Something LARGE in my gas tank?? Explorer

[John Clarke]

Hey All! New guy here B)
A few days ago I bought a 1994 Ford Explorer for a whooping $500 from a family friend!
As I did my pre-buy inspection I had noticed the fuel gauge was reading dead empty.
Filled the tank to full and still read empty. As these first gen explorers have no access to the top of the tank from the inside I planned to drop the tank this weekend and check the sending unit.

However, This morning my girlfriend called saying there was a knocking sound coming from the car.
( I assumed engine knock, you too huh? 😛 )
Well I went and inspected, the knock was coming from the gas tank.. It sounds EXACTLY like your laundry spinning around in the dryer.

Any Thoughts?
I’m thinking the worse, Sending unit fell apart and is bouncing around breaking into little bits.

Topic

[Collin]

More than likely, your assumption is correct. It probably had no gas on the sending unit for a long time. After this time, oxygen/water contacted the sending unit and rusted it.

Over time, the sending unit probably rusted off its original connection (or the electrical got pulled out) and it is now jiggling around in the tank. Be careful with this. You may want to just get a new gas tank if you don’t want to spend the time THOROUGHLY cleaning it out after this event. There’s probably going to be a lot of rust particles everywhere.

[college man]

either the sending unit or a baffle. 🙂

[John Clarke]

Sounds like a good time! haha thanks fellas.

[steven jacobsen]

sounds like the baffle to me, if it is then you need the tank

[college man]

keep us posted on your progress.

[EricTheCarGuy]

I agree, it sounds like a baffle. I doubt the sending unit would make that noise. If a baffle broke loose then it is possible for it to interfere with the sending unit operation or it could damage it. Bottom line, you’re going to have to drop the tank to find out. Keep us posted.

[Author]

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