Abstract: A modular fuel sender in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle includes a reservoir, a fuel pump in the reservoir, a low pressure conduit conducting hot return fuel back to the reservoir, a secondary pump in the reservoir for pumping new fuel from the tank into the reservoir, and a control which effects a recirculation mode of secondary pump operation when the new fuel level in the fuel tank is above a predetermined low level and a scavenge mode of secondary pump operation when the new fuel level in the reservoir is below the predetermined low level. In the recirculation mode, the secondary pump recirculates reservoir fuel to avoid overflowing hot fuel into the fuel tank. In the scavenge mode, the secondary pump continuously maintains a partial vacuum in a screen in the fuel tank regardless of the fuel level in the reservoir to maximize new fuel scavenged from the fuel tank before fuel starvation occurs.