Stratos 185 fuel gauge sending unit.

[Cable Dog]

Good day, all.

I'm wanting to know the best way to get to the fuel gauge sending unit on a '04 Stratos 185 J for replacement.
From the looks of things, I'm guessing that removing the livewell & sliding the tank back might be the ticket,
but I don't know how the sender is oriented on the tank, or if there is a simpler way of doing it that I haven't thought of.
Therefore, I look to those that have tackled this problem before me.
Thank you in advance for any techniques or voodoo you may pass along.


Modified by Cable Dog at 1:22 PM 10/24/2011

[00Bassn]

Frank,
I have a 285 Pro XL Stratos and my fuel gauge sending units are BEHIND MY BENCH SEAT. I am also going to be replacing my 2 sending units and there is what they call a (Beauty Hole) behind my bench seat. When I took out my bench seat I noticed, and unscrewed the round B. H. , they are about 6 to 7" circle things behind the seat. Once i unscrewed them my senders were right there.
Now all I have to do is take them out and get the correct lenth unit.
I have been doing some research and found some at
MarineEngine.com at the best price around.
I did business before with them and they are very good to deal with.

GOOD LUCK, Ray

[Cable Dog]

Many thanks, Ray.
I don't have a bench in mine. I've taken out the middle bucket, but there wasn't an access hole there.
I'll take out the other 2 to see what evil lurks behind them.
Even if they're not there, I'd bet that the senders are the same, so thank you very much for the tip on where to rustle them up.

[Big red2]

i have a 2006 285 if your boat is in the 2000 range and newer the only access you have is through the back side storage boxes and with that room there i dont think you have enough room to pull the sender out.

[Cable Dog]

Thanks, B.R.
It's a 2004, so it looks like I'll be disconnecting all the pumps, pulling the livewell, taking out the fuel tank brackets & sliding it back until I can see 'em.

I suppose it could be worse, I could have to use a Sawsall.

Many thanks to everyone for their input & info

[kennedy63]

Hello ,I have a 2005 Stratos 285 PRO XL and I am in the same predicament. I need to replace my sending unit and I have no access to this fuel tank other than removing storage inserts as well. My question is was you able to slide the fuel tank back far enough to gain access to sending unit?

[BuzzB8]

Without an access hole, doing my play would be difficult. My sending unit went bad 8 years ago. I tried to remove the seats and the seat panel/tray, but a few screws rounded off. I then removed the small access panel between the seats, measured the distance and angle to the sending unit. Drilled a hole for a cup holder over the sending unit.

Replaced the unit with a generic one. Be sure to measure twice before cutting the rod with the float on it. Once it was in, I used a plastic cup holder to fill the hole. Its located just behind the passenger seat and flat with the back deck, so no harm or hazard to a partner.

It was a much simpler process than ripping out seats and seat tray.