[daddy2mykids04]

Hello all. So I am working on a 1988 vn750. The bike is in good shape but the fuel level sending unit is missing. And apparently finding a used one is impossible around here or on ebay. With that said, I know someone mentioned that they just deleted it by using an O ring pressed down by a metal plate mounted where the sending unit would bolt up. This is the route I am going to have to go. So does anyone have pics of how they successfully did this? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[O' Darkness]

Hello all. So I am working on a 1988 vn750. The bike is in good shape but the fuel level sending unit is missing. And apparently finding a used one is impossible around here or on ebay. With that said, I know someone mentioned that they just deleted it by using an O ring pressed down by a metal plate mounted where the sending unit would bolt up. This is the route I am going to have to go. So does anyone have pics of how they successfully did this? Any advice would be appreciated.

I don't know about an O-Ring, but I'd use this:

Swap out the wing nut for an actual nut, or use thread lock. A semi-permanent, worry-free reliable solution designed specifically for this type of application.

Here's the link.

 

[Spockster]

I don't know about an O-Ring, but I'd use this:

View attachment 55960

Swap out the wing nut for an actual nut, or use thread lock. A semi-permanent, worry-free reliable solution designed specifically for this type of application.

Here's the link.

Then you still have to plug the screw holes.

I think a plate with the oring or even RTV should work. You would want to let RTV set up some before installing.

An alternative would be purging the gas fumes and mig weld a plate over the hole, with spot welds over the screw holes.

 

[O' Darkness]

Then you still have to plug the screw holes.

I think a plate with the oring or even RTV should work.

The screw holes don't penetrate the liquid portion of the tank, at least not on my tank.

CORRECTION: Well I'll be damned, they do go through. I lost one of the original screws and had to go with one slightly longer, but it wouldn't go in all that way. Wonder why? Do the threads only go in so far, maybe?

I wouldn't do that O-Ring thing, though. Not a reliable choice. It's not going to spread evenly as torque is applied to the plate. But another option would be a rectangular piece of rubber with only holes for the screws.

 

[Spockster]

The screw holes don't penetrate the liquid portion of the tank, at least not on my tank.

CORRECTION: Well I'll be damned, they do go through. I lost one of the original screws and had to go with one slightly longer, but it wouldn't go in all that way. Wonder why? Do the threads only go in so far, maybe?

I wouldn't do that O-Ring thing, though. Not a reliable choice. It's not going to spread evenly as torque is applied to the plate. But another option would be a rectangular piece of rubber with only holes for the screws.

Not sure about the holes, I've only changed the tank once. Surely they go all the way through, the tank isn't all that thick.

Fuel resistant gasket material would work.

I think an o-ring would seal. But it will also fail eventually unless you can find Viton, to resist ethanol.

 

[O' Darkness]

Not sure about the holes, I've only changed the tank once. Surely they go all the way through, the tank isn't all that thick.

Fuel resistant gasket material would work.

I think an o-ring would seal. But it will also fail eventually unless you can find Viton, to resist ethanol.

There's many more plugs available that could be used in those screw holes. The plug I posted is chemical resistant.

If this were something that I were going to do, I'd make a plate with hole in the center and 4 for each screws. Put that expanding plug in the big hole, and then use a rubber gasket cut to fit the square plate shape. Cut a hole in center of that rubber gasket piece along with the 4 screw holes. Put it over the plug, and then screw down the plate onto the tank AND the plug. No gas would ever get past that.

Over-engineered? Probably. Safer? I would think so. Foolproof? Most definitely.

 

[Knifemaker]

Was the old unit leaking? If it doesn’t work and you don’t want to buy a new one, I’d just leave it there.

 

[O' Darkness]

Was the old unit leaking? If it doesn’t work and you don’t want to buy a new one, I’d just leave it there.

The bike is in good shape but the fuel level sending unit is missing. And apparently finding a used one is impossible around here or on ebay.

 

[Knifemaker]

Ah, missed that. Never mind 😉

 

[Thorn]

There's many more plugs available that could be used in those screw holes. The plug I posted is chemical resistant.

If this were something that I were going to do, I'd make a plate with hole in the center and 4 for each screws. Put that expanding plug in the big hole, and then use a rubber gasket cut to fit the square plate shape. Cut a hole in center of that rubber gasket piece along with the 4 screw holes. Put it over the plug, and then screw down the plate onto the tank AND the plug. No gas would ever get past that.

Over-engineered? Probably. Safer? I would think so. Foolproof? Most definitely.

How is that more gas-tight than just a plate, gasket, and four screws? Seems like you're poking extra holes in your membrane in order to allow for the plugging of a hole that would be covered by the membrane.

 

[Thorn]

Squinting at the pictures of an old ebay post of a sender and it's gasket, it doesn't look like the four screws could possibly be gas-tight if they penetrate into the interior of the tank. No gasket surface between the threads and the head of the fastener, they just go straight through holes in the rubber.

 

[O' Darkness]

How is that more gas-tight than just a plate, gasket, and four screws? Seems like you're poking extra holes in your membrane in order to allow for the plugging of a hole that would be covered by the membrane.

It's far more gas-tight that just an O-Ring that's encircling the central hole and the screw holes with a plate squeezing it down.

Squinting at the pictures of an old ebay post of a sender and it's gasket, it doesn't look like the four screws could possibly be gas-tight if they penetrate into the interior of the tank. No gasket surface between the threads and the head of the fastener, they just go straight through holes in the rubber.

Yeah, the screws do go into the tank. What I am suggesting is put the large plug in place, then OVER that you'd place a square rubber gasket, say about 1/4 inch thick that covers all the way out to the 4 screws, maybe about half an inch beyond on all sides. It doesn't matter how many holes you put in that gasket, so long as they're no larger than the screws.

See the gasket here?

Make that same thing, except a small hole in the center for the expansion plug nut to poke through.

 

[Knifemaker]

Not sure how well it could be applied in this case, but way back I had a gas tank that got punctured. I used some of that two part epoxy putty on it. Think it was a “marine grade” whatever that means. Just kneeled the stuff until mixed and then shoved it into and over the the hole. Worked fine, no leaks ever.
I just took a wire brush and took of the paint right on the edge of the hole off, but it did seem to stick well to the areas I didn’t brush.
Would think you could use the stuff and just roll it into a square an inch wider than the opening and press it down. ⬛

 

[O' Darkness]

Not sure how well it could be applied in this case, but way back I had a gas tank that got punctured. I used some of that two part epoxy putty on it. Think it was a “marine grade” whatever that means. Just kneeled the stuff until mixed and then shoved it into and over the the hole. Worked fine, no leaks ever.
I just took a wire brush and took of the paint right on the edge of the hole off, but it did seem to stick well to the areas I didn’t brush.
Would think you could use the stuff and just roll it into a square an inch wider than the opening and press it down. ⬛

That's not a bad idea. A lot simpler. What's the cure time on that stuff?

 

[Knifemaker]

I let mine go 32 hours (package said 24)
Only problem doing this is you’ll not likely be able to remove it if you find a replacement sending someday.

 

[Spockster]

That's a pretty big patch. I'd hate to be riding if it let go.