| Author | Message | ||
     Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 508 Registered: 5-2009 |
Is there an alternative source for this item? It appears to be very "bought-out" and $250 USD seems proud. I see it is a Smith's TB1214/006 I had a "failure to proceed" Friday afternoon: She ran out of gas. It was my fault, as I was trying to lower the fuel level to facilitate access to the suspected-faulty sender unit. Alas! After adding a can of fuel, her starter, being British and all, decided to go out on strike, so it was the flatbed for us. While I am ordering the bolts for the exhaust pipe clamps on A-bank, I need to obtain a fuel gauge sender as well. On removal I found fuel in the plastic float, and corrosion had parted one of the two electrical connections on the tank side of the unit. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1656 Registered: 6-2009 |
Randy, You might want to contact Holden Vintage & Classic in the UK about this. They have a number of Smith's sender replacements (here's one) and at the very least they may be able to point you to a source if they don't have one. Brian, who's pretty darned certain you'll source a functionally equivalent or correct sender for far less than US $250 | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 484 Registered: 5-2015 |
The plastic float is a generic Smiths part and was fitted to lots of brit cars. The RR sensor is specific to RR. But the parts its made from are again generic. Strickly speaking a new fuel level sensor should be fitted. However it is such a simple device that one can easily repair them. The only setting point to worry about is the empty setting. The rest near enough will do. Go to bone yard and whip a sensor out of any old brit car from 1970 to 1985 for bits especially the float. Spitfire TR6 MGB Jags Mini Midget Minor Marina Allegro 1100/1300 Maxi some Fords then there is Rootes cars like the Hunter.The list is huge. Also some USA made cars are very similar. Some will think that rebuilding a fuel sender is a bit bodgey. I encourage people to have a go because once one gets the knack of repairing stuff that isn't meant to be repaired, one can get very adventurous. Floats can be made from solid cork and varnished. To remove petrol from hollow floats boil in water. But then sealing a plastic float is nigh impossible. I have tried. Brass floats are fiddly but can be sealed. I have repaired a few Smiths type senders with success. The float moves a contact across a winding like a potentiometer. This version has a contact for low fuel light. The windings can break but a soldered bridge on the back of the windings pcb sorts out that problem. Which is 90% of fuel sender problems fixed. The calibration is adjusted by a slotted screw which alters the relationship between the float arm and contact. Also the float arm can be bent | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 959 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Randy If you can repair the sender unit, you can buy the float here: http://www.partsgeek.com/7jh1r5n-jaguar-xj6-fuel-level-float.html Fits perfectly - I have one on SRX18501. Geoff | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1657 Registered: 6-2009 |
Bob_UK wrote: Some will think that rebuilding a fuel sender is a bit bodgey. I encourage people to have a go because once one gets the knack of repairing stuff that isn't meant to be repaired, one can get very adventurous. Amen, brother!! Not to mention one can learn how to revive many things either "made of unobtainium" or available only as "a unit" (and usually a very expensive unit) when only one small part is in need of repair. One example of the latter was the auxiliary heater pump in my 1999 Jag which died only because the brushes had finally been consumed. Jag would only sell the whole unit and at an ungodly price. Even used ones, which could have the same problem, were relatively expensive. So, I figured out how to do this repair myself and posted the resulting step-by-step instructions to the Jaguar Clubs of North America forums. [Sadly, since that time they've migrated forums software and dumped quite a few of the pictures that were posted on many threads. That detracts quite a bit when you've posted photos to document what's in a set of instructions.] This isn't the only thing that, "you can't repair," that I've successfully repaired. Brian | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1658 Registered: 6-2009 |
Randy, Also see here on englishparts.com for the float. It appears they may also be a source for the whole sender unit. Brian | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 487 Registered: 5-2015 |
My repair abilities has saved me an enormous amount of money over the years. Example of this was a burnt up heater motor blower. The heat had melted the brush gear and mountings for the brushes. A new motor was 200 quid Mercedes. So using lucas dynamo brushes filed down and bits of aluminium I repaired the motor. 2 quid. One has to be careful with other peoples cars and generally labour charges negate the saving. However the parts labour ratio can be made to work in my favour. I found that a lot of reconditioned parts have only had a sprinkling of new parts. Often the reconditioner picks out a good working used part and thus minimising the parts spend. An old mate of mine used to test lever arm dampers. Any with bad bearings were sold on to another reconditioner. The ones that passed would then be cleaned painted and oil changed. His dampers were half the price. This all sounds dodgy but he never had compliants. He guaranteed them for 24 months unlimited mileage. Eventually lots of little bits and bobs for Shadows are going to become unavailable. Remanufacture of Austin Seven stuff is one thing but RR parts is entirely different. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 960 Registered: 5-2012 |
