Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

[getafix]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I do however, suffer from the fuel guage bouncing around wildly when it is anything but full.
Can anyone recomend a suitable damper / resistor?

I have just fitted a new sender. I have never had a working gauge. It now works but I also have the same issue. I am working on a solution. I will update here if successful.

[andyf]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I would be interested in the outcome. I have a VDO gauge and sender and it's useless unless at rest when it is accurate.

[philcoyle]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

Here's some interesting reading, it may help in how it works Fuel Gauge | How It Works (uniquecarsandparts.com.au) and it looks as some of the troubles may be caused by a faulty stabiliser, I had a problem with mine and fixed it with a Marina one I had lying around. It has been trouble free even though it has an in-tank pump/sender unit and vdo gauge.

[martinclan56]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I would caution anyone with "experimenting" with the fuel sender/gauge/stabalizer setup.
Remember you are passing electricity through a device in the fuel tank! It's entirely possible to overheat the sender and / or create sparks. I have read, in the past, of the worst case scenario happening....
Anybody not sure about what they are doing should stick to a tried and tested solution. That is a matching gauge, sender and stabalizer (if needed) or one of the gizmos that is designed to cope with a mismatched sender and gauge.

Cheers, Robin

PS - fuel gauge bouncing arround wildly is usually caused by the fuel sloshing arround in an un-baffled tank.

[lizbillings]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I had this problem with a VDU sender and gauge on Bluebelle. It developed over time and the gauge reading was only stable when full and below half full. I cured it by removing the sender and bending the moving contact to make a better contact with the coil. This made up for the play in the pivot. Doug

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I'm currently installing a new sender into my Cabrio tank. I've replaced the 'swing arm' type with the more modern sort that has the float riding up/down a tube. As my gauge had been recalibrated at some time to the american standard 240 -33 ohms thats what I purchased of good old ebay. Item arrived in less than a week from China for £24. All stainless construction ,looks well made so will see how it performs. Got to be better than the archaic arm system for accuracy.

[andyf]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I'm currently installing a new sender into my Cabrio tank. I've replaced the 'swing arm' type with the more modern sort that has the float riding up/down a tube. As my gauge had been recalibrated at some time to the american standard 240 -33 ohms thats what I purchased of good old ebay. Item arrived in less than a week from China for £24. All stainless construction ,looks well made so will see how it performs. Got to be better than the archaic arm system for accuracy.

I've considered switching to one of these so would be interested in hearing how you get on

[andyf]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

PS - fuel gauge bouncing around wildly is usually caused by the fuel sloshing around in an un-baffled tank.

This is definitely what is happening in my case

[getafix]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I am conscious of the risks of creating a spark within a fuel tank. If I do post findings of my “experimenting” I had always planned on including a disclaimer.

Like dogoncrazy I have just fitted a stainless tube type so no chance of a spark in the tank. The tube contains a row of reed switches, a plastic float with magnets inside triggers the relevant reed switch giving your resistance value. Also like dogoncrazy I am working with American resistances.
I soldered up something this morning, I haven’t had a chance to try it yet. Hope to try after work today.

[HairyDave]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

Re, sparks in fuel tanks. I have in the past removed senders from fuel tanks where the rheostat wires had burned through probably with lots of sparks! The thing to remember is the fire 'triangle' Fuel Heat Oxygen. Without any one of these, there is no fire. A petrol tank will under normal circumstances have no oxygen, petrol vapour is heavier than air therefore no fire. Some 'in tank' fuel injection pumps are cooled by the petrol inside them. Caveat be careful out there.

[philcoyle]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

Well said Dave, petrol vapour is the really dangerous part of petrol not the liquid. Otherwise the in- tank pump would explode as soon as you switched on, and what do you think makes the pump work magic? Its a good thing there are people on this forum like HairyDave who know a thing or two, otherwise we would still be driving around in oxcarts.....

[martinclan56]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

Well said Dave, petrol vapour is the really dangerous part of petrol not the liquid. Otherwise the in- tank pump would explode as soon as you switched on, and what do you think makes the pump work magic? Its a good thing there are people on this forum like HairyDave who know a thing or two, otherwise we would still be driving around in oxcarts.....

That's a bit strong!!!! I was only trying to be helpful!

Robin

[HairyDave]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

The point is that with no oxygen in the tank the sender will not cause an explosion. Working on gas pipelines,welders would weld fittings onto live mains running at 100+Bar. No danger as there is no oxygen in the line.

[milliemarlin]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I would have thought it was certain that there will always be some oxygen in a fuel tank. It doesn’t need much to explode.

Paul
Standing back expecting flames.

[philcoyle]

Re: Smiths Fuel Gauge To Tank Sender

I think we are missing the point, which car manufacturer would even spend a vast fortune developing any vehicle to find out it may go boom when the tank is almost empty? Having to pass the safety regulations of many countries, if anybody can give me just one incident of a car bursting into flames, just one out of the millions of cars where a spark happened inside the tank creating an explosive situation ,just one. Then all of us driving in-tank pump and fuel injected engines will be living fear of turning the ignition on. One more fact to wind up the imaginations of many, the in-tank pump runs continuously when the engine is running at 3 to 5 bars, roughly 45 lbs per square inch up to 75lbs psi depending on vehicle and engine size