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1983 - 1987 EFI in tank sending unit

6K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  Tinbender59 
#1 ·
#3 ·
That has been available for a good while and there are many threads here that have discussed it.
The sender is for a 17 gallon tank. If you put it in a 22 gallon tank, the fuel gauge will be pretty useless. Dixie will tell you it's OK but it isn't OK. Also keep in mind that the holder for the fuel pump is designed for a stock one for a 4.3 diesel engine. It won't work for a TPI. You will have to adapt a pump that will work for a TPI motor to that holder. I like to use Walbro pumps and that holder on the Dixie sender doesn't fit a Walbro without modification.
Also keep in mind that your fuel tank needs to have a tray in the bottom when you have fuel injection.

See this recent thread:
Fuel tank sender
 
#4 ·
Just my 2 cents worth. The 17 gal Dixie sender should work OK. It will be inaccurate once the tank is full- it will show full for a while before it starts to come down. It will show when empty, but you want to keep an EFI tank at least 1/4 full, to keep the fuel pump cooled ( and to prevent sucking up a lot of debris from the bottom of the tank). I also have the walbro pump, and like them, but have switched to using AC EP381 pumps. They have good pressure and volume, and are much quieter than the walbro. Still may require a slight mod at the bottom to make fit.

As for the baffle, they are nice to have, but not totally necessary ( depending on how you drive). I had a TBI tank with the baffle on my Elky, but it got damaged, so I got a new Spectra tank. It did have the baffle, sort of, but it drove me crazy trying to fill it up. Finally removed it to modify the venting, and replaced it temporarily with my old stock 22 gal non baffled tank. After several years of using the stock tank, I sold off the modified Spectra.

Full disclosure- I did run it dry one time, on a long sweeping freeway on ramp, where I was being particularly aggressive, with a low ( just at 1/4 full) tank. Took about 10 minutes to get the pump to prime and re-supply the engine.

An option is to use something like the Holly HydraMat. It eliminates the need for baffle, and you could use your stock sender for the gauge ( without the pickup- in fact makes the sender a good place for the fuel return.)
 
#5 ·
I used the Dixie hanger and put an 02 Camaro pump on it and an adapter at the unit to #6an and ran a new 3/8 line to the fuel rail from an 04 Vette filter/regulator. It works quite well but the previous comments already pointed out the drawbacks. I found my car can go over 150 miles and never comes off "Full" at the gauge but drops like a rock once it leaves the "F" mark. One other poster on here the other day said he used the Holley Sniper G-Body sending unit and says it's working good. I asked about the difference in the mounting angle since the ElCo tank has a bulge at the sender and he said it seems to be working OK but he doesn't have his gauge hooked up yet. I'm still looking at this pump and thinking about givin it a shot. From what I can tell so far the pick-up would be about an inch off the bottom of the tank and I never run less than 1/4 tank anyway it shouldn't be a problem.

Joe
 
#8 ·
You might find it somewhere else but the description is accurate. There are others with the same description, just google the size Female 16MM x 1.5 Saginaw to #6 AN

I used the Earl's fitting, probably wouldn't make much difference from another Mfg.

Joe
 
#10 ·
That's the sender I started with. It showed fuel level as others above described.
the stock TPI pump will fit the sender in place of the TBI pump - physically, the connectors and external shape of the pumps are the same. The only difference is the output pressure.
 
#14 ·
I’m using a 22 gallon tank and the 4.3L pump assembly. have no issues with the accuracy of the fuel gauge.
I've seen a few of you here say what you say but the gauge isn't accurate when the tank is full, not a 3/4, not at 1/2, and not at 1/4. Only time it's accurate is when approaching empty.

Not good enough for me but I do admit I'm anal about things. If something doesn't work like it should work, I can't live with it.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I recently purchased one of 4.3 fuel injection units, finally got it installed and it works great with my 350 TPI unit , with one exception my fuel gauge is not reading stuck on empty. Fuel indicator was working fine prior to the change. Other than that problem it works great whisper quiet . I checked the OHM reading on the harness attached to the pump receiver and it showed zero CL which would indicate an open. One thing different about this application from old fuel pickups is it does not have a ground attached to the receiver unit and only 3 wires power, ground , and fuel indicator. I'm suspecting there is a problem with the flout . unfortunately the tank is full will have to burn off a bunch to find out. Open to suggestions. Thanks
 
#17 ·
Well i ordered the Earls fitting, picked up 20 feet of high pressure FI hose, and have it all installed. I used the original steel line as a return line. Modified the TPI fuel rails to accept AN6 fittings, and waiting to put DC power to it, finishing the ECU install, and motor conversion.
 
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