Fuel Sending Unit Float

[VectorPat]

Has anyone ever seen one of these things just start falling apart..Saw one in a boat the other day that is turning to a black dust..The tank was supposed to be new less than a year ago..

[ShorePounder]

Black dust? sounds like either the wrong(highly unlikely but possible) material or a bad batch of the right material. I guess you could call it a chronic defect since it took nearly a year to deteriorate. Sounds like Buna N, but I wouldn't know unless I saw it.

[VectorPat]

It was on Dana's boat..I havnt seen the float yet, but i did see the filter..He says it looks like a rat had been chewing on it.. The fuel gauge hasnt worked since the boat was new..Float may have been sinking..I had wondered if possibly alcohol had been done it..He has the float out and I will see it this weekend...

[chris_lacey]

We used to see that on foam plastic carb floats back when cars had carbs. The floats were a black foam with a coating on them. If the coating was damaged (or not applied correctly) the gasoline would eat the foam. It would crumble into black dust. Could be the same sort of thing. Replaced tons of them.

[optimax135]

I get this problem all the time in new boats. I think it is a condensation problem from hot to cold. Boat hulls seem to hold temps for awhile sorta like a cooler(beer) which causes water build up on the senders causing them to rust. Ever see what your toilet does on a hot summer day when you flush her and the tank starts to sweat? I think this is what causes it. If not it's the only conclusion I could come up with.