Gas Gauge

[slapshot11]

The gas gauge on my 22 Classic is driving me nuts :bonk: It never moves off FULL. That would be great but I know the 502 is burning gas like no tomorrow. This weekend the gauge was on "F" and I put 20 gallons in. I have no idea how much gas I have an any given time. Has anyone else had this problem? Is it a gauge problem or a unique characteristic of this particular model?
Help please before I have to get towed in from who knows where.
Thanks

[Injun Joe]

My 96 Blackhawk gas gauge either reads FULL or EMPTY, nothing in between. When it reads empty, I give the Middle East more money!

-CH

[MOP]

"If" the gauge goes to empty when the key is shut off it sounds like the sender is bad.

phil

[RedDog]

I'd like to see this in use:

http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/waterproof.htm


They work with odd shaped tanks and give a linear indication of volumn. Plus no moving parts so no needle bounce on the gauge. The sender has a processor that can be calibrated for the tank it is in. It's been a year since I research it out, but if I remember correctly, you set it by putting 5 gallons of fuel in and hit a setting button, put 5 more in ....etc. till full.

[Kirbyvv]

Same thing just happened to me. It was the sender.

[David Ochs]

Got fed up with this myself. I'm installing a Faria flow meter. It will of course display gph, also amount left in tank. The gauge nicely replaces the original level gauge. We'll see how well it works.

[Ranman]

linear indication of volume

It seems that too many people struggle to grasp the concept.


The sender can only measure the level of the fuel in the tank (top to bottom). It has no way of giving you an actual volume measurement.

The tanks are shaped like a rectangle on top of a martini glass. If the distance from the bottom of the V to the top of the tank is 10", when the vertical level of the fuel in the tank is at 5" the gauge reads 1/2, however there is MUCH LESS than half of the tanks volume of fuel left.

THe senders do go bad from time to time, but more often than not the gauge is working properly and that is just how they are.

Example: 40 gallon tank full with 40 gallons. When the gauge reads 1/2 you may only have 5 gallons left because all the fuel is down in the V. THe tanks are not flat and rectangular.

[Pismo]

I had the same problem once and the ground on the sender was bad. Always read full.

[MOP]

I had the same problem once and the ground on the sender was bad. Always read full.

Good point, one I should know by heart! If the sender wire has chaffed to ground the gauge will read full all the time.

Phil

[undertaker]

All gas gauges in 22 classics SUCK I found out the hard way (Dr. Dan can back me up on that :) :) :yes: :yes: What I do is when the gauge starts to come off of the full mark I starting heading to the gas station:wink: . Best bet is to put a flow meter on IMO...


Undertaker aka Schumacher Gas can boy!!!!!!

[slapshot11]

Dr. Dan mentioned the Flow Meter possibility at the spring Dust Off. Sounds like an interesting alternative. I wonder if he's done it yet.

[DonziJon]

From a couple of months ago:

HI SUE: Gas guages in these boats have a mechanical sensor in the tank that takes a terrible beating. When I first got my Minx I went out one night around dark with what I thought was 3/4 tank. An hour later I was paddling toward shore. There were no other boats out there to get a tow from. I had a guy with me and we had two canoe paddles and a couple of beers. Luckily it was flat calm. These boats DON"T paddle worth a damm. Gas Guages are incredibly unreliable.

Now, whenever I see the gas guage start to "bob" off the Full peg on the guage, I start looking for gas or head back. I NEVER let the needle get down to 1/2. Once was enough.

In addition, I keep track of HOURS Run via the hour meter, all the time, with a little log book. My little 350 burns about 4 GPH overall the way I drive it and my tank holds 40 gallons..theoretically. So I know how much is left.

After a few tank fulls you can figure what YOUR "burn rate" is. I always fill up. Using this method, when I pull up to the gas dock, my calculated guess is usually within a gallon or two of what it takes to fill it back up. . Hope this advice saves you some paddling excercise. John

[undertaker]

Dr. Dan mentioned the Flow Meter possibility at the spring Dust Off. Sounds like an interesting alternative. I wonder if he's done it yet.


NO he has not, winter project I think:)



Undertaker:pimp: