Fuel gauge problems

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Nov 11, 2015 | 12:56 PM

#31

johnnydevil55

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 132

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From: North Sewickley, PA

I had a buddy who used a wooden stick with hash marks that he would dip in the gas tank every time he stopped to check how much gas he had..worked for him! ha ha

Nov 11, 2015 | 03:46 PM

#32

Tedster9

Post Fiend

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 19,311

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From: Waterloo, Iowa

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flat Ernie

And be careful with those vacuum tubes - somebody could get hurt!!

I have tubes that are almost 100 years old and work perfectly. They are reasonably cheap to buy, and easy to find. Now today certain transistors are just as obsolete as tubes at this point but the OEM type are mostly unobtanium and often defective, they don't always age well on the shelf or in circuit. Oftentimes generic NTE replacements won't work quite right in the circuit either.

Not saying tubes are "better" but it's kind of strange how things work out over time. Growing up I was always fascinated with those glowing cylinders in the back of a dusty radio. They held a certain "ship in a bottle" mystery to me - how'd they get all that stuff in there, anyway? Btw, I think Henry provided a wooden stick to check fuel level with his model T?

Nov 11, 2015 | 08:11 PM

#33

CharlieLed

Lead Driver

Joined: Aug 2006

Posts: 8,093

Likes: 652

From: Brentwood, TN

I was looking through the latest, Jan 2016, issue of Street Rodder and came across an interesting tech write-up on page 46. Classic Instruments has a device called "FuelLink' that purports to match your fuel gauge to your fuel sender. Might be worth a read for those who are interested in this topic.

Nov 11, 2015 | 08:14 PM

#34

Flat Ernie

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Joined: Jul 2003

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From: FL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tedster9

Not saying tubes are "better" but it's kind of strange how things work out over time. Growing up I was always fascinated with those glowing cylinders in the back of a dusty radio. They held a certain "ship in a bottle" mystery to me - how'd they get all that stuff in there, anyway?

I know what you mean! The old tubes and the orange glow made it all sort of magical.

Nov 12, 2015 | 07:41 AM

#35

johnnydevil55

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 132

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From: North Sewickley, PA

The fuel link seems like a pretty sweet component to solve our fuel level issues. to some, it might seem a little pricey compared to buying a new sender and/or gauge. As long as its a quality piece, (it says made in usa) it's something that you can use in any project, with any combination of sender and gauge..

Nov 13, 2015 | 06:04 AM

#36

bernette

Cargo Master

Joined: Nov 2012

Posts: 3,151

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very interesting!

Nov 13, 2015 | 07:13 AM

#37

49willard

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2005

Posts: 3,337

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From: Harpswell Maine

I run a stock tank and gauge with a fixed dropping resister on my 49. I sized the resister for 12v. when I bought Willard in 1977. I sized it by testing the current flow on 6v. and then purchased and installed an inline resistor to provide approximately the same current flow on 12v. If you run it on 12v. without a dropping resister you are cycling the "make and break" at a higher frequency which will probably still have good lifetime but you are working the contacts harder.
I wanted to continue to run stock gauges. If the OP is wanting to run stock gauges and that is important to him, an available option is to buy or make an adapter plate to install the stock truck gauge in the Mustang tank. Am I correct that the Mustang hole for a sender is larger in diameter than the Bonusbuilt hole? It will then be necessary to shorten the arm to the float since the Mustang tank is much shallower than the stock tank (on a bonusbuilt truck). It will probably take some trial and error to get the range right

Nov 13, 2015 | 07:48 AM

#38

johnnydevil55

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 132

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From: North Sewickley, PA

The mustang hole is a different beast all together. it's located at the bottom front of the tank, and is a part of the fuel delivery system. also it has a snap ring which keeps it in place. I'm going to mess around my mustang sender and stock fuel gauge tonight. see how they talk to each other when I use a L7806 to supply 6v to the stock gauge. i'll post my findings