gas left out of my 12” deep tank. So it’s not wrong I’m pretty empty. Like you said I’ll just have to find out on my next full up.

[@integr8er66]

I'd add that many many times with boat electronics the problem is nothing more than a bad connection due to corrosion, before you bought a new sender you should have removed the old one, cleaned the connections, checked the wiper are to make sure it was in contact with the resistive wire then lifted and lowered the float with the key on and see if it starts working. Most times it does, other than a bad connection or mechanical damage the only thing that goes wrong that isn't easy to fix is the float might sink.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Nice work.

[@integr8er66]

@@BigIslandMNMinnetonka unfortunately after a long paddle to the shore whilst avoiding a barge or two I had plenty of time to troubleshoot the issue while I waited for my buddy to go get a jug of fuel....

[@dynamitedmoney]

Looked like OEM was a right side float, correct? How did a straight float arm work for this? Why did you not bend the float to the side?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

It worked perfect. No need to bend it. It had room

[@mikeswire]

Thank you but - it was 7 and 13/16 not 7 and 3/16, One half inch of swing cut off the sender. Will probably make readings at full and empty a little off, measure 2x cut once.

[@CalQwax]

I am finding that not all fuel gauges are the same and you need to match a sending unit with the gauge. With a broken sending unit how do you know which one to buy to match your dash gauge OHMS RANGE?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

The one I put in is universal. It should work in most tanks. Maybe now in the newer boats

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

As long as you have a ground wire and negative wire running to the fuel sender it should work with the universal.

[@omar3799]

I put mine and the gasket didn’t seal right..... gas pours out no matter how tight or loose I tighten the sender. It never leaked with the old unit on... Any suggestions on what type of sealant I can use that the gas won’t eat up????

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Talk to a marine service center. Make sure you put sealant around the screws

[@integr8er66]

The yellow tube at the auto parts store, seal all I think it is

[@donklimovitch4317]

Thanks for sticking to the meat of the subject and leaving out a whole lot of time filler bs.

[@philipwelsh4841]

You reference a chart to get the proper depth to cut the level arm. Where is the chart?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Each gage had it's own chart

[@rickfernandez3884]

Did I hear correct/,he said 7. 3/16 should be 7. 13/16.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

I miss spoke.

[@rickfernandez3884]

@@BigIslandMNMinnetonka No, you cut to short....

[@healthstartshere666]

@@BigIslandMNMinnetonka What you have effectively done is provide yourself with some "emergency" gas. Your gauge will read empty but you'll still have 5/8" of gas left in your tank. I like it. :-) Great video.

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

@@healthstartshere666 all intentional. 🤥

[@tyrsafray4640]

Umm that was 7-13/16

[@steveproctor1748]

The sender looks like it's from a FORD PICKUP.

[@csf4au]

It was 7-13/16” not 7-3/16 but prolly close enough

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Yes. Lol

[@ScienceGuy500]

I thought it read 7 13/16", not 7 3/16"

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

You are correct. I said it wrong.

[@fbrind3734]

where's the part about how to test your old unit?

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Turn the key on and move the arm up and down.

[@cadycelia]

🇩🇰😮❤

[@johnbarnes4540]

You aren't testing you're replacing. Surely you test before you buy anew one. If the new sender still gives the same as the old one you've just wasted money

[@soulreed]

It doesn't get anymore to the point than that

[@frankdavidson9675]

throw that tinker toy in the trash can get a reed switch fool proof

[@ghostg.r7622]

Please give me one iPhone please please please

[@BigIslandMNMinnetonka]

Give me one