Fuel Sending Unit Ground Location?

[ptrckdillard]

Hello all,

Wondering if someone could help me out with this. I purchased an took over a friend's project. 1972 C-10. The previous owner had already mounted a new aluminum bed mount fuel tank. The sending unit which is already installed does not have a separate mounting point for the ground. My questions are:

1. Does it need a ground or is the tank bolted to the frame the "ground".
2. Should I install a ground wire beneath one of the 5 bolts on top of the sending unit as seen in the pic?
or
3. Should I put the ground on the same mounting point as the sending unit wire beneath it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by ptrckdillard

Hello all,

Wondering if someone could help me out with this. I purchased an took over a friend's project. 1972 C-10. The previous owner had already mounted a new aluminum bed mount fuel tank. The sending unit which is already installed does not have a separate mounting point for the ground. My questions are:

1. Does it need a ground or is the tank bolted to the frame the "ground".
2. Should I install a ground wire beneath one of the 5 bolts on top of the sending unit as seen in the pic?
or
3. Should I put the ground on the same mounting point as the sending unit wire beneath it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

If the tank is mounted on rubber pads or straps with isolators you will need to use a ground wire. If the tank is bolted directly to the frame you may or may not have a ground, depending on how much paint is on the frame. I would just run a ground wire to one of the mounting bolts (between the tank and the head of the bolt) and clean the paint off around a hole in the frame and bolt it up.

LockDoc

[ptrckdillard]

That's what I was leaning toward sir, just wanted some input from someone with more knowledge than me. Thank you

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

If the tank is mounted on rubber pads or straps with isolators you will need to use a ground wire. If the tank is bolted directly to the frame you may or may not have a ground, depending on how much paint is on the frame. I would just run a ground wire to one of the mounting bolts (between the tank and the head of the bolt) and clean the paint off around a hole in the frame and bolt it up.

LockDoc

I take it you don't have much faith in ground washers, or? I'm learning here Doc.

[Andy4639]

Just for good insurance run a wire off one of those mounting bolts over to a bare spot to the frame. This way you know you have a good ground.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

I take it you don't have much faith in ground washers, or? I'm learning here Doc.

Not really. I just went through this yesterday on my '36 Ford Coupe. Whenever you are grounding to an area that is powder coated or a couple of coats of POR15 you cant rely on the grounding (internal and external star washers) to bite through it to bare metal. I removed the POR15 on the areas of my frame where I bolted the ground straps. I still use the star washers, but I want the metal clean.

LockDoc

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

Not really. I just went through this yesterday on my '36 Ford Coupe. Whenever you are grounding to an area that is powder coated or a couple of coats of POR15 you cant rely on the grounding (internal and external star washers) to bite through it to bare metal. I removed the POR15 on the areas of my frame where I bolted the ground straps. I still use the star washers, but I want the metal clean.

LockDoc

Makes sense, thanks Doc. I'll need to do the same. There's going to be two coat primer and a top coat on this. Master Series, similar Por15 I guess.