I dug out the resistor in the sending unit (Evinrude PN 582154). The resistor has numbers 581752 TYPE J (also says AB made in Mexico)
I have found the following:
1. In the full up position and slowly moving the arm (resister) to the down position the gauge stays in full DOWN (and meter reads open and does not change)
2. However, if I move the sender arm to the completely opposite side the gauge reads full UP. And I can slowly move the resistor arm and can see the gauge reading change correctly.
#2 above seems to show the resistor is working but ONLY on the completely opposite end and opposite what I need it to do.
Has anyone else seen this???