DMCH combo fuel sender

[MML]

I haven't seen any comments about these in recent months, and was wondering, now that plenty of time has passed what the general opinion is? I remember some of the early units had problems but were soon sorted out.
I'd like to go for one, as I'm sick of the whole fuel level guessing game from the stock sender.

[Horsebox]

Mine works a treat. Not exactly exciting stuff but I was fed up with the rubbish fuel gauge and the worry that when you fill up at the station petrol pours out from the crap sender fit etc (happened to me). All of that now fixed with the new unit. Modern car standard fuel level indications and the fuel light works too.

My only gripe is that it is a very tight fit trying to get the closing cover back on.

If you go for it make sure you empty and clean the tank out so that you could eat your dinner off of it :-)

It's not cheap but I'd do it again.

[Ryan S.]

no issues. go for it.

[refugeefromcalif]

Overall I've been Happy with mine.
Mines been installed for over 2½ years now. (I did have to add an inline check valve for Hot start problems.)
It was accurate for the first year, then has slowly gotten worse. Now when the gauge shows ¼ tank, it takes about 12 gallons too fill it.
My Low Fuel light comes on when I'm down to ½ gallon. (Based on the 13.2 gallon tank spec, and what the pump tells me after it shutting off.)

George

[MML]

Thanks guys. You've sold me on it! I'm going for it.

Coincidentally, my fuel pump (I think) started buzzing quite loudly today while sitting in traffic - loud enough that you could hear it inside the running car. The buzzing was coming from the front for sure. It went away after a short while.
On a (possibly?) related note, my engine died one day last week on a road trip with the Irish Lotus club - I coasted to a halt on a hill, the car wouldn't restart for a few minutes, then all of a sudden it fired right up and didn't give any more problems after that. Some of the DOI guys suggested the pickup hose. Whether it was the hose or not, I want to ditch the old setup and its associated problems once and for all.

[DavidProehl]

I only have a couple hundred miles on my combo unit, but it has been problem free. I also didn't have any of the fit issues discussed above. It may depend on the car. It certainly is tight, but I didn't struggle to get the panel back on. No more worrying about the car starving for gas at a 1/4 tank!

[David T]

I only have a couple hundred miles on my combo unit, but it has been problem free. I also didn't have any of the fit issues discussed above. It may depend on the car. It certainly is tight, but I didn't struggle to get the panel back on. No more worrying about the car starving for gas at a 1/4 tank!

No matter what fuel gauge you have the best advice is to fill the fuel tank and reset the trip odometer (make sure the reset lever returns fully out). Cross-check your fuel gauge with the trip odometer using 20 MPG figuring 12 gallons usable in filled tank. You should get around 250 miles on a tank of gas averaging city and highway driving. 1/2 tank, 6 gallons, should get you 125 miles and so on.

[Grover]

Overall I've been Happy with mine.
Mines been installed for over 2½ years now. (I did have to add an inline check valve for Hot start problems.)
It was accurate for the first year, then has slowly gotten worse. Now when the gauge shows ¼ tank, it takes about 12 gallons too fill it.
My Low Fuel light comes on when I'm down to ½ gallon. (Based on the 13.2 gallon tank spec, and what the pump tells me after it shutting off.)

George

This happened to me. Turns out it was one of the first units sent out. The logic box wasn't fully sealed and I am guessing it messed something up inside. I got a new replacement logic box and my fuel gauge has been working great ever since.

Some tests to try that DMCH had me do was to ensure that the float wasn't getting caught, that the contact portion of the float was clean and making good contact and even replaced the float arm portion to make sure it truly was the logic box.

You can trying reaching out to them and explain that you have one of the very first units and that it no longer reads correctly.

[andy blackmon]

As George said I am very pleased with this unit. I had it installed right after they were inducted , I did add the check valve but after around 5 fuel pumps I am happy to have one that I do not worry about. Andy B 03513

[Ron]

My only gripe is that it is a very tight fit trying to get the closing cover back on.
+1

I installed 3 (including Chris' with a bad check valve) and none of them had fit problems. But my cover would not fit at all. I've been debating on heating it with a heat gun to keep it from rubbing the forward portion of the main clamp.
For reference- I measured from the cover mating surface to the top of the tank and it was ~1.5 inches, about 7/16 shy of clearing.
I understand 1 in 10 have a clearance problem.

