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help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon
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jerrybev
Posted 2018-03-26 2:23 PM (#560519)
Subject: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon


Elite Veteran

Posts: 688
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Location: Winston Salem, N.C.
hi
Had it rebuilt twice, installed the gage and it appeared to measures correctly. Now when cranked, the gas gage needle moves to "full" when there is only a half tank of gas in the car. When it was removed and tested, it appeared to function properly. However, When reinstalled it is not accurate.
It now has a Thermatic fuel gage unit.


I wonder if an electro magnetic fuel gage unit will fit a 56 station wagon?
Also, I was told earlier by someone that a sedan gas gage was not correct for a wagon.
any advice greatly appreciated.
Jerry Whitfield
winston salem NC
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56D500boy
Posted 2018-03-26 3:07 PM (#560524 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: RE: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon



Expert 5K+

Posts: 9854
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Location: Lower Mainland BC
Jerry: The 55-56 and probably other year fuel gauges and level senders are sedan and station wagon (suburban) specific. You need a 1622 622 for your suburban. See the part number list under the photo.

Like this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-Plymouth-Suburban-Dash-Fuel-Gauge-Mopa...

or this one:

http://www.moparmall.com/1622622-gas-gauge-1955-1956-Plymouth-Subur...







Edited by 56D500boy 2018-03-26 3:08 PM




(55-56FuelGaugePNs.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments 55-56FuelGaugePNs.jpg (180KB - 207 downloads)
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jerrybev
Posted 2018-03-28 9:13 PM (#560653 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: RE: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon


Elite Veteran

Posts: 688
500100252525
Location: Winston Salem, N.C.
my problem may well be with the fuel sending unit in the gas tank. Maybe I should search for one? Anyone know the part # for a 56 suburban station wagon?
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56D500boy
Posted 2018-03-29 5:14 PM (#560688 - in reply to #560653)
Subject: RE: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon



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Location: Lower Mainland BC
jerrybev - 2018-03-28 9:13 PM
my problem may well be with the fuel sending unit in the gas tank. Maybe I should search for one? Anyone know the part # for a 56 suburban station wagon?


Jerry: I think that I'm going to have to start charging you for my parts finding "service". Where do I send my invoice?

In the meantime, you might want to learn how to find your own PNs and/or Search eBay. It will make your life easier (well, at least less reliant on others). If you find your part and were still unsure, you could post the PN you found and I (and others) would be happy to confirm that it is the correct part (or not) - hopefully before you buy said part.

How to find 55-58 Forward Look parts hints:

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=66548&...

Using those "hints" just now, I found what you might need on eBay and then confirmed the PN shown in the auction using the parts pdf (see below)

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Mopar-NOS-1955-56-Plymouth-Dodge-Wagon-Fuel-...



Edited by 56D500boy 2018-03-29 6:42 PM




(55-58FuelLevelSenderPNs.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments 55-58FuelLevelSenderPNs.jpg (171KB - 208 downloads)
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jerrybev
Posted 2018-04-16 1:08 PM (#561730 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: RE: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon


Elite Veteran

Posts: 688
500100252525
Location: Winston Salem, N.C.
hi
THANK ALL OF YOU for your help in my 56 plymouth restoration. Without your help, it would not have happened.
see attached photo
jerry whitfield
winston salem NC



(1956 ply rear xxxsmall.jpg)



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Attachments 1956 ply rear xxxsmall.jpg (111KB - 190 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2018-04-16 2:30 PM (#561735 - in reply to #561730)
Subject: RE: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon



Expert 5K+

Posts: 9854
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Location: Lower Mainland BC
Jerry: For my small part, you're more than welcome. Happy to help. I love the challenge of finding parts.

