Six bolt fuel sender

[BlindHog]

The fuel sender in my Cabo is bad and needs to be replaced - I have checked the wires and the gauge and all seem to function properly. I can find a ton of replacement senders that are five bolts but the only six bolt senders I have found seem to reference an old ford from the 1940's so I'm sure I am missing something. Any thoughts on where to find a replacement or how to change? I really thought this would be a straight forward job but just source the sender has been a bear.

 

[Comodave]

Don’t know, all the senders I have seen are 5 bolt. Interested in seeing the outcome.

 

[twistedtree]

I've never seen one either. Perhaps contact Wema? They make a ton of such senders and may know about it.

 

[bkcorwin]

Whats the diameter of the 6 bolt part? If its big enough you could just make an adapter plate that adapts from the 6 bolt to the 5.

 

[BlindHog]

Whats the diameter of the 6 bolt part? If its big enough you could just make an adapter plate that adapts from the 6 bolt to the 5.

I have thought about this as a viable option. I will measure it later as I haven't honestly gone that far with the thought. I really was hoping I was just missing something obvious and someone here on TF would have an "hey dummy" moment and set me on the right path.

 

[BlindHog]

Went down to the boat at lunchtime and measured the sender as 4" in diameter. If the weather and time allows, I may pull the sender and see what's under it. Maybe it was originally a five bolt? Still odd that a boat made in 1998 would have a six bolt sender it when it seems the industry standard is five bolts and appears to have been that way for some time.

 

[BlindHog]

I've never seen one either. Perhaps contact Wema? They make a ton of such senders and may know about it.

Thanks for the idea and I have reached out to them for advice.

 

[jgwinks]

I've never seen a six bolt one either. The 5 bolt ones only go in one way so you know the floating arm won't hit the side of the tank. I'd probably just redrill the holes, making sure I had the sender lined up to not hit the tank side. If that didn't work then an adapter plate would be the way to go.

 

[Comodave]

Went down to the boat at lunchtime and measured the sender as 4" in diameter. If the weather and time allows, I may pull the sender and see what's under it. Maybe it was originally a five bolt? Still odd that a boat made in 1998 would have a six bolt sender it when it seems the industry standard is five bolts and appears to have been that way for some time.

My parents had a 1971 Carver that had a 5 bolt sender. I know because it was leaking horribly and I had to fix it. So for over 50 years it may be that the standard was 5 bolt…

 

[bkcorwin]

The old one is big enough you can just make an adapter plate. The bolt hole circle on a 5 bolt is 2.125" diameter. Best to just convert to a 5 bolt. You will gain a LOT more options.

 

[twistedtree]

Went down to the boat at lunchtime and measured the sender as 4" in diameter. If the weather and time allows, I may pull the sender and see what's under it. Maybe it was originally a five bolt? Still odd that a boat made in 1998 would have a six bolt sender it when it seems the industry standard is five bolts and appears to have been that way for some time.

That's a good bit bigger than an SAE 5 bolt which is closer to 3" I'd say. Given that, and adapter plate might work out really well with space for both the original mounting holes and the SAE aperture.

 

[High Wire]

Those ring terminals have significant corrosion on them. Have you removed the terminals and measured the resistance's of the sender? What happens to indicated level when you short the sender wire to ground? What is the condition of the tank ground wire?

 

[Comodave]

Also those connectors look like they are not sealed so may have significant corrosion inside the wires.

 

[Barefoot]

https://www.autometer.com/fuel-level-sender-adapter.html