[[email protected]]

I hate to be the fly in the ointment, but I would definitely reconsider the DMCH combo unit. Unlike you, I was looking for a permanent solution to the fuel pump problem, the sender unit being just a bonus in the equation. Houston's price was extremely high but I figured the advantage would be that I wouldn't have to worry about it for a very long time. Well, was I wrong. After purchasing the unit from them and installing it I was a satisfied customer, much like the above guys and would sing the praises of the combo unit to whoever was interested. Fast forward 2 years, well one day I began smelling raw fuel every time I would park the car and walk away from it. To make a long story short, I discovered pin hole leaks in the two fuel lines Houston supplies with the unit. Well no problem I called them and they immediately sent out 2 new replacement hoses but denied that the hoses I had were ever supplied with their unit. Two weeks ago the fuel gauge simply stopped working, several guys on this forum sent me step by step troubleshooting guides to help determine whether the problem was the dash gage or the sender unit. After following their instructions, it turned out to be the sender unit. Again several members advised me to contact Houston since my unit was one of the first units offered and ask for a replacement logic box. After talking with James he said a replacement logic box for the sender would be $260 some dollars but since I had purchased the combo unit already he would discount the price to $160. I complained that Harvey was selling a stainless steel sender unit complete for only $99 but my arguments fell on deaf ears. My next move was to remove the logic box completely from the unit since the fuel pump portion is still working OK. I broke the company seals Houston applies to these units and took a look inside to see if I could determine the problem. It was fairly obvious, the plastic enclosure that Houston uses is NOT watertight, they simply use some RTV around the wiring inlet which is surrounded by a rubber grommet, since a number of wires enter at this port one really has to be liberal with the RTV, unfortunately Houston isn't, which allowed water to enter thru capillary action. Another water entry area was the shrink wrapping Houston uses around the case which should have a rubber o-ring lining the enclosure lid but doesn't. The shrink wrapping was open on both ends of the case, again allowing water in. On inspection of the circuit board within the enclosure there was evidence of water damage, I debated whether to fix the board myself since the components are common and readily available but I choose not too, since I figured the less electronics I have in my Delorean the better. I took several photos of the logic box and was planning on posting them here but I can't figure out how to get them from my phone to the computer and onto the forum. In all honesty, I would stick with the original sender unit (wished I'd kept mine) and just keep things as simple as possible, they're easier to fix that way.

[DavidProehl]

It was fairly obvious, the plastic enclosure that Houston uses is NOT watertight, they simply use some RTV around the wiring inlet which is surrounded by a rubber grommet, since a number of wires enter at this port one really has to be liberal with the RTV, unfortunately Houston isn't, which allowed water to enter thru capillary action.

Thanks for the heads up on this. I never thought of that being an issue. This makes me want to seal up my controller box now before I wash the car.

[DavidProehl]

I have now liberally applied RTV to my box to hopefully seal it up. I closed up the hole the cables go into and have sealed the seam on the plastic enclosure itself. While it probably still isn't waterproof, it at least will be water resistant.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=36981&stc=1

[Grover]

I should probably do this after reading this and after having my first one get messed up from water.

[Henrik]

My only gripe is that it is a very tight fit trying to get the closing cover back on.

Consider yourself lucky:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?9185-Fitment-issue-1-with-DMCH-fuel-pump-sender-module-107000&p=134777&viewfull=1#post134777

[Tillsy]

I should probably do this too - I've had a few malfunctions with mine and was given a Hervey style "you're the only one to report that" type response.

Very odd experience for an Australian as our consumer protection laws would never tolerate this if DMC were in Australia, if a customer has an issue your ass would be bleeding pretty badly if you declined to do anything about it.

[Ron]

Looks like the wife will be asking about missing shrink bags again...:deviltail: