1973 Dodge Dart Sport Progress Thread
 

I figured that if I was going to tackle this project, I would like to dedicate a thread to tracking and sharing my progress. Here she is as of right now.

I replaced the furl filter, and fuel pump. I dropped the gas tank to drain the old fuel. The black, tar like fluid in the blue tote is the fuel I found in the tank. The sending unit was shot as well. I ordered a new sending unit, and the gas tank is getting scrubbed out.

Wow....

I know right? The fuel was terrible. The tank was pretty bad as well. With some elbow grease and purple power, I have made a lot of progress on the inside of the tank. My issue now is that I don't know exactly how clean is clean enough. Obviously you can never get it too clean, but I definitely haven't gotten it spotless. I'll just keep on scrubbing, hopefully I won't have to shell out for a brand new tank.

buy a new tank

Well, I'm in luck. I did some searching around, an I found this on craigslist.

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/ptd/4368356209.html

The guy has a ton of brand new mopar tanks. He only wants about $120 to $130 for the one I need. That's much more reasonable than the $400 the parts store quoted me lol. I pick it up on Sunday. My sending unit came in, as well as a lock ring set. Now I just have to wait for my new filler neck grommet and J-bolt set from Classic Industries (thanks Bob lol) to come in, and we'll be in business. With my luck, I'll still need a carburetor rebuild kit, or a new carburetor, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Got a new tank, three lock rings (one came with the sending unit, one with the tank, and I bought one before I knew I'd get the other two with the parts I bought lol) new sending unit, new j-bolts, new straps. Waiting on a die cut rubber insulation pad to come in the mail, and all will be installed!

On a side note, check out the differences in the sending units. Do you guys think it will still work? The new one is bent differently, and has a weird cylinder where the float attaches to. Theres a wire leading from the plug to the cylinder. It's pretty different.

Check the sender with the gauge on the dash. Make sure it sweeps from empty to half to Full....
If thats good.... You are good to go... :)

Well, I plugged the sending unit in, and nothing at the dash. I'm not so sure it's not a bad gauge or ground under the dash though. But the sending unit I got is pretty different from the original one. The original one seems pretty simple, has a tab that moves past a "circuit board" with strips of metal, I'm assuming what sends the fuel level to the dash. The new one has that cylindrical housing, I don't know how it operates. I may try to return that one for one that matches the original one

You must ground the sending unit flange.

You have to ground the sender.... Like Coronet500 said....

I had the ground strap on, but I went back out and double checked. I grounded the wire from the gauge, and the sending unit flange. Looks like I'll be looking for a new gauge. While playing with the dash a little bit, I was taking a look at some of the aftermarket gauges the previous owner installed. He put a tach on the steering column, and an oil pressure gauge under the vents. The oil pressure gauge is strange. Has the two wires off of the gauge dangling off of it, and an oil line going to the back of the gauge. With a lot of air in it.

I wouldn't condemn the oil gauge yet if the tube goes to the back of the block beside the distributor. The wires are likely for back lighting and the air in the line is good, if it was a full column of liquid then there is a leak in the tube.

There are ways to check the fuel gauge, can't remember now.