1995 960 Fuel Sender, Need to spend $700.?

[30volvos]

Hi
I recently bought a 95 960 sedan and the fuel gauge worked fine for a day. The car has low mileage and probably sat a lot for years. It worked intermittently for a couple of days, but now shows empty all the time. My mechanic said I have to buy a new fuel pump along with the sender since they dont sell the parts separately.

Does anyone know if I can buy the sender separate since it is really a bad sender, and the pump is fine? After market, or ideas on how to remove and test without the special Volvo tool to remove the top of the unit?

Thanks
Tom

[precopster]

I get part number 9180931 for 95/96 model 960 6 cylinder.

If I enter this number into Volvo Wholesale Parts (one of the site sponsors) Volvo Dallas I get $289.90

This is for a separate sender without the fuel pump.

If it were superceded to include the pump I would have thought this website would show the change.

Give them a call. 1-866-597-3891

Hope it works out OK.

[lummert]

The fuel gauge on my 1988 760 has worked like this since I bought the car 5 years ago. I just use the trip meter to keep track of the miles that I drive and fill the tank before it goes over 200 miles. I have never ran out of gas doing it this way.

[jimmy57]

The pumps on that year range 960 with the in-tank pump last past 200K. The sender is not very hard to get in and out so I'd do, or have done, the sender alone. You'll need sender and a length of high quality 8mm or 5/16" high pressure fuel hose.
There is an access cover below load floor under the front section. 2 or 4 bolts hold the front section and when removed the 4 bolt cover is there on left. The hoses on sender will have to be removed and pushed aside and probably wedged or tied back. The sender is held in by a big plastic version of a Mason jelly jar lid ring. You can unscrew it with the BIG channel lock pliers and a large screwdriver or pry bar as the handle while holding the channel locks to grip the edge of the retainer ring. Note position of sender before you loosen ring, the sender has to be installed in the correct position.
When you remove sender pull the rubber seal out if it didn't stay with sender. Change the associated parts and then when you re-assemble get seal ring and slip it past pump and fuel sensor and have it at top but not installed on sender. Once you negotiate sender into place by inserting, rotating, etc. then put the rubber seal into tank opening and assure it is seated. Then lube the ID of the seal ring with Vaseline so the sender will slide in without rolling down the seal ring. Install the retainer ring but be sure the sender is oriented as noted on removal.

BUT!!! before you do anything else I suggest double dosing the fuel tank with Techron fuel system cleaner. I have used it with some success on 960 and 760's that use the ceramic rod tube fuel sensors. I have used it with some success on lever types too for that matter. when the vehicle sits the fuel can dry a bit and leave a residue on the resistor surface and create no or poor contact and kill the gauge. Techron at higher concentration may take care of this and if the car sat unused it might be a good idea anyway even if it doesn't address fuel gauge problem.
There was a run of poor fuel right after hurricane Katrine down in my area and something in fuel messed up senders on a ton of cars and Techron fixed several without any parts replacements.

[30volvos]

Thanks a lot for your input so far. I am still amazed that our mechanics (former Volvo dealer mechanics) said I have to replace both the sender and pump even though the pump is fine. It isn't their fault if Volvo forced this change, but want to be sure we cant get a sender without the pump. I will call the number to check sender pricing and availability. Since this is my daughters car now, I dont want to think she has to calculate the fuel level for the next few years with odometer (her last car odometer died but we fixed later thanks to Matthews posts!) but I think the Techron option is a great idea since it could be due to underused and sticky float. I am still open to new ideas. Thanks again!