So I thought the sender was broken, turns out its just not plugged in! problem is, I have no idea where the body harness is!! Instead of spending a lot of time pulling the tank and all I'd rather just re-wire it into the cluster myself. does anyone on here know what goes where on the plug???

Dude, it's like 15 minutes to lower the tank to plug it in. Put a 2x4 on a jack and put it under the tank. remove the bolts only, not the lines. Slowly lower it until you have enough room to reach in and plug it in. Reassemble. Hella faster than a rewire.

The harness originates from the passenger side storage hold in the rear quarter. There is a metal shield. The terminal comes through a grommet. The wire may just be pulled up into the body. You should not have to drop the tank as long as the pigtail form the sender is present.

 

This panel is where all the vent connections go. There are 6 bolts to drop the tank. You would probably have discovered the wire you were looking for once you got to this point.

in the back under the cardbord pullout on the ps side right by were the filler go's in is a meatal cover with 3 screws pull this cover and you will see the conector for the gauge it likes to corode in thiss spot have repaired many do not have to drop tank. Thiss is on the inside bottom ps side at front of pocket check here first

I just fixed my fuel gauge sending unit (potentiometer) on my '85 EA82 carbed, analog gauges. I had to pull up the carpet in the rear of the wagon - passenger side. Then you will see the 3 screws for the cover. Then remove the screws holding the sending unit into the tank to repair the potentiometer... or just clean the wire connections first.

you guys are amazing. Will report back with findings/fixings.