 ohnomad56
Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 30
Loc: Orange County, Calif.
Reg: 06-21-08
|
07-22-12 07:42 AM - Post#2250818
My fuel guage needs to be adjusted. when the tank is full the gauge reads past full and stays there awhile. I'm sure the tank will be empty before the gauge gets to "E" also. I have two questions:
1. Do I bent the float up or down to correct the "overfull" reading?
2. I bought a replacement filter/screen for the sending unit - does the old one just pull off and the new one just push on or is there some way to secure the new screen to the line? Thanks for your info.
|
This
Forum is Sponsored by
bobsclassicchevy.com
|
|
|
 acardon
"9th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 9452
Loc: DFW TEXAS
Reg: 03-25-05
|
07-22-12 09:34 AM - Post#2250839
In response to ohnomad56
First, make sure the tank and sending unit is properly grounded to the body. A bad ground will give a higher resistance to the gauge and cause it to show overfull.
The sock just plugs on the sender tube and I've never heard of one coming off.
Don
66 Corvair (driving)
57 2dr HT (restoring)
56 2dr HT (waiting to be restored)
|
|
Lee T
Forum Newbie
Posts: 49
Reg: 07-05-12
|
07-22-12 10:13 AM - Post#2250846
In response to acardon
Everyone has surely noticed that manufacturers purposely design the cars so that we can get a lot of miles on a full tank of gas before the gage even starts to move. But in addition to that the gage goes way beyond full and usually beyond empty also, its a phychological good feeling thing, but the problem is that it makes the gage inaccurate.
I have held the gage and sending unit in hand with power to them and just move the float up and down to see what it reads on the gage, and having several gages to pick from, just kept switching gages until I found one that worked like it should. Its good on the empty side now, but it hasn't been full of gas yet.
If your gage is still in the dash, just run wires from the tank area up to the driver seat area and hook them to the sending unit you are holding in your hand. It might be difficult to adjust the overfull out of the gage without messing up the empty adjustment, never tried that, some say don't adjust it. Seems to me that the problem is the gage has a working range that is too wide. This might be helpful for explaining whats involved, but I don't think our gages are adjustable.
http://www.mgexperience.net/article/fuel-sender-a d...
The strainer just slips off and on.
|
ohnomad56
Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 30
Loc: Orange County, Calif.
Reg: 06-21-08
|
07-22-12 11:16 AM - Post#2250864
In response to acardon
Thanks for the info, Don
|
ohnomad56
Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 30
Loc: Orange County, Calif.
Reg: 06-21-08
|
07-22-12 11:17 AM - Post#2250865
In response to Lee T
I was hoping I could just bent the float arm up or down to calibrate the gauge better?
|
acardon
"9th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 9452
Loc: DFW TEXAS
Reg: 03-25-05
|
07-22-12 11:41 AM - Post#2250871
In response to ohnomad56
I was hoping I could just bent the float arm up or down to calibrate the gauge better?
You can, if that's the problem, but reading over full is not a symptom of a bent float arm. The variable resistor in the sender goes from 0-30 ohms and won't go past 30 ohms, no matter how the arm is bent. A past full indication on the gauge has to have a resistance of MORE than 30 ohms. A bad ground or bad connection in the wire to the sender is the most likely way to get more than 30 ohms. A bad sender itself is another possibility.
Don
66 Corvair (driving)
57 2dr HT (restoring)
56 2dr HT (waiting to be restored)
|
|
ohnomad56
Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 30
Loc: Orange County, Calif.
Reg: 06-21-08
|
07-24-12 04:02 PM - Post#2251758
In response to acardon
Don - To check the resistence would I put the red lead from the ohm meter on the sending unit terminal and the black lead on the frame to ground? If I have 1/4 tank of gas I should get a resistance of between 7 and 8, correct? I will make sure I have a good ground by connecting a wire from the mounting screww to the frame. If that doesn't show the right resistence, then I assume the sending unit is bad?
|
This
Forum is Sponsored by
bobsclassicchevy.com
|
|
|
Gain extra benefits by becoming a Supporting Member 
drtyler (4)
