I finally removed tank & had it cleaned & relined, seems it had been lined before & that liner was coming apart, along with rust, clogging many filters, before reinstalling, I took apart sender, which was heavily contaminated & not functioning. float was stuck & 1 wire was broken, I see where that goes & re soldered, however, in the process, the other 2 wires, the ones that are pinched by the 2 feelers inside the float, broke off & I don't see exactly where they are attached, found a pic in the tech articles but it does not show closeup so I can try to reattach, I don't see solder showing where to contact, probably an impossible task, not sure about locating used one, best price on a new sender is $212, ouch!! any suggestions or anyone with a clean used one?

Wagon? Year?

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I had to do this in the 240D...
There are 2 tabs on the inside top of the unit. If the low fuel warning light is at 6:00, the tabs are at 3 & 9
The wire goes from one tab down through the channel where the feelers grab it. Then it goes OVER the top of the base of the assmbly. If you run it across the bottom it will short out and read full. I think there are 2 nubs or arms that hold the wire in place on the base. Then it runs back up the other side throught the float feelers where it attaches to the other tab.

You have to really stretch the wire to get the tension right or it won't read properly. I claped the sender unit down to my workbench and grabbed the loose wire end with forceps. I had the solder and iron ready and got all three on the tab at once. It should be tight like a guitar string.

Good luck!

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

The sender pins are marked. The wire goes from pin T, to the bottom, comes back up and goes to pin G. The float touches the wire, shorts it out and changes the resistance as it moves.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

OK, thanks Zeke, still having problems, at this point I've broken all wires & substituted what I think is appropriate wire, I have 1 wire from 6 o'clock tab soldered to tab at base & have low fuel light on contact, I have soldered wire to tabs at 3 & 9 o'clock but do not get accurate level indicator, just full or empty, I see what you mean by wings that the 3 & 9 wires wrap around at base, but do they get soldered to same point as low fuel tab? you said you soldered all 3 wires, do all 3 wires get soldered to same point at base? Is that 1 wire that goes from T to G after passing thru float? I have located a used unit for $90 but as that will have to be cleaned too I'd rather fix this one

No, only solder the wire at the tabs on the top of the unit!! The reserve light solders at the top and bottom IIRC. I tested mine by plugging it in and moving the float by hand in the backseat. Make sure it is really really tight and the feelers on the float are gripping the wire well. (I used the forceps to kinda bend them into place (REALLY REALLY gently!!!)

If you take a picture and post it I could mark it where I soldered....

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT