Fuel Sending Units

N

nautiray

New Member
Jun 14, 2010
7
Lake Erie
Boat Info
2000 410 DA
Engines
Twin 454 Horizon
Hello All, can anyone tell me if it is possible to replace the fuel tank sending units in a 1993 400 Express Cruiser without having to remove the fuel tanks? I can get to them from the engine room but where the tanks are squeezed in, I am not sure there is enough room ( looks to be about 2 inches) to completley remove the sending unit from the tank , thanks, Ray D.
 
Sea Ray usually puts an inspection port above the tank sending unit. Sometimes you have to cut one. Most of the time they are well hidden in compartments, behind side walls, under seat bases, etc. First, take a flashlight and get in the bilge and look at the cockpit floor right above the sender. If the inspection plate it there, it will be obvious. If it isn't then you need to determine what is above the sender and locate the sender location where you can drill a pilot hole for a hole saw above the sending unit.

Be patient and measure twice before you go drilling holes.

The sender is an easy replacement if you have enough room overhead in the cockpit. If not, you just have to remove enough of the cockpit to access the spot and height you need.
 
Mine needs replacing too, but in a 2006 300DA. Seems way too early to be needing this. SeaRay wont help because it's out of warranty. Not good. NautiRay, Did you get a price for replacement? My qoute was 450.00 for both? Brian
 
Frank, will double check but I am certain there is no inspection plate in the cockpit floor above them. Don't really want to start drilling holes in the floor unless it is an absolute last measure as they will be an eyesore even with inspection plates reinstalled. Guess there is only one way to find out ,thanks for the response and will let you know how I make out, Ray D.
 
Bridog said:
Mine needs replacing too, but in a 2006 300DA. Seems way too early to be needing this. SeaRay wont help because it's out of warranty. Not good. NautiRay, Did you get a price for replacement? My qoute was 450.00 for both? Brian
Click to expand...

I did mine on my starboard side tank last season, but I don’t remember what I paid for the sending unit. I think around $100. It took around 10 minutes to do it with the worst part of the job was working over an open gas tank and having the bad feeling of sitting on a bomb. The port side would be more difficult but as Frank said there is an access point under the port side cockpit seat. That one would be tough to get at even with the access hatch open, not much room or visibility.
 
Bridog, yes Marinemax can get them for me for about a hundred bucks a piece and your right, with a 2006 I'd say that is a little to soon for them to already stop working. Mine have always been pretty accurate and just stopped this past season, not too bad for 18yrs old.
 
You guys need to be aware that there is a better sender design than the OEM swinging arm type in the boats from the factory. There is a puck type float with no moving parts. The swinging arm type will never last very long since the arm and works are subject to exposure to sea air when the tanks are partially filled. The puck type sender is available from Florida Marine Tanks for your tanks dimensions and they only cost a little bit more.

As far as the sender location on a 400EC most sender location are under seat bases or in cabinets or behind side walls, so don't give up until you look closely. As far as another way to access the sender..........there isn't, at anywhere near a reasonable cost.
 
fwebster said:
You guys need to be aware that there is a better sender design than the OEM swinging arm type in the boats from the factory. There is a puck type float with no moving parts. The swinging arm type will never last very long since the arm and works are subject to exposure to sea air when the tanks are partially filled. The puck type sender is available from Florida Marine Tanks for your tanks dimensions and they only cost a little bit more.
Click to expand...
Frank, in my case, would that be SmartCraft compatible? Thanks, Brian
 
Brian,

I am making an assumption here..........but, I believe all the welded aluminum tanks are made by Florida Marine Tanks and they have several sender designs that are interchangeable and transparent to the wiring in the boat. I switched to the puck sender and didn't change anything....just hooked the wires up to the same terminals on the new senders. SO my assumption is that if your old senders worked with SmartCrap, these will too, only better.

If you have a bad sender, get the parts guy at your dealer to call Florida Marine Tanks and ask if the puck type is available for your tank. Bear in mind that these senders are length specific and have no swinging arm so they will need to fit the tank pretty close to exactly......too long and they won't sit in the hole; too short and you read empty when there is fuel in the tank. I can tell you that if the puck type is available for your tanks, they would be worth 2X the cost of the swinging arm type......very dependable, very accurate and well dampened so the boat attitude and the sea state don't affect the reading nearly as much as the old sender design......works like the fuel gauge in a car.
 
fwebster said:
You guys need to be aware that there is a better sender design than the OEM swinging arm type in the boats from the factory. There is a puck type float with no moving parts. The swinging arm type will never last very long since the arm and works are subject to exposure to sea air when the tanks are partially filled. The puck type sender is available from Florida Marine Tanks for your tanks dimensions and they only cost a little bit more.

As far as the sender location on a 400EC most sender location are under seat bases or in cabinets or behind side walls, so don't give up until you look closely. As far as another way to access the sender..........there isn't, at anywhere near a reasonable cost.
Click to expand...

Frank, can you provide a link or company name for these sending units? I need two also.....
 
fwebster said:
Brian,

I am making an assumption here..........but, I believe all the welded aluminum tanks are made by Florida Marine Tanks and they have several sender designs that are interchangeable and transparent to the wiring in the boat. I switched to the puck sender and didn't change anything....just hooked the wires up to the same terminals on the new senders. SO my assumption is that if your old senders worked with SmartCrap, these will too, only better.

If you have a bad sender, get the parts guy at your dealer to call Florida Marine Tanks and ask if the puck type is available for your tank. Bear in mind that these senders are length specific and have no swinging arm so they will need to fit the tank pretty close to exactly......too long and they won't sit in the hole; too short and you read empty when there is fuel in the tank. I can tell you that if the puck type is available for your tanks, they would be worth 2X the cost of the swinging arm type......very dependable, very accurate and well dampened so the boat attitude and the sea state don't affect the reading nearly as much as the old sender design......works like the fuel gauge in a car.
Click to expand...
Thanks, will do!
 
nautiray said:
Frank, will double check but I am certain there is no inspection plate in the cockpit floor above them. Don't really want to start drilling holes in the floor unless it is an absolute last measure as they will be an eyesore even with inspection plates reinstalled. Guess there is only one way to find out ,thanks for the response and will let you know how I make out, Ray D.
Click to expand...


try to feel if they under carpet inside cockpit storage areas, under ice-maker etc
 
Please remember to disconnect the batteries completely. Many components use low voltage to keep critical information stored in electronic gadgets and can produce a small discharge when disconnecting or connecting wiring.

I too felt like sitting on a bomb when I changed my sending unit. Never and never use a fan to vent fumes from the engine bay or bilge.
 
Sea Ray always puts a way to access these sending units. Can't have dealers cutting holes in newer boats. On mine, I had to remove a vertical panel on the side of the cockpit by a speaker. Behind the panel was an access hole. If you can't find it, get in the bilge, look at the sender, the access will be above it up to 45 degrees away.

The original Moeller swing arm sender lasted 21 years. The replacement has been cheapened so much and made universal to cut cost that I doubt it will last five years.
 
I'm a new boat owner, just purchased a 1997 190 Bowrider, very low hours, runs very well. I need to replace fuel sending unit. Can anyone tell me where access to that is?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,118
Messages
1,426,520
Members
61,035
Latest member
Lukerney
Back
Top