I had a problem with an XK8 I used to own. It kept going into "get you home" mode, which meant 5mph. Turning the ignition off and on would clear the problem. I tracked the fault down to a faulty throttle position sensor. When I checked out Gaudin Jaguar parts I found you could not buy the tps as an individual item as it was classed as integral with the throttle body. You had to buy the whole unit at $2390. Fortunately, on closer inspection I found it was the connector that was causing the fault, not the actual tps. Interestingly I see that aftermarket specialists are now supplying the part on ebay at $124. This wasn't the case 10 years ago, when I owned the car. I'm not sure what my workaround would have been at that time, had the actual tps been faulty, but with two and a half grand at stake for what is a glorified potentiometer, I'm sure I would have found one. Geoff | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1661 Registered: 6-2009 |
Geoff, The good thing about the cars using the AJ-V8 variants was (and is) that there are *lots* of parts cars out there from which to scavenge virtually any part (or "part of part") you need. Not that it's applicable to electrical parts, but the advent of 3-D scanning and 3-D printing in a wide array of materials is going to be game changing as far as any part being "made of unobtainium" as long as a single example exists. Brian | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 510 Registered: 5-2009 |
Bingo (I hope)! look at this site jjcraceandralley.com They offer a "universal" sending unit for Smith's fuel gauges. It looks pretty-much spot-on; it has the right number of spade terminals (2) and an adjustable-length float arm. They offer a top mount or side mount (ours). Cost $42.98 US plus about $14 shipping from the UK. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 512 Registered: 5-2009 |
Another source I found: in the USA: info@nisonger.com repair gauges, including Smith's. They offer a universal Smith's sender, as the one I found (i.e.side mount) and also two versions: with or without provision for the low fuel warning lamp. Very reasonably priced at $79.95 and $84.95 plus shipping, respectively. Telephone Paul Bayer at 914 381-3600 between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. I hope this helps someone. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 516 Registered: 5-2009 |
UPDATE: the potential replacement sender arrived from Jolly Old today: it's almost exactly like the old one, just a couple of features different, like the adjustable float arm length and a plastic housing around the two spade terminals which may or may not interfere with connecting he wires; can be easily cut away if necessary. All for $57.82 including post. Recommended | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1673 Registered: 6-2009 |
Randy, Please, if you can, photo document your replacement process and post about same. I'm interested in whether the float arm should be set at the same length as the original sender unit or if an adjustment is necessary to compensate either for physical or electrical output differences in the unit itself. So far it doesn't look like I'll be doing this job any time soon, but having this sort of information from someone who's "been there, done that" and done the necessary tweaking to get it all right is immensely helpful to those who will be coming along and doing this later. Brian | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 517 Registered: 5-2009 |
Brian, see photos I sent to your email. Smith's used a standard of 2 to 20 ohms for fuel gauges, is what I read, so I suspect the units are exactly the same and will read the same if the float arm is set to the same length. Once I install it and put some gas in I will know. One thing for sure: it will be better than the one I had, which was in terrible condition. | ||
| MC Bowman Unregistered guest Posted From: 174.21.169.18 |
I am looking for a replacement fuel sending unit for my 67 Shadow1. Does anyone here have knowledge of where a suitable substitute could be found. Regards, MC (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 704 Registered: 5-2009 |
My search revealed a USA representative for Smith's who were able to provide a Smith's universal replacement for less than $75 US. It was identical to the original in my '77 except the float arm was adjustable. The first one I got had a fault and would not work, the second worked perfectly. It even operates the "low Fuel" lamp. Ta Da! And at a very nice price! Some of the purveyors of British sports car parts handle this same instrument. | ||
| MC Bowman Unregistered guest Posted From: 174.21.169.18 |
Thats good to know Randy. Would you have any idea as to whether it would be the same unit in my 67. Also, do you recall the name of the part supplier? Thanks MC (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 706 Registered: 5-2009 |
Sorry I forgot to include the contact: Nisonger. It's on an earlier post of mine in this thread. Smith's is the source and they are all over so I guess my point is a suitable unit is still available. I do not know if it suitable for your vintage Car. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1133 Registered: 4-2009 |
Dear Randy look at this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252811484136?ul_noapp=true thanks Omar | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 707 Registered: 5-2009 |
Thanks, Omar. It looks exactly like the one on my '77 Wraith II. I paid a little less than that for the brand-new Smith's replacement which I bought two years ago. |
