I'm an idiot!

[cougs]

I was replacing my fuel sender over the weekend and when pulling out the old one I had a funny angle and had to somewhat forcefully pull the ond sender out.  In doing so I popped off the old float and it stayed in the tank.  The good news is the the new sender is perfect from full to empty BUT now I have the old float freely floating around the tank.  Not a big deal safety-wise but I can her it clanking around back there.  When I pull into a parking lot and shut off the car it clanks around, loudly, for about 30 seconds.  I tried to get it out with a piece of welding wire for about an hour but couldnt get it.  Has anyone ever pulled this one out of their hat before?  I was thinking it may come up through the filler if I'm lucky one of these days!?  I really don't want to drop the tank.....

[Dino]

I was replacing my fuel sender over the weekend and when pulling out the old one I had a funny angle and had to somewhat forcefully pull the ond sender out.  In doing so I popped off the old float and it stayed in the tank.  The good news is the the new sender is perfect from full to empty BUT now I have the old float freely floating around the tank.  Not a big deal safety-wise but I can her it clanking around back there.  When I pull into a parking lot and shut off the car it clanks around, loudly, for about 30 seconds.  I tried to get it out with a piece of welding wire for about an hour but couldnt get it.  Has anyone ever pulled this one out of their hat before?  I was thinking it may come up through the filler if I'm lucky one of these days!?  I really don't want to drop the tank.....

It is probably still the easiest to drop the tank.  You may be fishing for a while with wires but it's always worth another shot.

[histoy]

Maybe you could try one of those little minnow nets that they sell in sporting goods stores.  You'd probably have to fasten it to your coat hanger and modify the shape to get it thru the hole for the sending unit, but it might work.

[mauve66]

i'm guessing its not metal or magnetic??  don't really remember what mine looked like when i swapped it

[carsnguitars]

You try filling to a very high level, jack the car on one side to try and tilt the tank some so that the float hovers near the sending unit hole? I am going of an ebody tank pic in my mind..
you could practice with a container and water to see if it might help.
Just a thought.
I would probably try fishing little longer before yanking the tank.

[tan top]

 sorry to say the tank has to come off     ,  its not going to come up through the filler tube ,
  only way to get it out , take tank off & shake it out ! 
the float it brass not magnetic , nothing it that easy ,
you might be lucky fishing around in the sender hole ,  if all the planets are aligned &  the float is  near the hole , but then with no real room & not seeing ,  will have to grab it with long nose forcepts or similar ,   & its only going to come through the hole end on or at a angle !!  you could be there hours ,  weeks ,
  10 minutes to take the tank off 

[Chryco Psycho]

or 3/4 fill the tank & pull the sender , the old float should be floating in the tank , put a catch pan under the sender & it may wash out or you could fish it out with a coat hanger if the fuel level is up to the sender level

[Fred]

I would fish it out. I would lower the tank a bit to make it easier. Takes a bit of patience and time but well worth it.