Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

If you need to replace your gas tank sending unit and you don't want to pay Max Merritt $150 plus $75 core charge you can buy a sending unit from NAPA for $98. The part number is FG96A made by SPECTRA Premium. It is made to fit a 1956 Ford Thunderbird but all you have to do is change the top mounting plate and replace with the top place off your old sending unit. The top plate is spot welded on the ford sending unit but you can cut it off. When reassembling ensure the that you use the insulator washer between the screw post and the top mounting plate. You can use a multimeter (OHM setting) to check to ensure the gauge is working properly

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Thanks for info. There are also a couple of other Ford possibilities that will fit 51-56 and doesn't need a new plate. Available from Classic Car and from Quanta for around the same price if a local Napa is not handy.

classiccarautoparts.com/gastank_sending_units_ford.html

quantaproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SUF5759

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49 Packard uses some kind of thermo unit. It is not resistance based unit. Wolfe rebuilt mine.

Would you have pictures of yours for the 49? Mine all seem to be the resistance type.

Sorry-I donot own the car anymore. I remember the check out routine was to ground the sending unit and gage should go to "full". Important donot leave it grounder for long. It took Wolfe 2x to get it fixed correctly.

The top portion looked like the drawing the float was about 30 deg off horz.

hope that helps.

With all due respect, that would not tell you if the float was registering properly - only that the gauge worked. Grounding the circular base and moving the float to see the gauge move thru its travel would verify the float was working properly. And that sounds like the normal resistance style sending unit and gauge.

This routine is to determine if the gage is the problem or the sending unit. When Wolfe sent the unit back-I connected it to the gage and found it was not responding correctly at all the different levels. This was also when I found out that the 48-50 units were some kind of thermal device-as someone pointed out very much like model trains of 50-60 time period.

I believe this is the type of sender used in the 49. It is not a resistor but rather a bimetal element whose characteristic heat, bend and break cycle is affected by the float adding or subtracting force. This changes the on/off cycle duration and makes the gauge bimetal element respond accordingly on the scale. The photos are of a NOS Packard unit of that approximate era.

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Thanks Howard, that clears up the question.

The opening post from Dans53 caught my eye because the Spectra Premium line is commonly available in my area. Yet, the Quanta sender's 1957 application info from HH56 got me wondering.

A little online searching revealed that FG97A is Spectra's sending unit for a 1957 Ford Thunderbird and various other 1957-59 Ford passenger cars.

An image is attached below, but here's a link to the eCat page from their website:

ecat.spectrapremium.com/apps/ecat/mainfi ... h_by_vehicle&module=product_catalog

The FG97A has a round mounting plate, and is similar in appearance to the Quanta unit shown in HH56's post. Looks like these modern replacements have a poly float, which may be a plus with today's fuel blends. IIRC, Spectra sending units for other vehicles often included a new rubber o-ring seal and locking ring, but no mention of that for this one.

I'm not presently in need of a sending unit, but perhaps someone else can verify fitment of the FG97A sender and any included parts and the correct length of float arm for the OE sender which fits all 1952-1956 Packards. (I'm not sure what the difference is with the sender for 1951.)

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