NOW, in payment, you need to post more photos of your obviously very nice 56 Plymouth Sport Suburban wagon

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71charger_fan
Posted 2018-06-04 9:19 PM (#564548 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: Re: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon


Elite Veteran

Posts: 667
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Location: Frederick, MD
The fuel gauge in my 55 is driving me crazy. I've installed an NOS sender and NOS gauge and nothing going on at the gauge. The wiring diagram in the service manual is about useless. There's no indication as to how/where the circuit grounds. I don't understand how the same parts work for 6V positive ground or 12V negative ground, but they're supposed to. The gauge workings seem electrically isolated and not grounded at the dash. Tomorrow, I'm going to remove the sender and gauge again and try testing them on the bench.
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56D500boy
Posted 2018-06-04 11:17 PM (#564561 - in reply to #564548)
Subject: Re: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon



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I can't help you with the 6V vs 12V thing but I can tell you how my 56 Dodge fuel gauge works. The sender gets power via one wire that is "hot" when the key is in the ACC or RUN position. So that is your first thing to check. Are you getting 6V (in your case) when the ignition key is turned to ACC or RUN? IF not, your issue is between the ignition and the sender.

Have you checked your new sender to see that it is creating a variable resistance as the float level changes?

If you are getting 6V to the sender, is the fuel tank properly grounded? From the factory, the fuel tank is grounded via the hanger straps and/or whatever else. I was warned that sometimes in our zeal to "fix" things we paint fuel tanks that weren't painted before and, as a result, we can cause poor grounds. If you've reno'd your tank, the issue might be a lack of ground. The solution would be to create a ground strap for the fuel tank to the body/frame, perhaps a small self-tapper and a length of wire from the thickest edge seam on the tank (something that won't cause a leak) or something better and more creative (but still safe).

(Maybe scraping some of the paint off the painted tank and attaching a magnet with a screw clip and wire).

Something like this, only modified:



Reference 56 Dodge Wiring Diagram



Edited by 56D500boy 2018-06-04 11:18 PM
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71charger_fan
Posted 2018-06-05 8:59 AM (#564588 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: Re: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon


Elite Veteran

Posts: 667
5001002525
Location: Frederick, MD
I've rewired to 12V negative ground. I've confirmed voltage at the switch terminal on the back of the gauge, but no voltage at either terminal at the tank. I've confirmed continuity of the wires between the gauge and tank. At this point, it's either a defective NOS gauge, defective NOS sending unit, or a grounding problem. I'm really hoping for the grounding issue. So, today, I'll pull the gauge and sender and hook the gauge directly to the battery and ground the sender directly to the battery and confirm if they work. If they do, then I'll figure out a good place to ground the tank. I added an extra ground yesterday and it didn't help, but it may not have been good enough.
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71charger_fan
Posted 2018-06-05 3:21 PM (#564608 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: Re: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon


Elite Veteran

Posts: 667
5001002525
Location: Frederick, MD
There are points in the station wagon fuel gauges. As it turned out, the points were corroded in both the original gauge and in the NOS gauge. There was just enough corrosion built up to prevent current flowing to the tank. So, I dug around and found an actual point file which I haven't needed in decades and that got things going again.
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71charger_fan
Posted 2018-06-05 7:12 PM (#564639 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: Re: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon


Elite Veteran

Posts: 667
5001002525
Location: Frederick, MD
The wagon sender is used with the wagon gauge and has two separate circuits with two internal (to the gauge) heating elements and bimetallic strips. One circuit shows 20-something ohms full and the other the same reading empty. Seems overly complicated. If it craps out again, I'm going to buy another aftermarket sender/gauge and install that in the dash where the factory gauge is.
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ttotired
Posted 2018-06-05 7:13 PM (#564640 - in reply to #560519)
Subject: Re: help please: repairing gas gage for 1956 plymouth station wagon



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Good stuff
Just to clarify, there is NO HOT WIRE to the sender, DO NOT PUT A HOT WIRE to the sender, you can possibly blow yourself up.

The power at the sender goes through the gauge first, then to the tank, so if it shorts out, all it does is move the needle, virtually no current

This is for others future reference

The points in the gauge are the voltage stabiliser contacts and open and close at a relatively constant pulse, which you can see with a test light or if you ground the sender wire (the needle will jump up in steps)

Don't ground the sender wire for to long or it will burn the gauge out

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