So I'm looking for a sending unit for my 1983 ranger 2.3 but having no luck. Does anyone know where to get one or is there another year that is compatible. Thank you.

 

Welcome to the forum

No, you will have a hard time finding one

Have a read here: Fuel Tank Sending Unit Tech - FORDification.com
It is sometimes possible to repair a sender

1988 and earlier Fords used a different sender than 1989 and up Fords, which is why stock senders are hard to find, they haven't been made for 30+ years

You will have this type in a 1983 Ford
73 Ohms Empty tank
10 Ohms Full tank

You can use a "universal" sender using 73-10 like this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-level-...-/253063320216

Its adjustable for 6" to 24" deep gas tanks, you would need to make a hole for it or try to fit it to fuel pump assembly

 

Hello All I hope someone can help me I am looking to restore my father in laws 1983 ford ranger so we can drive it again I have taken it to a shop and the sending unit is bad and we can not find anything that will work I have purchased 3 different aftermarket ones they say will work but they don't.... I found the company LMC Truck and they have a 1985 fuel sending unit my question is if i was to purchase the 17 gallon fuel tank fuel pump fuel sending unit and connectors with straps and everything to basically have a complete unit would the tank and fuel pump and sending unit work since those are available and the year 1983 is not or am I SOL

 

Welcome to the forum

Yes, 1985 gas tank and sending unit should work, there is NO PUMP in the tank until 1986(so double check that) and only in the Rangers that had the 2.9l fuel injected engine

Your 1983 would have a mechanical fuel pump on the engine, and it could suck gas out of the tank, high pressure fuel injection pumps can not

Sender used the same OHMs 1983 thru 1988, 1989 and up won't work with 1983 fuel gauge

In 1983 there would be only 2 wires at the gas tank, a ground wire(black) for the sender and a wire(orange) that runs to the gas gauge in the dash
Use an OHM Meter to test your current sender, should be approx. 73 ohms with float down all the way and 10 ohms with float arm lifted up all the way, if so then sender is OK and problem is NOT in the tank, its a bad ground or bad wire to cluster or bad gauge/power supply

There is a voltage regulator on or behind the instrument cluster, it powered the fuel gauge(always), and sometimes oil pressure and coolant temp gauges