fuel gauge

[Davidbolam]

My tank of fuel is nearly full and the fuel gauge is only showing a bit over half.

Does the car need to have a full tank of fuel for the test or just sufficient to be tested?

Cheers

David

[skov]

It needs a full tank.
I don't know if the guage has to work properly or not though
You could always bodge the wiring or reposition the needle so it always reads as full for the test

[K4KEV]

Hi Dave ...did you cut the float arm and re bend it so it gives full scale defection of the potentiometer/resistor? if you have not that is what will be the cause, take the fuel sender out and offer it up to the outline of the tank (use a bit of masking tape on the rear tub including the sump where the sock sits) you will then be able to see the deflection available ....if I remember rightly I think you need to cut the 2nd bend from the end of the wire then rebend it to put the float back in its original position albeit a little shorter which will allow it FSD on the pot.

[Davidbolam]

Originally Posted by K4KEV

Hi Dave ...did you cut the float arm and re bend it so it gives full scale defection of the potentiometer/resistor? if you have not that is what will be the cause, take the fuel sender out and offer it up to the outline of the tank (use a bit of masking tape on the rear tub including the sump where the sock sits) you will then be able to see the deflection available ....if I remember rightly I think you need to cut the 2nd bend from the end of the wire then rebend it to put the float back in its original position albeit a little shorter which will allow it FSD on the pot.

Yes kev. I bent the float arm to shorten it but may have not allowed for the full travel up.

It seems to read low all the way up the scale.

I might have to "re calibrate" the needle. I've been searching on mx5 westie builds and they have done it. I am planning on getting rid of the original gauges after iva and going for something like a koso dash.

David

[baz-r]

the iva man looked down my filler for the fuel leval on my test even tho my gauge was saying full

there is no requirement for a fuel gauge so i cant see how thay could fail you but you could brim with fuel at your iva

[flyerncle]

More of a conveinience thing to know how much is in,why not take it out and do a measurement ouside the tank from e to f and see what the guage reads. Ie move arm up and down on the float.

[Davidbolam]

Ive been looking at the westfield build sites and a popular approach is to fill the tank and the reposition the needle to re-calibrate it! That way when it reads empty the will probably be 1/4 tank - plenty of reserve!

I am now planning any round the world trips in it. just quick blasts then to refill the tank (must be the aviation in me) and then home to defrost