School Me On Fuel Delivery Modules?

[Gary Lewis]

As many of you know, I'm going with the later fuel system on Big Blue, which will include the "fuel delivery modules". But I'm having a hard time finding the FDM's themselves. Do you replace then completely or do you replace parts of them?

Looking at the Rock Auto site for a 1995 F350 w/a 460 I find:

• Fuel pumps at $25 to $156

• Fuel pumps & housing assembly from $29 to $460

• Fuel sending units from $114 to $147

• Fuel tank & pump assembly from $168 to $239

This is really confusing to me. What am I missing?

It seems that you have to replace pieces, but that if you buy a new tank and pump you'll get the whole shooting match. Yes?

[85lebaront2]

Gary, the Spectra Premium is what I put in my front tank on Darth, the rear tank had a new NAPA that I was told was bad. Once I fully engaged the plug, it worked perfectly. SPI is decent as the assembly with a new gauge sender.

[Rusty_S85]

Gary, the Spectra Premium is what I put in my front tank on Darth, the rear tank had a new NAPA that I was told was bad. Once I fully engaged the plug, it worked perfectly. SPI is decent as the assembly with a new gauge sender.

I dont personally like spectra unless we are talking like fuel tank then their tanks are decent. But senders, every one I installed at work came back under warranty for sunken floats or shorted resistor board. Had one as a fuel pump module come back with a burned up pump. Why I am hunting down a NOS 85-86 sending unit sans pump.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, the Spectra Premium is what I put in my front tank on Darth, the rear tank had a new NAPA that I was told was bad. Once I fully engaged the plug, it worked perfectly. SPI is decent as the assembly with a new gauge sender.

Bill - Thanks, but which Spectra? There are two Spectra Premium fuel pumps. There are four Spectra Premium fuel pump and housing assemblies. And there are four Spectra Premium fuel tank and pump assemblies. Do you have a part number?

I'm really lost as I can't figure out Rock Auto's terminology. I wonder if I go to Spectra's site?

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - Thanks, but which Spectra? There are two Spectra Premium fuel pumps. There are four Spectra Premium fuel pump and housing assemblies. And there are four Spectra Premium fuel tank and pump assemblies. Do you have a part number?

I'm really lost as I can't figure out Rock Auto's terminology. I wonder if I go to Spectra's site?

Ok, now I'm getting somewhere. I Googled "Spectra Premium SP155" and got a hit at Amazon. And they say it fits a 1995 F350 w/a 460. But the picture shows it to just be the fuel pump itself. However, at the bottom of the page they show a Spectra Premium SP2007H Fuel Hanger Assembly with Pump and Sending Unit for Ford F Series. And that is the full Fuel Delivery Module.

And I can see that the FDM is made up of the SP155 fuel pump, a sending unit, and a filter in addition to the plumbing. So, now I can figure out what I want to replace in my FDM's. Or, just replace the whole thing.

[Ford F834]

Ok, now I'm getting somewhere. I Googled "Spectra Premium SP155" and got a hit at Amazon. And they say it fits a 1995 F350 w/a 460. But the picture shows it to just be the fuel pump itself. However, at the bottom of the page they show a Spectra Premium SP2007H Fuel Hanger Assembly with Pump and Sending Unit for Ford F Series. And that is the full Fuel Delivery Module.

And I can see that the FDM is made up of the SP155 fuel pump, a sending unit, and a filter in addition to the plumbing. So, now I can figure out what I want to replace in my FDM's. Or, just replace the whole thing.

Gary, what are you planning to do about the sending unit if you buy the whole FDM? Your gauge will read backwards, no?

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, what are you planning to do about the sending unit if you buy the whole FDM? Your gauge will read backwards, no?

In a word, Arduino, as outlined here: Bricknose Sender to Bullnose Gauge Interface However, seeing the sender stuck on the side of the FDM with a couple of screws got me to wondering if that's the best solution.

My guideline has been to build Big Blue in a way that my offspring can maintain it easily later. And that suggests not grafting a Bullnose sender onto the side of a later pump. Instead, building the interface to make the later unit work perfectly in a Bullnose.

However, there's one minor glitch with that - the float arm on the rear sending unit will have to be modified anyway if the reading is to be accurate. That's because I going with a 38 gallon rear tank and there's no FDM for that. But I realized last night that I could buy the FDM for a Bronco, which has a 33 gallon tank, and the sending unit's reading might be close enough to be acceptable.

But, since the Bronco only has one tank does its FDM have the check valves? More thinking to be done.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - Thanks, but which Spectra? There are two Spectra Premium fuel pumps. There are four Spectra Premium fuel pump and housing assemblies. And there are four Spectra Premium fuel tank and pump assemblies. Do you have a part number?

I'm really lost as I can't figure out Rock Auto's terminology. I wonder if I go to Spectra's site?

The one I ordered was the complete module, I did have an issue with the first one, it was bad out of the box, but was quickly replaced under warranty. This was in Nov or Dec 2011. I would stick with the earlier modules as Ford changed the connector in 1994 I believe (note the pigtail in your link).

On the check valves, they should be there, I think the primary difference is the depth and gauge sender and you have the recall valves on the existing tanks if I remember correctly. They are removeable with a special tool, I switched the one on my front tank to the replacement module.

Looking at Rock Auto's catalog, it appears that all the pump modules clear back to 1990 have been superseded by the 1996 style, probably due to updates. Most of the good ones include the pigtail needed for the electrical harness. Do you already have the Bronco tank? If not, I would order the assembly, tank and pump module.

[Gary Lewis]

The one I ordered was the complete module, I did have an issue with the first one, it was bad out of the box, but was quickly replaced under warranty. This was in Nov or Dec 2011. I would stick with the earlier modules as Ford changed the connector in 1994 I believe (note the pigtail in your link).

On the check valves, they should be there, I think the primary difference is the depth and gauge sender and you have the recall valves on the existing tanks if I remember correctly. They are removeable with a special tool, I switched the one on my front tank to the replacement module.

Looking at Rock Auto's catalog, it appears that all the pump modules clear back to 1990 have been superseded by the 1996 style, probably due to updates. Most of the good ones include the pigtail needed for the electrical harness. Do you already have the Bronco tank? If not, I would order the assembly, tank and pump module.

I do already have the 38 gallon tank. It came from Vernon and has the strap extensions.

But, I see what you mean about the electrical connector. I'd missed that. Not only does RA seem to show only the later style, so does Amazon. Apparently the vendors have all gone over to that style.

And I do have the check valves.

I think what I'm going to do is to pull out the FDM's I have and see if I think I need to replace the pumps. And, check the sending unit for continuity and smoothness. This may not be as simple as I'd hoped.

However, I could change the wiring to the later style connector and make it easy for replacement later. In fact, IIRC one of my connectors isn't in good shape. So, when was the change made? '96?

[85lebaront2]

I do already have the 38 gallon tank. It came from Vernon and has the strap extensions.

But, I see what you mean about the electrical connector. I'd missed that. Not only does RA seem to show only the later style, so does Amazon. Apparently the vendors have all gone over to that style.

And I do have the check valves.

I think what I'm going to do is to pull out the FDM's I have and see if I think I need to replace the pumps. And, check the sending unit for continuity and smoothness. This may not be as simple as I'd hoped.

However, I could change the wiring to the later style connector and make it easy for replacement later. In fact, IIRC one of my connectors isn't in good shape. So, when was the change made? '96?

1994 as far as I know. I have (somewhere) a 1994 and lines a friend in PA (Larry Sharff) sent me when he was building a plow truck from a Bullnose with a smashed cab and an Aeronose donor for the cab.