185 fuel gauge
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=136775
Printed Date: 03 Nov 2025 at 10:36pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: 185 fuel gauge
Posted By: captaindana
Subject: 185 fuel gauge
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2017 at 7:11pm
| Guys and gals I installed a new Agco oem fuel gauge in my new to us 185. The old gauge didn't do a thing when the key turned on. This new gauge whips all the way to the right pegged on full, but the tanks maybe half full. Should I get a new sending unit or is there something I am not doing correctly. It is grounded very well. Thanks, Dana |
Replies:
Posted By: Gary(VA)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 3:59am
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Captain, I'm sure others can explain this better but the sending unit is what creates the ground to the gauge. If the gauge is directly grounded to the sending unit stud it will always read full. If I remember correctly you should just have positive coming in and then the wire to the sending unit. When you say grounded is that to the stud for the sending unit? |
Posted By: captaindana
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 5:46am
| Hey Gary I grounded the gauge center post to the frame. The terminal behind empty has the slide on 2wire positive connector and the post behind full has the push on single round wire connector that hooks onto the threads (like the coolant sending unit wire). Thanks, Dana |
Posted By: Gary(VA)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 5:58am
| I'm not around home to look but I thought mine only had two post. Are you saying yours has three? |
Posted By: captaindana
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 8:58am
| Hey Gary the new $60++ gauge oem has a plastic keeper to hold it in its socket. The old gauge had a metal keeper bracket which could/would ground it. The new gauge has a threaded stud just like the other 2 poles which originates at the back of the metal body. My gauge reads full with the key on whether I ground that center post or not. I realize the circular OD of the gauge groungs in the hole, but additional ground can't hurt either. So where do yall think I should go next? Thanks, Dana |
Posted By: Gary(VA)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:31am
| If no one else answers by then I can look at mine when I get home. I think I have a new one on the self and can see what's on the tractor. I should be home after 3:00 if no one else answers by then. If you unhook the sending unit I believe it should read empty. |
Posted By: Gary(VA)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:58am
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Captain, Take off the ground and see if the gauge will read empty. If it does hook up your sending unit there and see what it reads. The way I was taught was to ground the stud the sending unit goes on to test the gauge, if it feeds full the gauge works. Might just have that wire wrong. I don't think tha gauge itself needs a ground. |
Posted By: JayD-17(NY)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 10:57am
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I went through the same process on my 175D last year. Replaced the gauge first, then the sending unit. A working gauge will always read Full if its good but the sending unit is faulty. A bad gauge will read nothing at all. Have you removed the sending unit form the tank to inspect it yet? There's not much to them beyond the float, float arm and toward the top, like this little thread fine coil, which has always been the culprit in my case because that "coil" part had the wire either frayed or broke. As the float moves the arm, a little metal tab on the arms other end glides over the flat little coil strip (Which ultimately causes it to wear out over time) I believe the tab depending on where it is, changes the strength of the signal that's being sent back to the gauge, which makes the needle move on way or another, depending on the strength of the current???....I think that's how they work anyway?!!!! Seems like you could almost fix it if you had the hands and patience of a brain surgeon! Got my sending unit from Sandy Lake Imp.....I want to say they cost about $45, maybe? Did this 185 come out of Ames by chance?
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Posted By: captaindana
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 7:38pm
| Thanks guys. My old gauge was dead. My new one is alive but inaccurate. I will check the sending unit next. I found this tractor 7 years ago but didnt need it so my friend in Ames bought it. So 7 years later I thought I needed it. 😆 Ames wont miss it he has 5 others. Do the sending units mount from the top of the tank? Thanks, Dana |
Posted By: JayD-17(NY)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 7:59pm
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I wonder whatever became of the front weights?
http://s88.photobucket.com/user/jml77/media/Tractors/Local%20A-C%20Collection%2063.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: captaindana
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 8:34pm
| Yeah shesgetting treated like a princess already. I have all the front and rear weights. I have spent a week cleaning her, rubberizing all hydraulic lines, am/fm/ sat radio, data port, gauges, sun shade canopy, chrome stack, cream front rims and cream rear centers, silver rear rims, etc etc. Getting her in sync with the rest of the herd. |
Posted By: DanWi
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 8:47pm
| Got the before picture sounds like we need an after picture soon. |
Posted By: captaindana
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 8:51pm
| Also all new fluids,filters,thermostat and water temp sending unit. I made braces to the instrument panel and made the black ramp hinge up for quick access. Mounted fire extinguisher also. Still lots of cleaning to go. Thanks, Dana |
Posted By: JayD-17(NY)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 8:57pm
Man, that's gonna buff out real nice......might as well start begging the Cap'n in advance, to pay a visit and take my own "after" pictures  ....In the meantime, I think I have some more before pics of it somewhere I can share........
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Posted By: JayD-17(NY)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:02pm
http://s88.photobucket.com/user/jml77/media/Tractors/Local%20Allis%20Collection%2013.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: JayD-17(NY)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:02pm
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Posted By: JayD-17(NY)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:05pm
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Posted By: captaindana
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:10pm
| Jeez almost forgot the rear left final drive had leaked forever, took that off, cleaned and reinstalled with new gasket. Three of the hard to get to bolts were loose! |
Posted By: Lynn Marshall
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:17pm
| Yes, the sender is in the top of the tank. Unfortunately , it is also under the hood. No access hole provided. |
Posted By: JayD-17(NY)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:21pm
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I will have to ask him the next time I see him , why he cut the muffler stack so low on all his 185's. Seems like all his door ways were plenty tall enough to get under. Looking at my pics, it looks like the grill took a few more dings too since the first and last time I ever saw her.....even still, an easy fix - thats about the best looking grill you can ever hope to find on a 100 series AC!
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Posted By: shameless (ne)
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2017 at 9:58pm
| clean rake handle works for me! lol |
Posted By: captaindana
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2017 at 9:05am
| He cut some muffler pipes off to fit in a garage at his house. I hear ya Shameless, I gots a 16 inch broken yardstick wrapped in a towel where the c, ca and wd reside! |