Tank Sending unit removal 1996 GTX

[bz1mcr]

I have the sending unit loose, but do not seem to be able to remove it from the tank. It has four hoses and some wires connected to it. I can raise it up and it seems to be very close to coming out of the tank, but I have not found a way to get it out. Do I need to remove the 4 hoses, and or pull the tank out? How do I mark the hoses to be sure they are placed on the correct nipples when reinstalling them? Also the nipples are really close together and the factory used crimp on hose clamps. Is there room to use normal hose clamps?


By the way the reason I am wanting to get at the sending unit is fuel starvation at heavy throttle. The ski first started starving for fuel a few years ago, I checked all the filters, paid $600 to have the carbs rebuilt and it still lacked power. Then I found it ran fine as long as the selector valve was in the reserve position. It has run in the reserve position for several years but now it is starting to starve for fuel even in reserve. I have disassembled the selector valve and it is clean and flows well in both positions. Oh Yeah, and last year the fuel gage started reading full even when the tank was near empty. So the sending unit is suspected of causing fuel starvation and improper fuel level signals.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[exwattscop]

I'm hardly and expert so that this reply as a possible issue.

I am literally in my garage working on my 97 GTX and have my baffle out as I replace my fuel lines. To get it out you need to remove the pop up compartment under the steering handles. Has 4 plastic Philip screws. You may need to wedge a flat head screw driver between the plastic screw and the black plastic base it is screwed into. You will need to remove the fuel lines and electronic contacts before being able to pull the whole unit out. Just to be safe mark you lines and the edge of the baffle so you put the lines back. It should have them markings already on the baffle (mine does) that says which line to connect where (On/Res/Vent/Return). You can them remove the bottom of the baffle to check the magnets to see and see if it is floating correctly or not. You can also put the key in and by moving the baffle up and down in the take you should see the fuel indicator change.

On the issues with having fuel starvation on the high end. You may need to adjust the high adjustment on your carbs. You can read a ton of posts here about rebuilding your carbs that talk about the High and low end adjustment.. Lastly and what I am doing is replacing you fuel lines. If you still have the stock grey fuel lines they need to go. They were at the center of all my carb, fuel, throttle and performance issues. Hope this helps and good luck...

 

[- BiRkS_]

Did you ever replace the fuel lines after the carbs were rebuilt? The fuel lines break down with the ethanol in our new fuels and the insides turn to green goo and plug up the carbs. If the lines are still grey, change them out ASAP! Then the carbs will have to be gone through again. A trick to getting the upper glove box cover off, lift it straight up (as high as possible, and pull up, the top will pop off, and give you access to the two top screws. then disconnect the wires, and pull fuel baffle out.

 

[bz1mcr]

I'm hardly and expert so that this reply as a possible issue.

I am literally in my garage working on my 97 GTX and have my baffle out as I replace my fuel lines. To get it out you need to remove the pop up compartment under the steering handles. Has 4 plastic Philip screws. You may need to wedge a flat head screw driver between the plastic screw and the black plastic base it is screwed into. You will need to remove the fuel lines and electronic contacts before being able to pull the whole unit out. Just to be safe mark you lines and the edge of the baffle so you put the lines back. It should have them markings already on the baffle (mine does) that says which line to connect where (On/Res/Vent/Return). You can them remove the bottom of the baffle to check the magnets to see and see if it is floating correctly or not. You can also put the key in and by moving the baffle up and down in the take you should see the fuel indicator change.

On the issues with having fuel starvation on the high end. You may need to adjust the high adjustment on your carbs. You can read a ton of posts here about rebuilding your carbs that talk about the High and low end adjustment.. Lastly and what I am doing is replacing you fuel lines. If you still have the stock grey fuel lines they need to go. They were at the center of all my carb, fuel, throttle and performance issues. Hope this helps and good luck...

Thanks so much for your message and suggestions.
I have the "pop-up compartment" removed. I was hoping to get the sender out without disconnecting the electrical plug and 4 fuel lines. I thought I might be able to tip the top forward and get the bottom of the sender out of the tank with the hoses and electrical still attached. Sounds like that will not happen. So, does the sender need to come out through the compartment hole? And, is there room to install standard #0 (screw tightening) hose clamps when reattaching the hoses? Seems like attaching those hoses down in the machine would be a bear. Is it easiest to cut the hoses and rejoin them with a barbed nipple and two hose clamps in a more accessible place. If disconnecting the hoses at the baffle, must the old clamps be cut off?

My fuel gage always reads full (not empty), so I don't think it is a float not floating. Seems like the float may be stuck up high or a magnet or electrical problem. I guess when I unplug the connector I can check to see if the gage display reads high , low or no reading. Anyway, getting the gage working is secondary. I can run it with out a fuel gage...but I don't want it running starving for fuel. That needs to be fixed.

I am guessing the fuel restriction is in the screen at the bottom of the sender/baffle. I suspect that is why if ran ok for a few years in the reserve position, but would starve for fuel in the run position.If not I'll need to check the carbs high speed adjustment.
I have inspected the grey fuel lines at the selector valve. I saw no indication of a problem. The main (high mounted) fuel filter has never appeared to be collecting any residue or particles from the lines. Plus I have had the machine to two shops and asked both to look for any fuel line problems. They both said they saw no problem and have never heard a problem with the grey lines.

 

[bz1mcr]

Did you ever replace the fuel lines after the carbs were rebuilt? The fuel lines break down with the ethanol in our new fuels and the insides turn to green goo and plug up the carbs. If the lines are still grey, change them out ASAP! Then the carbs will have to be gone through again. A trick to getting the upper glove box cover off, lift it straight up (as high as possible, and pull up, the top will pop off, and give you access to the two top screws. then disconnect the wires, and pull fuel baffle out.

Thanks for the suggestion of removing the cover of the compartment. I wish I had known the cover came off like that when I was struggling to get the top two screws out. I had to improvise something to get a screw driver in the screw head enough to get it to turn with the cover in place. I kept telling my self there must be a better way to get to these screws. Yeah... like removing the cover. Removing the cover will sure make it easier to reinstall that compartment. Thanks for that.

See the comments in my other message about the fuel lines.