Frame rail pump delete

[honda34dad]

I have an ‘86 Bronco 2. Have the in tank pump and frame rail pump go out on me and am looking to go to a single pump. Can I just use an ‘89 in tank pump, get new fuel lines and be done with the frame rail pump?

 

[franklin2]

Looks like they use the same tank from 86 to 89. As long as you buy the complete fuel pump assembly with the plastic cartridge it should work. Those tanks are not baffled. That is the reason they use the frame pump with the fuel reservoir or the in tank fuel pump with the plastic cartridge. I do not know if the wiring plug will work, you might have to hunt up a wiring pigtail.

WARNING! I did not check about the fuel gauge. I know on the big trucks they changed the way the sending unit ohms and the fuel gauge work, so any fuel pump sending unit 87-up will not work with any fuel gauge 86 down. But I do not know if they did this same change on the rangers and bronco II's.

 

[Uncle Gump]

There are a couple ways to do this...

I went with an aftermarket pump... made new lines... and eliminated all the factory bits. Even cut and access hole in the rear to service the in tank pump.

The parts I used are in post 281... all the mods are earlier in my build thread.

86 Bronco II... G-Unit

I would probably do some probing around to check voltages at your TPS and see if someone messed with the throttle stop, in addition to making sure your IAC is functional. I have had weird issues with vehicles that have sat for a while that I think I can attribute to injectors gummed up with old...

www.therangerstation.com

 

[honda34dad]

Thank y’all!!!

 

[RonD]

Do not use the 1989 assembly in 1988 or earlier, just the pump is OK

1983 to 1988 Rangers used a reverse OHM fuel sender and dash gauge
So 1989 and up in tank sender won't work with 1988 and earlier gauges

Empty-Full
73-----10 Ohms pre-1989 Fords
16----158 Ohms 1989-up Fords

 

[honda34dad]

Looks like my sending unit is broken. Anyone know if I can order the replacement for the ‘89 stuff and exchange the fuel gauge from ‘86 in tank pump/sending unit assembly onto the ‘89 new sending unit and pump assembly? Guess the question is, will the ‘86 wires and wire connecting unit connect to the ‘89 wires at the top of the fuel tank of I order a ‘89 sending unit/pump assembly?

Sorry Ron if you were saying the whole assembly doesn’t work. I was hoping JUST the fuel gauge wasn’t compatible.

 

[Uncle Gump]

You could buy an 89 pigtail and wire it into your 86 harness I'm sure.

 

[RonD]

No, on swapping the gauges, just use correct sender in the tank or fix yours, read here: https://www.fordification.com/tech/fuel-sending-units.htm

You can buy new ones, but not cheap, Google: 1987 Ford Ranger fuel level sender
I just used 1987 because Rangers all used same one that year

For Fuel Level there is just 1 wire from tank to gauge on any year and any model, sender and gauge are grounded separately, so wiring is not the issue
Swapping to an 1989 gauge or cluster would end up being way more trouble that its worth
If you want you can mount another fuel gauge in/under the dash, that uses Ford 1989+ OHMs so you can use an 1989+ sender

 

[honda34dad]

So I could get an ‘89 fuel pump/sender and replace the sender from new with the old one and it should be good? I was not understanding “sender“ being the sender in the tank sending the reading to the actual fuel gauge on the dash. The more you know.

 

[RonD]

Yes, the sender is the variable resistor attached to the float arm in the gas tank
1988 and earlier use a different format sender and gauge combo than 1989 and up

Empty-Full
73-----10 Ohms pre-1989 Fords
16----158 Ohms 1989-up Fords

 

[franklin2]

Yes, the sender is the variable resistor attached to the float arm in the gas tank
1988 and earlier use a different format sender and gauge combo than 1989 and up

Empty-Full
73-----10 Ohms pre-1989 Fords
16----158 Ohms 1989-up Fords

I think there is some debate about the year they changed. I saw several vendors that put the year split in 86/87 so 86 down is the old style and 87 up is the new style system.

 

[RonD]

Yes, each Ford Model would have a different year it changed
For Rangers Ford switched to the high pressure pump assembly in 1989 model year, one pump system, so it would be natural for Ford to have changed the sender set up as well that year
But that's an assumption since I haven't changed assemblies on a 1988 and 1989 Ranger and checked OHMs

1989-1992 was also Gen 1.5, lol

 

[honda34dad]

Thank y’all for the clarification. I plan to get an ‘89 pump/sender assembly to put in my ‘86 tank and then switch the sender assembly from ‘86 onto my ‘89 pump/sender assembly.

 

[RonD]

When you set up the float arm you put the assembly standing up the ground and float should sit about 1.5" above the ground when its down all the way, i.e. EMPTY on the gauge
That 1.5" is reserve fuel, some like 2", lol
It really depends on the width and length of the tank, i.e. if there is a gallon or so left at EMPTY

 

[Josh B]

I ran mine on empty so much I learned to go by the hum of the pump (and carried a spare gallon can)