Fuel sender screen (filter) question

Why the heck does a fuel sender screen cost about the same as an entire fuel sender itself? $22.00 vs. $25.00

I pulled my fuel tank then the sender and found the screen detached from the sender, doing nothing of course.

I have not put an ohm meter on the sender for a test yet but I checked on a new screen and was blown away by the cost.

Any alternatives to filter the fuel using the existing sender?
sparx

For the cost of a new tank, why not replace it all?
I bought a new tank "kit" for my 68, that was like 110 bucks. You can get a bigger tank, and rewire the sending unit for pretty cheap too.

Well, it's a matter of volume. If you make, pack, and sell a few hundred screens, your overhead for each is pretty substantial. If you make, pack, and sell a few thousand complete units, cost per each goes down.

If your sender is a Ford unit, put a new screen on it. None of the aftermarket senders has the right output range for accuracy. I know one outfit that may have them soon, but no date yet.

I just peeled the filtering element off. local parts store wanted $20+ for any kind of a net that I could have wrapped around it.

Inline filter--- put one just after the tank before the edelbrock pump I picked up on craigslist.

somebody had already replaced the tank. While back it seems, sending unit put up one hell of a fight coming out.

Don

For that kind of money, you can get the actual strainer:

Yeah, needed the car right away. My Isuzu pup grenaded the trans. Daily driver now.

So, just left it off.

I got the ohm meter out and checked the sender and it has to be shot since I get erratic readings of 125-190 ohms where the readings should be 10-70 with a sweep of the float arm.

So new unit is what I need.
TY all for the replies, good idea to put filter just outside the tank maybe in addition to the inline filter just inside the engine compartment.
sparx

Exactly what I did... Woodsnake, if your listening, i ditched the glass filter for a good old metal Fram. It didn't leak, it just had to eliminate possible problems.

Modify the Repro Unit

The repro sending units being sold seem to have a couple problems. The first is that the screens fall off or melt off inside the fuel tank. The second is that the floats leak right out of the box. You can buy a Ford brass float for about $7 and a Ford fuel sending unit screen for about $22 from the mail order places. This will make a repro sending unit totally useable in most cases. Here's what I found with mine:

Restoration and Modification of a 1966 Mustang Restomod: Brand New Repro Parts, Part II: More Adventures in Head-Scratching